Good morning, and happy birthday to actress Whoopi Goldberg, 53.
On the Beacon this morning, Republican commissioner-elect Jim Dupont and out-going commissioner Gary Hall may hail from the same political party, but local interest groups say they expect the commission to have a more conservative bent come January. A 20-year-old Dartmouth College student from Montana won a county treasurer race in New Hampshire. The parties chose their leaders for the upcoming Montana session. And a Kalispell man has claimed a $150,000 Montana Cash jackpot.
Air Force inspectors say they found deficiencies during a recent nuclear inspection at Malmstrom Air Force Base. Plum Creek Timber Co. officials believe the Government Accountability Office is mistaken in questioning the company’s right to turn hundreds of miles of forest roads into forest home driveways. A Bearcreek mine where 75 people died remains remarkably intact, and efforts are underway to have the site placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Finally, Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood repeated in the male and female vocalist of the year categories at last night’s CMA’s.