Good morning and happy birthday to Dale Earnhardt Sr.
On the Beacon this morning, the Whitefish City Council finally approved a business district along Montana Highway 40. On the Police Blotter, there was an axe attack over a woman between two men in a love triangle in Angel Point. And on the real estate blog, Realtor Tom Burk questions whether the Whitefish market can insulate itself from the national malaise.
In state news, environmental and animal rights groups sued the federal government in an attempt to secure endangered species status for the gray wolf in the Northern Rockies. A lawsuit charging negligence against investment firm D.A. Davidson over lost client information has been dropped. U.S. Dept. of Agriculture Undersecretary Mark Rey met with state and county officials yesterday to discuss closed door talks with Plum Creek executives, and now it looks as though some counties may sue federal land managers over the closed door talks. Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul will speak at the state GOP convention in June. Democratic presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton is pressing her opponent for the nomination, Barack Obama, to accept a Lincoln-Douglas-style, moderator-free, debate in Missoula. State Auditor John Morrison is pushing for an $18 million expansion to the state insurance pool for small businesses.
And finally, odd eyebrow grooming techniques by students are causing big headaches for school officials in Oregon. Have a great day.