Good morning and happy Republic Day to our Nigerian readers.
Wolford Development Montana made its case before Kalispell City Council last night, asserting that two new stoplights on U.S. 93 are the best solution to traffic issues that may be caused by the Glacier Town Center Development. The head of the state Department of Public Health and Human Services is defending her agency’s actions after allegations of abuse at a military-style youth treatment facility in the Swan Valley. Check out the Police Blotter to read about a goose with a broken wing and a drunk man who opted not to stab his buddy. And reporter Keriann Lynch blogs about the ups and downs of having a birthday on Christmas Eve.
In Helena, the funeral for Montana’s 22nd fallen soldier is planned for Saturday. Democratic Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester are pushing to allow the carrying of firearms into national parks and wildlife refuges. Mike Dennison of Lee newspapers writes about the plight of a small business owner in Whitefish, who is getting hit by a wrinkle in the Insure Montana program and may lose coverage for trying to shop around and find a better deal.
And finally, Santa is having a rough season in the run up to Christmas. Chris Cringle nearly got shot out of a helicopter by drug traffickers in Brazil. Maybe you should leave him an extra cookie for all he’s going through.