Happy admission day! On this day in 1889 Montana became the forty-first state.
To celebrate, there’s a colossal amount of news in the valley and across the state. After counting the ballots again Wednesday, it appears that Martin McGrew has overtaken Turner Askew for the third open slot on the Whitefish city council. In Evergreen, the owner of a home where a 3-year-old boy drowned in a septic tank will be fined $500 and won’t face jail time. Jack Hanna is taking his first round of questions, about the benefits to children of having pets, and what it’s like to appear on Letterman. Myers Reece breaks down where the money raised by the state lottery actually goes.
In state news, the Montana Democratic Party has selected Butte Rep. Art Noonan to be its new executive director, replacing Jim Farrell. Montana’s Sens. Baucus and Tester announced they will oppose the current nominee for attorney general, Michael Mukasey. Montana’s teens are drinking and driving, taking illegal drugs and using tobacco at a higher rate than the national average. The lawsuit by an energy development company over oil and gas rights in the Tongue River basin has been dismissed. Warm weather is making for bad hunting so far, at the midpoint of the season. And Travel Montana is touring the state, working on new ways to brand Big Sky country and drum up more tourism. NewWest reports on an imminent standoff between landowners in the Madison Valley and the Department of Livestock over buffalo hazing west of Yellowstone.
And finally, if you’re bad with your money, Japanese technology has once again come to the rescue – check out this exploding bank. Enjoy the day; the weekend cometh.