Flathead Beacon

🏔️ Going-to-the-Sun Road opens to vehicles Monday, and summer in Glacier is officially here.

Bikers: this weekend is your last chance to ride the full road without vehicle restrictions. Starting July 1, the new ticketed Logan Pass shuttle system kicks in, the 3-hour parking limit at Logan Pass takes effect, and express shuttle tickets go on sale nightly at 7 p.m. on Recreation.gov. Plan ahead before you go.

📖 Full story: https://flatheadbeacon.com/2026/06/19/full-length-of-going-to-the-sun-road-set-to-open-monday/

⚖️ A jury has found that Kalispell Public Schools retaliated against a father and son who reported sexual assault in Glacier High School's wrestling program.

Kirk and Clifford Nance asked for just $1 in nominal damages — and the jury unanimously awarded it. The district says it is evaluating its options for appeal.

📖 Full story: https://flatheadbeacon.com/2026/06/18/kalispell-public-schools-retaliated-against-father-and-son-in-wrestling-lawsuit-jury-finds/

🌲 Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks will move forward with the first of a two-phase purchase that restricts development and protects access on 47,907 acres of working forest owned by Green Diamond Resource Company.

📖 Full story: https://flatheadbeacon.com/2026/06/18/commission-approves-conservation-easement-on-thompson-river-timberland/

⚖️ A longtime Flathead County probation officer has pleaded not guilty to orchestrating an unauthorized drug deal to entrap one of his own probationers.

Trial is set for Nov. 2.

📖 Full story: https://flatheadbeacon.com/2026/06/18/longtime-probation-officer-accused-of-orchestrating-drug-deal-in-reverse-sting-operation-pleads-not-guilty/

Montana is facing a chronic agricultural labor shortage and the state's Labor Department has a new plan to help.

Montana DLI is adding agriculture to its registered apprenticeship program, connecting retiring farmers with young people eager to learn the trade. Meanwhile, with 2,800 producers on the waitlist for H-2A foreign worker visas, the state is also working to fast-track that program for overwhelmed rural operations.

📖 Today's Daily Roundup: https://flatheadbeacon.com/newsletters/the-daily-roundup-montana-labor-department-adds-agriculture-to-registered-apprenticeship-program-as-chronic-labor-shortage-persists/

🌾 Montana grain farmers are in the toughest economic environment many have ever seen.

Farm production costs have surged 40% since 2018 while commodity prices sink for the third straight year.

📖 Full story: https://flatheadbeacon.com/2026/06/18/montana-grain-farmers-face-economic-downturn-amid-historic-inflation-and-low-commodity-prices/

🎻 The Regal Ensemble brings the 19th-century salon concert tradition to Whitefish, Kalispell and Bigfork June 18-20.

📖 Full story: https://flatheadbeacon.com/2026/06/17/bringing-the-salon-concert-tradition-to-the-flathead-valley/

🗳️ The Montana Plan is headed to November's ballot. The anti-dark money initiative submitted nearly 50,000 signatures — well above the 30,121 needed. I-194 would limit business entities from contributing to candidates and ballot issues in Montana, aiming to get around the Citizens United decision.

📖 Full story: https://flatheadbeacon.com/2026/06/17/the-montana-plan-appears-set-to-qualify-for-novembers-ballot/

🏠 During a work session on Monday, city councilors discussed potential improvements to its grant process for housing initiatives using the levied dollars, while also floating around the idea of increasing the resort tax to bring in more funds to address the city's housing challenges.

📖 Full story: https://flatheadbeacon.com/2026/06/17/whitefish-city-council-discusses-future-of-resort-tax-community-housing-funds/

🏠 City councilors unanimously approved a new Housing Study Advisory Committee to guide a $126,000 affordable housing study funded through a HUD grant. The seven-member committee already has significant community interest and will help develop a study that needs to be completed by next May.

📖 Full story: https://flatheadbeacon.com/2026/06/16/kalispell-establishes-temporary-housing-study-advisory-committee/