Kalispell has a new mayor — Ryan Hunter, a sitting city councilor, won the election over Sid Daoud and Kisa Davison in a close three-way race. Meanwhile, Flathead County voters approved a $105 million jail bond, paving the way for a long-awaited new detention center after decades of overcrowding. In Whitefish, prosecutors have amended charges against three protesters accused of blocking a U.S. Border Patrol vehicle earlier this year, escalating penalties in the case. And near Seeley Lake, two hunters survived a terrifying grizzly bear encounter while retrieving a harvested deer.

Read more about these stories:
Ryan Hunter elected as Kalispell's next mayor, Flathead County jail bond passes
City prosecutors file harsher charges against protesters accused of blocking Whitefish Border Patrol vehicles
Hunters survive run-in with grizzlies near Seeley Lake

2025 Election Coverage:
Interview with Ryan Hunter
Interview with Sid Daoud
Interview with Kisa Davison
Inside Flathead County Jail: The Crisis Behind the $105 Million Bond
The latest election results from Flathead County
Election results from Lincoln, Lake and Sanders counties 

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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! 

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