Missoula Area News

Get all your Missoula and Western Montana headlines in one place! Our staff hand-selects the top recent headlines from local media outlets and publishes them via RSS.

MT company boosts workforce to meet demand in Bakken | KPAX.com

May 21, 2012

The Bakken oil boom has added thousands of oil jobs including some in Billings. Sanjel in Billings provides drilling companies with coil tubing, fracturing and pump services and the company has trained about 1,200 workers since 2010, with about half of those go to work in the Bakken.

Glacier National Park provides economic stimulus | KPAX.com

May 21, 2012

The national economy may not be the best and the economy in the Flathead Valley is even worse, but the Flathead and Montana are about to get a big shot in the arm as Glacier National Park roars back to its summer life.

Vendors sell wares on bridge spanning Blackfoot River | Missoulian

May 21, 2012

A storied river runs under Missoula’s latest iterance of a weekend market.

Hellgate wins state lacrosse title | Missoulian

May 21, 2012

The Missoula Hellgate lacrosse team proved it could take a punch, get up off the mat and keep fighting Sunday afternoon.

Attorney General Primaries Top Statewide Races | Flathead Beacon

May 21, 2012

Contested battles for attorney general give both Republican and Democratic primary voters distinct choices as they move toward the June 5 ballot.

Missoula children's shelter sees increase in need; 2 homes near capacity | Missoulian

May 21, 2012

Watson Children’s Shelters have nearly hit capacity in recent weeks, with as many as 29 of the combined shelters’ 32 beds occupied by children who have been displaced from their homes due to neglect, sexual abuse, or family crisis.

Staying Safe on the Water | Flathead Beacon

May 21, 2012

Warm temperatures beckon recreationists to water, especially around the holidays. This Memorial Day weekend, thousands of visitors will likely populate Flathead Lake and other rivers and lakes across the valley.

Weather Forecast: Rainy, cool pattern this week | KPAX.com | Missoula, Montana

May 21, 2012

We are coming off a beautiful couple of weeks where we've been fortunate enough to enjoy above average temperatures and sunshine. But that's all about to change as we move into a much cooler and wetter pattern lasting through the week.

Nation’s Winningest Coach Takes Over Flathead Wrestling | Flathead Beacon

May 20, 2012

Scot Davis, the winningest coach in high school wrestling history, has been named the new head wrestling coach at Flathead High School, the school announced Friday.

Mayor Engen reprimanded officer who criticized UM, emails show | Missoulian

May 20, 2012

An email from a Missoula police officer – writing as a private citizen on a personal email account – to University of Montana administrators and boosters expressing his concerns about alleged sexual assaults at UM provoked a quick reprimand by the mayor.

UM vice president sought to punish alleged rape victim, emails reveal | Missoulian

May 20, 2012

University of Montana Vice President Jim Foley was so upset that an alleged rape victim spoke publicly about UM’s handling of her case that he asked whether action could be taken against her under the Student Code of Conduct.

Weather Forecast: Nice weekend continues | KPAX.com

May 20, 2012

The weekend started off on a very nice note. Sunday will bring another nice day. Expect a clear sky overnight with a Sunday morning low in the middle to upper 30's.

Five Valleys Land Trust, others make deal to preserve Rock Creek acreage | Missoulian

May 20, 2012

The land along the mouth of Rock Creek – western Montana’s vaunted blue-ribbon trout stream – will remain undeveloped, thanks to a deal between the owners and several local conservation groups.

Helena Mayor: "Legalize, regulate, and tax" marijuana | KPAX.com

May 19, 2012

Helena Mayor Jim Smith has spoken out on the subject of marijuana saying on Thursday that the drug should be legalized.

Coffee Grounds Lead to Innovation for a New Missoula Company | KPAX.com

May 19, 2012

Blue Marble Biomaterials is inventing the future of food and other products, carving out a piece of a $43 billion business

Pug rescued from Bitterroot River finds a new home | Ravalli Republic

May 19, 2012

First, the lucky little Pug was rescued from an island in the swollen Bitterroot River. Now he’s found a new home with a self-proclaimed “mutt nut.”

Treasure State Chorale celebrates Armed Forces Day | Missoulian

May 19, 2012

The Treasure State Chorale will sing the praises of present and past members of the military in a diverse concert of music celebrating Armed Forces Day on Saturday.

Emails show UM, city accounts differ on Saudi rape suspect | Missoulian

May 19, 2012

University of Montana President Royce Engstrom has insisted repeatedly that UM did nothing wrong when a dean informed a Saudi exchange student that another student had accused him of rape.

UM dean implicated 4 football players in gang rape, emails reveal | Missoulian

May 19, 2012

Four University of Montana football players were among five men who allegedly gang-raped a student, according to an email from UM Dean of Students Charles Couture.

Weather Forecast: Chilly night & beautiful weekend ahead | KPAX.com

May 18, 2012

Even though it's feeling a little on the chilly side, we've got a fantastic weekend on tap with temps back on the rise!

