Glacier football gets first home win and the wolf hunt is in limbo in our weekly index of what’s up down and in between …
HIGHS
GLACIER WOLFPACK – The boys football team won their first home game in the young program’s three years, beating Billings Senior 41-21 in their first game and setting up for a strong season.
JIM ELLIOTT – The former legislator from Trout Creek becomes chairman of the Montana Democrats at a time when his party holds nearly every state office of significance – which means he’ll be focused on unseating Denny Rehberg.
GLACIER PARK INTERATIONAL AIRPORT – The massive runway-resurfacing project wraps up on time and under budget.
IN BETWEEN
REHBERG, BARKUS BOAT CRASH – Rehberg staffers are seriously injured after the crash near Bigfork. While Rehberg planned to leave the hospital this week, Kalispell Sen. Greg Barkus, who was driving the boat, has retained an attorney and has yet to issue any statements, leaving questions as to the accident’s cause.
HOMELAND SECURITY DEPARTMENT – A DHS official accuses Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester of falsely taking credit for steering millions in federal dollars to Montana border stations. But the senators point to meetings they had with DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano prior to the allocation, leading to some confusing finger-pointing.
LOWS
WOLVES – Planned hunts in Idaho and Montana continue to polarize, with animal rights groups planning a boycott of Idaho spuds. Meanwhile, 120 Dillon sheep are killed by wolves, as a judge considers halting the hunts in Montana.
AFGHANISTAN – August saw 44 U.S. troops killed as of last week, tying the month with July as the deadliest in the eight-year war.
MISSOULA MARIJUANA – Pot offenses are way up in Missoula County, despite an initiative making weed law enforcement’s lowest priority. Something skunky’s going on here…