David Erickson

2 weeks ago | missoulian.com | David Erickson

The U.S. Border Patrol's Spokane Sector has clarified their internal policy procedures that allowed for official government vehicles to be used for travel to a funeral in Missoula for an agent who died in an off-duty car crash. Many agents from the Spokane Sector (which covers eastern Washington, Idaho and western Montana) convened in Missoula last weekend for the funeral of agent Travis W. Salo, who grew up in Missoula.

2 weeks ago | missoulian.com | David Erickson

Here's some business news in western Montana:A new restaurant is getting ready to open in Arlee. Auntie's Emporium's owners have been busy remodeling the space at 72532 North Couture Loop. They bill themselves as a "locally Tribal-owned marketplace celebrating community, culture, fresh food, handmade goods, and connection." Follow them on Facebook for updates. The 50th annual Bigfork Whitewater Festival is being held May 23-25 in downtown Bigfork.

2 weeks ago | missoulian.com | David Erickson

A resident of Flathead County who reportedly recently traveled outside the county has tested positive for measles, which is a highly contagious disease, according to the Flathead City-County Health Department. The vaccination status for the person is unknown, the department said in a press release. "Our staff swiftly conducted the investigation upon receiving notification from the State and were able to quickly identify close contacts to prevent further spread," said health officer Jen Rankosky.

2 weeks ago | missoulian.com | David Erickson

Montana saw a spike in the number of tourists and other visitors coming here in 2024, and in fact it shattered the old record by almost million people. However, the total amount of money they spent in the state declined by an equally significant amount. Nonresident visitation increased by 9% in 2024, compared to 2023, for a total of 13.79 million travelers overall. That's an all-time record that tops the previous high of 12.84 million seen in 2021.

2 weeks ago | missoulian.com | David Erickson

A large contingent of U.S. Border Patrol Agents were in Missoula over the weekend to attend the funeral of an agent who died in a car crash recently. According to a social media post by Jason Liebe, the chief patrol agent for the Spokane Sector Border Patrol division (which is responsible for eastern Washington, Idaho and western Montana), the funeral was on May 17. "Family, friends and colleagues gathered at Garden City Funeral Home to lay Border Patrol Agent Travis W. Salo to rest," Liebe wrote.