fbpx

Wednesday Buffet: Drug Testing Questions, Student Loan Audits, Bathroom Bread

By Beacon Staff

Good morning. Today is the anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase.

It’s a sunny morning in the valley and the new Beacons are on the stands. Our top story this morning looks at some of the legal and moral questions facing the Whitefish school board as it contemplates random drug testing students at the high school. Keriann Lynch writes about efforts in Columbia Falls to draw more businesses to the area. Myers Reece writes about the colorful and relevant art of Monte Yellow Bird Sr. Cherry trees around Flathead Lake are likely to blossom later this year than last year, due to the cold weather. And a Lakeside man faces charges after attacking his former girlfriend’s current boyfriend with an ax.

In state news, Pres. Bush continues to argue with Congress over the multi-billion dollar farm bill, saying it gives too much in subsidies to wealthy farmers and won’t do anything to alleviate rising food prices. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., railed against Homeland Security officials over Real ID, calling it a “boondoggle.” The Montana Board of Regents voted yesterday to seek an audit of two student-loan-related financial entities, the Student Assistance Foundation and Montana Higher Education Student Assistance Corp. And the Missoulian’s Tristan Scott has a neat story about the ongoing effort by the police department there to solve the 1974 sexual abuse and murder of a young girl.

And finally, this is kind of gross. Read on at your peril. A fast food restaurant in Florida was cited by health inspectors for keeping its bread in the mens bathroom. Enjoy your lunch today.