Daily Inter Lake

The Daily Inter Lake is a daily newspaper located in Kalispell, Montana, which serves as the county seat of Flathead County. It was established in 1889 by a local couple, Clayton and Emma Ingalls, in the earlier town of Demersville. Just two years later, the newspaper relocated to the newly developed city of Kalispell.

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English

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#153841

United States

#32008

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#1447

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Articles

Woman charged in deadly New Year’s Day wreck near Bigfork

2 days ago | dailyinterlake.com | Derick Perkins

Prosecutors last week charged the surviving motorist of a deadly and allegedly alcohol-fueled New Year's Day wreck near Bigfork with vehicular homicide while under the influence. Kala R. Knaus, 31, is expected to appear before Judge Dan Wilson in Flathead County District Court on July 10 for her arraignment on the felony charge. Booked into the county jail on June 19, Knaus remains behind bars with bail set at $250,000.
Glacier Park International Airport to operate on limited hours over July 2026 for runway repairs

3 days ago | dailyinterlake.com | Jack Underhill

Glacier Park International Airport will significantly limit operations for four weeks in July 2026 for runway repairs. Airport Director Rob Ratkowski said the exact hours have not been pinned down yet but he expects the airport to only open Fridays at 12 p.m. through Mondays at 6 p.m. from July 6 to July 31, 2026. Hours of operation are normal this summer. The runway asphalt was last resurfaced 16 years ago and has started showing signs of stress and age, said Ratkowski.
Whitefish enrollment holding steady as high school expansion takes shape

5 days ago | dailyinterlake.com | Kelsey Evans

Whitefish School District’s end-of-year enrollment numbers have held steady for the last five years. The district had around 1,900 students in the 2000s, which dropped to about 1,550 by 2010. Enrollment stayed around 1,550 through 2015. The numbers then steadily climbed back to 1,919 by May 2020 and have hovered around that amount since. This school year, the district started the year with 1,940 students and ended with 1,887.
Neighbors worry forthcoming casino near Polson could impact traffic safety

1 week ago | dailyinterlake.com | Berl Tiskus

The intersection of Rocky Point Road with U.S. 93 north of Polson is always busy, especially during the summer months as lakeshore residents struggle to get on and off the highway. It’s likely to get worse with construction vehicles entering and exiting the highway from Irvine Flats Road where building has begun on the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ new casino, 400 Horses.
Flathead County preliminary budget reflects spending for capital projects

1 week ago | dailyinterlake.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.
Kalispell moves to mail-only voting ahead of upcoming municipal election

1 week ago | dailyinterlake.com | Jack Underhill

Voters in Kalispell can expect ballots for the upcoming municipal election to arrive via mail. Kalispell City Council on Monday voted to transition to all mail-in voting for the upcoming Nov. 4 municipal election. Councilor Chad Graham made the motion to adopt the change, saying that he has seen waning participation in municipal elections over his three terms on Council.
Gianforte signs law cracking down on illegal hiring during stop in Evergreen

1 week ago | dailyinterlake.com | Hailey Smalley

During a stop in Evergreen on Wednesday, Gov. Greg Gianforte signed into law a bill that expands the state’s authority to police illegal hiring practices. Under the law, the Montana Department of Labor and Industry can audit employers for documents, such as I-9 forms, that are used to verify an employee’s legal working status. Rep. Courtenay Sprunger, R-Kalispell, introduced the measure during the 2025 legislative session. The bill passed both houses with bipartisan support.
Bipartisan bill overhauls Montana’s Right to Know Statute, but its impact remains to be seen

1 week ago | dailyinterlake.com | Caroline Bullock

If a public information request becomes too costly for an individual or organization to pursue, that, in essence, means constitutional access to public documents is denied. On May 8, Gov. Greg Gianforte signed into law House Bill 100, which was requested by the Department of Administration, and sponsored by Rep. Bill Mercer of Billings.
Flathead County compensation board denies sheriff’s request for pay increase

1 week ago | dailyinterlake.com | Heidi Desch

Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino would like to see deputies' wages increase to improve recruitment and retention of staff. Other law enforcement agencies in the state are hiring at a higher starting wage, Heino told the Flathead County Compensation Board on Tuesday. The average around the state is $33 per hour, according to Heino, while Flathead County hires deputies at a rate of about $32. “I’ve evaluated our pay with other entities and I’m not shooting for the moon,” he said.
Five arrested and one injured in largely peaceful “No Kings” protest in Kalispell

1 week ago | dailyinterlake.com | Jack Underhill

Five people were arrested and one injured in a pedestrian-vehicle accident during the “No Kings” protest in downtown Kalispell on Saturday, June 14. The demonstration was one of nearly 2,000 held across the country and two dozen in Montana in opposition to President Donald Trump and his administration’s policies. The Kalispell protest was organized by Flathead Democracy and 50501. Over 2,000 people attended the event, according to Leanette Galaz, an organizer with Flathead Democracy.