WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY: Traveling today? Take care!

By SHERRY DEVLIN of the Missoulian

The National Weather Service in Missoula has issued a winter weather advisory for the Bitterroot and Sapphire Mountains and the lower Clark Fork Valley.

Nov 21, 2009 | 6:40 am | Loading…

• Related: Western Montana Weather

Frenchtown groom-to-be charged after party turns into violent night on town

By TRISTAN SCOTT of the Missoulian

A bachelor party turned violent Thursday night when the groom-to-be allegedly sexually assaulted and punched a woman in a bar, then attacked a bartender and head-butted a police officer.

New Nov 21, 2009 | 6:30 am | Loading…

Free H1N1 vaccination clinic this morning in Kalispell

By MICHAEL JAMISON of the Missoulian

KALISPELL - Vaccinations for both swine flu and the traditional seasonal flu are being offered throughout the Flathead Valley in coming days.

Nov 21, 2009 | 6:30 am | Loading…

UM employees face pay freeze; Dennison may still receive a raise

By CHELSI MOY of the Missoulian

The wages of about 1,200 University of Montana employees will be frozen for two years under a handful of union contracts approved Friday by the Montana Board of Regents, meeting in Bozeman.

New Nov 21, 2009 | 6:15 am | Loading…

• Related: Regents debate UM, MSU tuition hikes, furloughs

Avalanche season gets under way with 3 slides in western Montana in 3 weeks

By MICHAEL JAMISON of the Missoulian

WHITEFISH - Backcountry skiers already are triggering avalanches this year, with three western Montana slides reported in as many weeks.

New Nov 21, 2009 | 6:00 am | Loading…

• Related: Slide!

Mending the maroon: Betty Yorton keeps UM players’ uniforms patched up

By JAMIE KELLY of the Missoulian

Betty Yorton has a story about the coach’s pants, and judging by the grin on her face, it’s a doozy. But Yorton won’t share it – at least on the record. The seamstress for the University of Montana Grizzlies, who repairs every hole, tear and faltering seam in every Griz athletic unif…

New Nov 20, 2009 | 11:25 pm | Loading…

Learning together: Kids at Meadow Hill Middle School show off life skills with full-production holiday repast

By MICHAEL MOORE of the Missoulian

Thanksgiving came early to Meadow Hill Middle School on Friday. The holiday meal, with all the trimmings and more, came courtesy of Lisa Partaker’s special education students.

New Nov 20, 2009 | 11:20 pm | Loading…

Baucus, Messina ties giving shape to legislation from health care to climate change

By JASON HOROWITZ Washington Post

WASHINGTON – Hours after Max Baucus slipped out the back door of Room 216 in the Hart Senate Office Building – in the middle of his committee’s health care deliberations on Sept. 25 – he pulled up a seat at the Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vegas next to Jim Messina, President Barack…

New Nov 20, 2009 | 11:15 pm | Loading…

• Related: Baucus will make vote in favor of health care bill

Whitefish hospital pledges funds for wellness center at Columbia Falls' 'Discovery Square'

By MICHAEL JAMISON of the Missoulian

COLUMBIA FALLS - A modern and high-tech educational center - newly prescribed as the heart of a rural community renaissance - has received a shot of cash, just what the doctor ordered to bring this town back to life.

Nov 20, 2009 | 10:45 pm | Loading…

Faiths come together Sunday for Thanksgiving meal in Flathead

By MICHAEL JAMISON of the Missoulian

KALISPELL - The Rev. Chad Jones might call it a giving of thanks. Rabbi Allen Secher might call it todah rabah.

Nov 20, 2009 | 10:30 pm | Loading…

• Related: Share the meal

Weeklies Reader: Mission Valley students share cooking tips for Thanksgiving

By the Missoulian

POLSON - Need a new recipe for your Thanksgiving Day turkey?

Nov 20, 2009 | 9:30 pm | Loading…

HAZARDOUS WEATHER: Warning issued along Rocky Mountain Front and SW Montana

By SHERRY DEVLIN of the Missoulian

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for the Rocky Mountain Front and a large swatch of north-central and southwestern Montana.

