Good morning; on the Beacon today, Tammi Fisher will be the next mayor of Kalispell, winning handily in last night’s election. Incumbent Frank Sweeney lost the Whitefish City Council race, and three new members are joining the council. And check out our full election rundown for info on the other races and school levy votes. The town of Eureka is on edge after the torching of a judge’s office who is presiding over a contentious case. And Mark Riffey has a message for small business owners: Get aggressive.
Elsewhere in Montana elections, Polson overwhelmingly rejected the proposed resort tax by 84 percent, and so did Seeley Lake. The acquisition of Burlington Northern Santa Fe, the nation’s second-largest railroad, by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway has some Montana political and agricultural leaders hoping it leads to cheaper shipping rates. The Montana Supreme Court on Tuesday upheld a state law cutting off workers’ compensation benefits for injured, disabled workers at retirement age. And a fence is being installed around school property in Dupuyer to keep grizzly bears from wandering onto the playground.