Good morning and happy spring; today is the vernal equinox.
Our top story on the Beacon this morning looks at federal funding cuts that could force drug task forces around the state to scale back dramatically. Whitefish Democratic Rep. Mike Jopek is running for re-election. Beacon columnist Dave Skinner writes about the origin of federally protected Wilderness in the U.S., and the creation of the Bob Marshall. And on the Beacon’s new real estate blog, Chris Fraser talks about tempering expectations in an uncertain market – especially if those expectations might not have been realistic to begin with.
Tickets to the Democratic fund raiser in Butte where Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama will speak sold out in about 15 minutes. Energy companies are mounting a nation-wide campaign opposing a bill in Congress that would create a cap-and-trade system for carbon emissions. An aide to Gov. Brian Schweitzer likened the campaign to “a cigarette company promoting a study that says smoking is good for you.” Today is the last day candidates can file for local, legislative and statewide office, and there are sure to be some last minute entries. A second Democrat, John Driscoll, has entered the race against U.S. Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg. And Helena attorney Ron Waterman will challenge Attorney General Mike McGrath for Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court.
Finally. Oh, boy, do I have a good one for you today. In the wake of the sex scandal that resulted in the fall of former New York Governor Elliot Spitzer, and the various other sex scandals that have come to light among governors in the northeast, The Daily Show has created a kind if nativity calendar called, “The Govs Must Be Horny,” to predict the sex scandals that will bring down the rest of the governors across the U.S. And who was first up on the list? Montana, and the good Gov. Schweitzer. Have a great day.