Flathead Beacon Headlines

Spring Mack Days Conclude with Record Number of Entries

Dillon Tabish — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:26:22 MDT

At the conclusion of the busiest Spring Mack Days ever, Don Beville of Lakeside emerged as the top angler. Beville caught 1,551 lake trout this spring, earning the coveted champion jacket and $700 on the final day of the competition Sunday, May 20. Overall, anglers caught 38,085 fish, breaking the old record set in 2010 by 3,735 trout. Over 1,000 anglers participated in the fishing competition this year. Although no one landed the $10,000 tagged trout, over 170 other cash fish were turned in during the event. Tracy Powers from Missoula was the…

The Battle Against Aquatic Invasive Species Intensifies

Beacon Staff — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:56:43 MDT

The battle against aquatic invasive species continues in Montana, where wildlife officials are constantly trying to prevent milfoil, mussels and other nonnative species from contaminating local lakes and rivers. These species are transported mainly on recreational watercraft that are not properly cleaned. History has shown aquatic invasive species are a major threat to waterways and can significantly damage ecosystems and natural resources. While Beaver Lake west of Whitefish remains open to recreation, a group of agencies have formed a task force to monitor and address the invasion of Eurasian watermilfoil. A large patch of…

Tester Still Outraising, Outspending Rehberg

Associated Press — Thu, 24 May 2012 15:36:34 MDT

HELENA — New campaign fundraising reports show that incumbent U.S. Sen. Jon Tester is still outraising and outspending his Republican challenger, U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg. The report released Thursday by the Tester campaign says the Democrat raised $781,465 between April 1 and May 16. During that same period, the campaign spent $988,642, leaving Tester with more than $4 million in the bank.

Camping Over the Three-Day Weekend

Beacon Staff — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:43:07 MDT

Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of summer for many, and in Northwest Montana that means going camping. There are plenty of scenic areas to check out during the three-day weekend, including state parks, Glacier National Park and national forest campgrounds. Not every campground takes reservations, however, so be sure to check online or with the appropriate ranger station about reservation statuses.

Suspicious Substance

Christie Burns — Thu, 24 May 2012 14:01:09 MDT

6:53 a.m. An Olney woman reported her handgun and bible as stolen. 9:12 a.m. A Bigfork man described a suspicious substance falling from the sky. A deputy discovered that it was pollen.

Trumpeter Swans Released in Blackfoot River Valley

Associated Press — Thu, 24 May 2012 13:36:06 MDT

OVANDO — Five yearling swans were released into a wetland near Ovando Wednesday as part of an ongoing effort to reintroduce the birds to the Blackfoot River Valley of western Montana. "This is one of the only restoration projects dealing with migratory birds," said Greg Neudecker, a private lands biologist for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. "It's been a slow process," he said.

Unabomber Updates Harvard University Alumni Book

Denise Lavoie, Associated Press — Thu, 24 May 2012 08:12:39 MDT

BOSTON – Harvard University alumni attending their 50th class reunion this week are getting updates on classmates, but one person stands out among those sharing news about career moves, retirements and grandkids — Unabomber Ted Kaczynski.

Security Bill Needed to Protect Northern Border

Cory Swanson — Thu, 24 May 2012 08:12:19 MDT

Congressman Denny Rehberg has taken some heat over his support of H.R. 1505, a bill that strengthens America’s ability to protect itself by securing our borders against illegal aliens, drug and human traffickers, and terrorists. Rehberg’s opponents have conjured up a bunch of false attacks that this bill will cut off hunters from public lands, even though Denny has specifically ensured the bill contains language preventing closures to hunter access. As a life-long hunter, I value my right to access Montana’s public lands, and I will not support any legislation that threatens that access. But I also…

Pipe Prowess

Dillo Tabish — Thu, 24 May 2012 08:05:26 MDT

Replacing a broken sewer pipe, like the one at a Kalispell business recently, would normally require uprooting the entire line through excavation. The playground and part of the back alley would need to be torn apart in order to fix the collapsed sewer. But Rod Herrick replaced the entire stretch of line 110 feet underground without tearing up the ground above. “When we left you never would have known we were there,” said Herrick, founder and owner of Roddie, Inc.

New Flathead High Coach Still Serving Two-Year Suspension in Minnesota

Dillon Tabish — Wed, 23 May 2012 17:26:47 MDT

When the most successful high school wrestling coach in the country applied for Flathead High School's vacant position, he presented a resume filled with national accolades, prestigious honors and strong references from 40 years of coaching. He also acknowledged he's in the midst of a two-year suspension from prep activities in Minnesota for recruiting violations.