Harris is the executive director of Jobs Now, a local economic development agency that helps recruit new businesses to the Flathead Valley.

As part of her marketing efforts, she sends frequent newsletters to site selection firms around the country, keeping them abreast of the area's many positive happenings.

The site selectors help clients find the best place to relocate or expand their companies.

After one recent newsletter, Harris received a reply from Trinity Partners, a site selection firm located in Charlotte, N.C.

"Please take us off your mailing list immediately," the company said, with "immediately" underlined twice.

Attached was a copy of an Associated Press story about Project 7, a local group that allegedly plotted to assassinate police and court officials here.

The story was picked up and reported by several national media outlets, including the New York Times, USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, CNN and MSNBC.

"That was our very unfortunate 15 minutes of fame," Harris said. "For millions of people, that's the sum total of what they know about Montana ÷ that and that it burns down every year."

Nationally televised stories about wildfires and extremists notwithstanding, Harris lets business owners and site selectors know that plenty of positive events take place in Kalispell and the Flathead Valley.

In fact, the newsletter she mailed to Trinity Partners included clips about Flathead High School being ranked among the top 18 percent of schools nationwide, record real estate sales last year, Plum Creek Timber Co. being listed on the S&P 500 stock index, and Montana having the highest pass rate in the country on certified public accountant exams.

Given the frequency of such positive events, it's unlikely that Project 7 will have lingering negative effects on Jobs Now's business recruitment efforts.

Trinity Partners, which did not return phone calls, was the only site selector that responded to the story. Neither the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce nor the Flathead Convention and Visitor Bureau have received any calls about it.

The only other feedback Harris has received were a couple of e-mails from friends ÷ and a call from her mother.

"She called and said we were featured in USA Today," Harris said wryly. "Thanks, mom."