Bigfork Eagle

3 days ago | bigforkeagle.com | Heidi Desch

Flathead County commissioners on Tuesday afternoon approved a preliminary budget that includes a focus on long-planned infrastructure projects.  The preliminary budget calls for $140.2 million in expenditures for fiscal year 2026, an increase over the previous fiscal year's budget of about $10 million.  County Finance Director Amy Dexter pointed to two main areas of increases resulting in an uptick in spending.

1 week ago | bigforkeagle.com | Taylor Inman

Flathead Lake Lodge in Bigfork has been a dream destination for those looking to get a taste of the old West since its inception in 1945. It’s why guests and employees alike keep coming back decade after decade. It’s business as usual on a calm, spring morning as general manager Chase Averill takes a seat at the table his grandfather built all those years ago. Not much has changed in that dining area — a large stone fireplace dominates the room and prizes from past hunting trips line the walls.

1 week ago | bigforkeagle.com | Taylor Inman

Congressman Ryan Zinke and Flathead County commissioners joined construction crews in Bigfork on Monday to celebrate the feat of replacing the village’s historic one-lane bridge. Downtown Bigfork’s 114-year-old bridge was closed after it was deemed unsafe for vehicle and pedestrian travel in January 2024. Several years before that, the closure was load posted at a 3-ton weight limit, which restricted larger vehicles from using the bridge.

2 weeks ago | bigforkeagle.com | Taylor Inman

When people enter the mobile recording studio of the StoryCorps trailer, an hour-long session seems to move much quicker than 60 minutes.  Ian Murakami, site manager for StoryCorps’ Mobile Tour, which is making a stop in Kalispell this month, says time flies when someone is enraptured in a good conversation.  “We hope the conversations that you start in the booth move out into the larger community. One of the most common things I hear in the booth is that there wasn't enough time and.

2 weeks ago | bigforkeagle.com | Taylor Inman

Bigfork’s historic one-lane bridge will be back open just in time for the village to welcome hordes of Fourth of July visitors. A ribbon cutting ceremony for the new bridge is scheduled for June 25 at 11:45 a.m., according to the Flathead County Commissioner’s upcoming agenda. The project was slated for completion June 30, according to the Montana Department of Transportation’s latest update. The timeline is subject to change due to weather, site complexities and other unforeseen factors.