Good morning and happy Valentine’s Day! Yep. It’s Valentine’s Day.
On the Beacon this morning, if you’re strapped for cash, we’ve got loads of fun date suggestions that won’t break the bank. We look at some of the challenges facing Montana Republicans this election year with the caucus now behind them. In Whitefish, Martin McGrew lost an appeal to remain on city council after it was discovered he didn’t live on city land, and he has now requested a petition for annexation into the city. Columnist Wild Bill Schneider writes about the counter-productive rift neutralizing the efforts of Wilderness advocates. The suspect in the Dec. 31 murder of a Ferndale man pleaded not guilty in Polson yesterday. And Editor Kellyn Brown reminisces about getting tased.
In state news, the U.S. Forest Service could suffer large budget cuts that may necessitate laying off 2,700 employees – part of the spending plan proposed by President Bush. Democrat Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester will be holding a public meeting Feb. 21 in Kalispell to discuss mining and drilling proposals in southeastern British Columbia. Also in Kalispell, criminal charges have been filed against the woman who admitted to embezzling $17,500 from Glacier and Flathead High.
And finally, check out this video of a Chinese Valentine’s Day wife-carrying competition. It’s apt to make your plans look downright boring.