Flathead’s Jobless Rate Falls to 10 Percent | Flathead Beacon

May 18, 2012

Flathead County’s unemployment rate fell to 10 percent in April, 0.7 percent lower than a month prior, according to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.

Natural Beginnings: A New Birthing Center Opens in Kalispell | Flathead Beacon

May 18, 2012

Kalispell midwives Sharise Clostio, Michele Neal and Melissa Brake developed a not-for-profit cooperative called Community Birth Center. Two weeks ago residents were introduced to the newly remodeled 6,200-square-foot facility at 1320 Second Ave. E. in Kalispell.

FVCC set to break ground on new nursing building | KPAX.com

May 18, 2012

Flathead Valley Community College will break ground on the new Rebecca Chaney Broussard Center for Nursing and Health Science in less than one week.

Missoula Elections Center open for business | KPAX.com

May 18, 2012

Missoula County voters can now use the Election Center at the Missoula County Fairgrounds to register to vote and take care of other business to avoid long lines in the future.

Weather Forecast: Beautiful spring weekend | KPAX.com

May 18, 2012

We are looking at an absolutely beautiful weekend with more seasonal temperatures. However, enjoy it because next week, we're looking at wetter and cooler weather moving in.

Theater Stages Heating Up for the Summer | Flathead Beacon

May 18, 2012

Summer is making its way into the Flathead, and while it brings tremendous outdoor opportunities, the valley also comes alive indoors, as stages heat up in theaters from Bigfork to Whitefish.

Long range Montana summer forecast | KPAX.com

May 18, 2012

The Climate Prediction Center long range summer forecast across the western U.S. is looking hot and dry!

Montana's unemployment rate drops again | KPAX.com

May 18, 2012

There's some good news on the job front in Montana as the state's unemployment rate dropped again in April, settling at 6.1% after remaining unchanged in March. That compares to the national jobless rate which sat at 8.1% last month.

Fight is on after USPS announces Kalispell closure | KPAX.com

May 18, 2012

The U.S. Postmaster General is under fire from Montana politicians after announcing the closing of nearly 50 mail processing centers nationwide, including the Kalispell-area facility, but Max Baucus and Jon Tester are working to overturn that decision through a U.S. Senate reform bill.

Search suspended for teen missing after jumping into Clark Fork River | Missoulian

May 18, 2012

Authorities suspended their search of the Clark Fork River in Missoula Thursday afternoon for a 19-year-old man who disappeared the previous evening after jumping from the Madison Street footbridge.

Bitter Root Land Trust raising money to purchase land for future park | Missoulian

May 18, 2012

Fundraising for the acquisition of 22 acres along the Bitterroot River on the edge of Hamilton has reached a critical juncture.

USPS to close Kalispell mail processing center | KPAX.com

May 17, 2012

The U.S. Postal Service has announced that the mail processing center in Kalispell is slated to be shutdown in the latest effort to consolidate USPS services as the service continues to battle a tide of red ink.

Weather Forecast: A beautiful weekend shaping up | KPAX.com

May 17, 2012

A cold front has pushed through western Montana allowing for cooler temps, clouds and even scattered showers to develop (mainly for the southwest quarter of the state. Overnight, we'll hold onto a few showers & embedded thunderstorms, but drier conditions are on the way just in time for the weekend!

Republican secretary of state candidates seek end to same-day voter registration in Montana | Missoula Independent

May 17, 2012

When it comes to same-day voter registration, Brad Johnson registered his stance early. Since the law allowing citizens to register to vote right up to election day passed in 2005, the candidate for Montana secretary of state says he's recognized a need to scale back. But only by one day, Johnson says: election day.

Grizzly Bear Killed on Highway 93 Near St. Ignatius | Flathead Beacon

May 17, 2012

An adult male grizzly bear was hit by a vehicle and killed on U.S. Highway 93 north of St. Ignatius, according to the Flathead Indian Reservation Tribal Wildlife Management Program.

First Montana caribou birth in 50 years possible | KPAX.com

May 17, 2012

A pregnant caribou has crossed the Canadian border into Montana which could mean the first birth of a caribou in the Treasure State in 50 years.

Western Montana rivers & streams rising | KPAX.com

May 17, 2012

[VIDEO] - River and stream water levels have been on the rise thanks to this week's persistent warmer temperatures.

Stevensville remembers Montana founder | KPAX.com

May 17, 2012

Wednesday marked the 200th birthday of Father Antonio Ravalli, the priest who helped establish St. Mary's Mission in Stevensville.

Weather Forecast: A cool down begins | KPAX.com

May 17, 2012

We've enjoyed a week of near record highs temperatures but now its time to come back to reality. Our temperatures over the next several days will fall back to more seasonal highs as we head into the weekend.

Missoula law enforcement honored in annual ceremony | KPAX.com

May 17, 2012

They saved lives and stood between the public and danger. So Wednesday night, Missoula officers received honors and recognition for their service and duty.