Good morning. Today is the birthday of Malcolm X.
Over the weekend the Weather Service downgraded some of its flood threats, though with high temperatures expected to continue for the next few days, water levels will continue to rise on the Yaak, Fisher and Flathead Rivers. Stick with the Beacon for updates as the flood threat persists. Local developer Eric Berry died over the weekend in a motorcycle crash at Idaho Hill Road and U.S. Highway 2 West in Kalispell. Flathead High’s Jeff Thompson was honored as a regional coach of the year for his wrestling coaching. Myers Reece spent some time at the Ultimate Submission Academy for mixed martial arts in Creston and wrote about the trainers and students. Columbia Falls is working to expand its reputation as an antiques hub. Boy Scout troops from around the valley met over the weekend to plant hundreds of trees as part of a forestry project.
Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is back in Montana today, with events planned in Billings, Crow Agency and Bozeman. The Missoulian writes about the struggle by the remaining 100 workers at the Stimson mill in Bonner to find other work as the mill shuts down. U.S. Undersecretary of Agriculture Mark Rey spoke to the Montana Logging Association over the weekend, telling an audience better wildfire fighting techniques are helping to slow the escalating costs of firefighting. And Chuck Johnson writes about the extensive get-out-the-vote effort in place by the campaign’s of Obama and Sen. Hillary Clinton, and the surging registration numbers in counties throughout the state.
And finally, a tractor-trailer overturned south of Chicago, dumping 14 tons of Oreo cookies on the highway. That’s a hazmat spill we can all live with. Have a great day.