Good morning; on this date in 1783 the Treaty of Paris was signed, ending the U.S. Revolutionary War.
It’s a brisk autumnal day and the Beacons are on the stands. This week, Myers Reece looks at the unusually high number of drownings in northwest Montana this summer. Glacier Park officials are halting regular searches for the missing Kentucky backpacker who was supposed to finish his hike Aug. 18. The Lake County man who involved police in a 48-hour standoff is being charged with homicide for shooting his father to death. While state agencies in Montana are enjoying relatively flush coffers due to a mild fire season, federal agencies are once again strapped for cash after a severe fire season elsewhere in the West. Wildlife biologist Doug Chadwick will be giving a talk this weekend on the ecological success of tiny Weaver ants. And business columnist Mark Riffey continues his advice series on how to get your business chugging again after suffering a disaster.
In state news, Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s Labor Day report said Montana’s economy is as strong as ever. In Helena, speculation is rampant that Schweitzer could be in line for a cabinet position should Barack Obama win the presidency. A Heron man was sentenced to 50 years in prison for repeatedly raping his daughter over a 14-year period. And crews are keeping their eyes on the Dunn Mountain Fire, burning near Billings.
Finally, check out this elephant at a Tokyo zoo, that scored 87 percent on a math test. Have a great day.