Good morning and happy Smigus-dyngus.
It’s a brisk, windy morning in the valley and there’s a lot of news. Boardercross racing at Whitefish Mountain Resort this weekend was like a cross between snowboarding and demolition derby. Authentic New York hot dog vendors have a tidy little business going in downtown Kalispell. Keriann Lynch reports on the restoration of two 1920s-era sailing sloops at the Flathead Lake Lodge. The grizzlies in Glacier Park are beginning to emerge. And speaking of Griz, University of Montana football will be scrimmaging in Polson. A Bigfork group is encouraging Montana’s Catholic bishops to support a ballot initiative that would outlaw abortions in the state. And authorities over the weekend arrested two Hungry Horse men on suspicion of stealing copper from substations throughout Flathead County.
There may be a compromise in the works for the standoff between Montana and the federal government over implementing Real ID guidelines. Critics are slamming a new plan by the state Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks to install power outlets at certain campgrounds. Lee Newspapers’ Capital Reporter Chuck Johnson muses on the changes in the Legislature likely with three outspoken Republicans opting to not run for re-election. And U.S. Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., is trying to make changes to Medicare that would more equitably compensate primary care physicians.
And finally, check out this great story in the San Diego Union-Tribune about Marines reuniting with stray dogs that they took care of while stationed in Iraq. Have a great Monday.