Join Daily Inter Lake reporter Taylor Inman as she goes over the week’s biggest headlines for Northwest Montana. A Columbia Falls teenager is fighting to recover after a high-speed crash involving an allegedly stolen vehicle on Highway 2, leaving the community rallying around one of its standout student-athletes.

Also in this episode, a former district court judge faces sentencing in a dramatic fall from grace tied to felony drug charges, and Flathead County officials approve a major upgrade for search-and-rescue operations with a new underwater drone.

We’ll hear what Flathead County officials are saying about the recent approval for the Sheriff’s Office to purchase a new underwater drone. Plus, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks moves forward with an aggressive plan to eradicate invasive goldfish from a Thompson Falls pond, part of a growing effort to protect native waterways across the region.

A big thank you to our headline sponsor for the News Now podcast, Loren's Auto Repair! They combine skill with integrity resulting in auto service & repair of the highest caliber. Discover them in Ashley Square Mall at 1309 Hwy 2 West in Kalispell Montana, or learn more at lorensauto.com.

This summer, we followed the Brist family from their fifth-generation Montana farm to the bright lights of the Northwest Montana Fair. From early morning chores to the intensity of the show ring, their journey shows the hard work, tradition, and bittersweet goodbyes that come with raising livestock. Discover Season 4 of our Deep Dive podcast, From Farm to Fair — coming Sunday, September 21st!

Visit DailyInterLake.com to stay up-to-date with the latest breaking news from the Flathead Valley and beyond. Support local journalism and please consider subscribing to us. Watch this podcast and more on our YouTube Channel. And follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a news tip, want to place an ad, or sponsor this podcast? Contact us!

Subscribe to all our other DIL pods! Keep up with northwest Montana sports on Keeping Score, dig into stories with Deep Dive, and jam out to local musicians with Press Play.

A violent road rage incident in Columbia Falls leads off this episode of News Now, after a man is charged with felony attempted homicide for allegedly firing a gun with a child inside the vehicle. Host Taylor Inman breaks down what investigators say happened and where the case now stands.

We also cover a federal sentencing tied to an illegal border crossing near Eureka, where a Canadian national received prison time after a failed attempt to evade law enforcement in northwest Montana.

Shifting gears, we take a closer look at Flathead Lake, which is sitting at unusually high levels for mid-winter. Experts explain what’s behind the numbers and what it could mean heading into spring runoff. And finally, Whitefish Mountain Resort reports a record-setting start to ski season, with skier visits surpassing previous highs as winter tourism fuels the Flathead Valley economy.

A big thank you to our headline sponsor for the News Now podcast, Loren's Auto Repair! They combine skill with integrity resulting in auto service & repair of the highest caliber. Discover them in Ashley Square Mall at 1309 Hwy 2 West in Kalispell Montana, or learn more at lorensauto.com.

This summer, we followed the Brist family from their fifth-generation Montana farm to the bright lights of the Northwest Montana Fair. From early morning chores to the intensity of the show ring, their journey shows the hard work, tradition, and bittersweet goodbyes that come with raising livestock. Discover Season 4 of our Deep Dive podcast, From Farm to Fair — coming Sunday, September 21st!

Visit DailyInterLake.com to stay up-to-date with the latest breaking news from the Flathead Valley and beyond. Support local journalism and please consider subscribing to us. Watch this podcast and more on our YouTube Channel. And follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a news tip, want to place an ad, or sponsor this podcast? Contact us!

Subscribe to all our other DIL pods! Keep up with northwest Montana sports on Keeping Score, dig into stories with Deep Dive, and jam out to local musicians with Press Play.

Join Daily Inter Lake reporter Taylor Inman as she goes over some of the week’s biggest headlines for Northwest Montana. A missing snowboarder was found safe on Christmas Day after taking shelter overnight on the backside of Whitefish Mountain Resort, capping a multi-agency search effort in Flathead County.

We get the inside scoop on what Glacier National Park Superintendent Dave Roemer calls a “turbulent year” for the park, as officials prepare for potential record-breaking visitation in 2025 and major changes to vehicle access, parking limits, shuttles, and international visitor fees in 2026.

We close with a look at the Flathead Valley’s tourism outlook heading into the new year, including strong local travel numbers, declining Canadian visitation, and how airport runway closures and global economic uncertainty could reshape the 2026 travel season.

Read more of this week’s stories:
Challenges ahead as Glacier unveils new vehicle management system, foreign-visitor fees and construction projects in 2026
Missing snowboarder found safe in survival cabin near Big Mountain
Strong tourism year in the Flathead Valley but economic uncertainty and airport closure loom

A big thank you to our headline sponsor for the News Now podcast, Loren's Auto Repair! They combine skill with integrity resulting in auto service & repair of the highest caliber. Discover them in Ashley Square Mall at 1309 Hwy 2 West in Kalispell Montana, or learn more at lorensauto.com.

This summer, we followed the Brist family from their fifth-generation Montana farm to the bright lights of the Northwest Montana Fair. From early morning chores to the intensity of the show ring, their journey shows the hard work, tradition, and bittersweet goodbyes that come with raising livestock. Discover Season 4 of our Deep Dive podcast, From Farm to Fair — coming Sunday, September 21st!

Visit DailyInterLake.com to stay up-to-date with the latest breaking news from the Flathead Valley and beyond. Support local journalism and please consider subscribing to us. Watch this podcast and more on our YouTube Channel. And follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a news tip, want to place an ad, or sponsor this podcast? Contact us!

Subscribe to all our other DIL pods! Keep up with northwest Montana sports on Keeping Score, dig into stories with Deep Dive, and jam out to local musicians with Press Play.