Good morning, Kalispell.

Hanson's Hardware in Columbia Falls is collecting donations to help cover ongoing medical bills for the families of four teen girls injured in a Highway 2 collision in Evergreen on Sept.

19. Early efforts have raised over $3,500—proof of strong local support—and the store welcomes cash donations or purchase round-ups.

The Columbia Falls School District 6 bond election failed Tuesday when voters rejected a plan to update the old high school with 30,000 sqft of new space.

The proposal would have raised families' taxes by $321 a year—and the district will look for new funding ideas.

Flathead Valley Community College appointed Deborah Kish Stephan as its new president pending a final contract review, which delays approval for up to 10 business days.

The board made this decision after thorough discussions over the proposed contract terms.

Bigfork voters backed a $1.5 million levy from Swan River School District on Tuesday to modernize school heating over the next 10 years.

The measure passed 293-250, ensuring an annual fund of $150,000 for essential upgrades.

In early July, Ashley Beck sampled colorful snow algae at Logan Pass in Glacier National Park to study how algae, bacteria, and fungi interact; she received NSF funding and plans to finish lab work by 2028 (her work may help predict future melting trends as alpine conditions shift).