Nov 20, 2009 | 7:00 pm | Loading…

Wyoming challenges Yellowstone snowmobile rules

By BEN NEARY Associated Press Writer

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - The state of Wyoming has filed a new federal lawsuit seeking to block the National Park Service from restricting snowmobile numbers in Yellowstone National Park.

New Nov 20, 2009 | 4:10 pm | Loading…

Baucus plans to vote for Senate health care bill

Associated Press

HELENA - U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, back in Montana on family business, intends to vote in favor of the Senate health care bill when it reaches a crucial weekend test in Washington D.C.

Nov 20, 2009 | 3:35 pm | Loading…

Little demand for swine flu vaccines in Bozeman

Associated Press

BOZEMAN - Gallatin County health officials are stumped as to why there was so little demand for swine flu shots at a recent clinic.

New Nov 20, 2009 | 3:00 pm | Loading…

In need of dental work, blind woman with autism receives outpouring of help

By CHELSI MOY of the Missoulian

Thanks to the generosity of many, Heather Stone, a 33-year-old who is blind and has autism, may be able to see a dentist sooner than expected.

Nov 20, 2009 | 2:30 pm | Loading…

• Related: HELP HEATHER

Labor Department: State unemployment rate drops

By MATT GOURAS Associated Press

HELENA - Montana's unemployment rate dropped to 6.4 percent in October, spurred by both a positive sign - job growth - and a negative indication that some unemployed workers are getting discouraged and leaving the labor force.

Nov 20, 2009 | 12:10 pm | Loading…

Regents debate UM, MSU tuition hikes, furloughs

By the Associated Press

BOZEMAN - One-time federal stimulus money is going to leave a big hole in education budgets when it expires, according to state university presidents who said tuition hikes may be needed to make up the difference.

Nov 20, 2009 | 11:30 am | Loading…

Montana Western professor recognized for school's block scheduling system

By the Associated Press

DILLON - Montana Western environmental sciences professor Rob Thomas has received a national award for his work in implementing a block scheduling system at the school.

New Nov 20, 2009 | 10:50 am | Loading…

Applied Materials launches its tender offer to buy Kalispell's Semitool

By the Associated Press

SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Applied Materials Inc. has launched its $364 million tender offer to buy all the outstanding shares of Montana-based Semitool Inc.

New Nov 20, 2009 | 9:55 am | Loading…

Bozeman hauls more snow after Nov. 12 storm than in all of last winter

By the Associated Press

BOZEMAN - Bozeman officials say the city hauled more snow out of town after a storm earlier this month than it did over the entire course of last winter.

New Nov 20, 2009 | 7:05 am | Loading…

Billings woman given suspended sentence for role in toddler's death

By the Associated Press

BILLINGS - The last of three people charged in the death of a 3-year-old Billings boy was given a 10-year suspended prison sentence Thursday for criminal endangerment and must pay about $10,000 in restitution.

Nov 20, 2009 | 7:00 am | Loading…

FRIDAY'S WEATHER: Nice day, but snowy weekend is on the way!

By SHERRY DEVLIN of the Missoulian

Happy Friday, western Montana! The workweek will end with a relatively mild day, with highs of 50 in Missoula, 51 in Hamilton, 49 in Kalispell and 48 in Polson.

Nov 20, 2009 | 6:50 am | Loading…

• Related: Western Montana Weather Nov. 20

ACLU sues Lake County jail over medicine withheld from pregnant inmate

By VINCE DEVLIN of the Missoulian

POLSON - A Ronan woman who says she was repeatedly denied a prescribed medication while pregnant and serving time in the Lake County Detention Facility for traffic violations has sued the county, Sheriff Lucky Larson, chief detention officer Luke Mathias and Dr. Stephen Irwin, the jail's …

Nov 20, 2009 | 6:30 am | Loading…

• Related: ACLU video about Cajune case
• Related: Cajune complaint