Good morning. Happy birthday to Jim Davis, the creator of Garfield, the cat with attitude, who hates Mondays and loves lasagna.
On the Beacon this morning, one of the first big rock bands in the valley has reunited. Democratic presidential contender Barack Obama says he has succeeded in expanding the electoral map in his race against John McCain, principally in southern and southwestern states but also in Montana and North Dakota. A proposed change in rules governing microbrewery tap rooms has created a brouhaha among Montana brewers. And check out Lido Vizzutti’s audio slide show on the 2008 Federation of Fly Fishers Conclave at Whitefish High School featuring local fly tyer Jim Johnson from Bigfork.
In other news around the state, the Cascade fire is creeping closer to Red Lodge. Officials estimate the fire at 5,000 acres and say there is zero containment so far. Aside from the prospect of a cold winter, a family of Iraqi immigrants is settling happily into a new life in Billings. A driver in Sunday’s demolition derby competition at the Lewis and Clark Fairgrounds was burned when his vehicle erupted in flames during the annual Last Chance Stampede & Fair event.
And here’s a quirky story from the Missoulian: The sasquatch and the gray wolf – two creatures with a long history in human mythology – were reported to have turned up on the side of the road in western Montana last week. Welcome to Monday, folks. Hope you all had a great weekend.