Good morning and Happy Birthday to chemist Louis Pasteur.
On the Beacon this morning, we report on a political action committee that has threatened to sue Whitefish Councilor John Muhlfeld if he doesn’t address residency concerns. Several readers say this is a non-story – read their comments here. One man was killed and three others injured in a three-vehicle accident on icy U.S. 93 last night. Jack Hanna writes about ways to champion conservation in the New Year.
In state news, recent census estimates were released and Montana ranks 16th among states in population growth. The Big Sky State has grown by 11,000 people, or 1.2 percent, in the last year. In Billings, the number of passengers flying in and out of its airport has increased 7.6 percent. In Great Falls, the Tribune reports that a stretch of rail line being used “as temporary long-term parking for empty flatbed cars” has irked some residents who live near the scenic Missouri River.
And finally, presidential candidate Mike Huckabee had a borderline Cheneyesque moment when he fired shotgun blasts over a group of reporters’ heads while pheasant hunting in Iowa. No one, however, was shot in the face.
Have a great weekend!