Good morning; on the Beacon today, Molly Priddy examines whether the federal stimulus is delivering as promised in terms of providing jobs. After 42 years, Books West in downtown Kalispell is closing its doors. An environmental group is seeking to stop three logging projects on several thousand acres in northwest Montana, arguing that the timber sales would harm the area’s fledgling grizzly bear population. And Wild Bill Schneider believes the timing is right to pass the Roadless Rule.
Gov. Brian Schweitzer says budget concerns are behind a decision to cut four Commerce Department jobs. Moonlight Basin Ranch said Wednesday the ski and golf community has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection after Lehman Brothers decided to foreclose on an outstanding loan. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester said a lot of good things Wednesday night about the sweeping Senate health care bill — but stopped short of promising to vote for it. The new Senate bill is estimated to cost $849 billion and the debate over the bill is going to be a marathon. Some groups are criticizing a proposal from the state Revenue Department that would lighten penalties for businesses that sell alcohol to minors if they require worker training. The state’s Human Rights Bureau says it has found “reasonable cause” to believe that a Bozeman housing ordinance is discriminatory. Doctors in Missoula are panning a new recommendation that women can wait until later in life to be screened for breast cancer.