Good morning; on the Beacon today, H2 Pure Power is launching a business retrofitting vehicles with clean hydrogen power – an example of some of the small businesses around the valley trying to cash in on the demand for alternative energy. A Lincoln County group is working out a land use management plan in the Kootenai Forest in an attempt to move past the era of the “Timber Wars.” At a special meeting Monday night, Kalispell City Council members decided to offer the position of city manager to Jane Howington of Dayton, Ohio. The Northwest Montana Association of Realtors has hired former state lawmaker John Sinrud as its new government affairs director, making him the new point person for dealing with municipalities throughout the valley when it comes to land use regulations. The Going-to-the-Sun Road is expected to open over Logan Pass by the end of the week. And FWP says lake trout have been confirmed in Lindberg Lake.
In state news, lots of pot. A Helena man faces felony drug charges after investigators say they found 70 pot plants in his funeral home. Two people are accused of selling marijuana-laced treats at Poplar’s Wild West Days. Secretary of State Linda McCulloch will push for a greater voice for Rocky Mountain states in the 2010 Democratic primaries and caucuses at a commission this weekend. And some Montanans are heading to Washington D.C. for a public rally promoting the option of publicly funded health care coverage.