Good morning; on the Beacon today, check out the slideshow of the Beacon’s favorite news and feature photographs from 2009. We also review the year’s top business stories, both the positive ones and the negative. In the Flathead, it’s easy to ski on a budget, and here’s a rundown of the best deals. As early winter conditions mature, backcountry recreationalists once again have a host of educational opportunities open to anyone looking to travel safely in the snow – whether it’s on a snowmobile or a pair of skis. The Flathead County sheriff’s department says a 44-year-old Whitefish woman, Jeanette McNamara, whose body was found outside her house died after she apparently fell out of a hunting stand. And business columnist Mark Riffey advises that the time to wait and whine has passed, and it’s time to start working.
Federal stimulus money to be spent on new tennis courts in Bozeman drew the ire of Montana’s governor Tuesday — and sparked a brouhaha between the Democrat and Republicans over who is to blame. University of Montana defensive coordinator Kraig Paulson says he is following former head coach Bobby Hauck to UNLV. Revelers ringing in 2010 will be treated to a so-called blue moon. The annual winter accumulation of snowpack in Montana’s mountain ranges is off to a slow start. The Missoula girls killed by a drunken driver have been identified: Ashley Patenaude,14, and 15-year-old Taylor Cearley. Demand for energy assistance has jumped across Montana this winter, with the biggest increase in demand coming from the Bozeman and Billings areas.