Good morning; on the Beacon today, Republican Congressman Denny Rehberg must navigate a shifting political landscape as he runs for another term in the House. A team of Bigfork blacksmiths are doing restoration body work on the historic Glacier Park Jammer tour buses. The chairman of a congressional panel that oversees mine safety on Wednesday released a list of 48 mines that could face greater scrutiny if not for delays in assessing the safety violations filed against them, and the Troy mine could face greater scrutiny. Two Evergreen men were arrested after an apparent hostage situation about which the Kalispell Police Department is currently releasing few details. And Dave Skinner defends Gov. Brian Schweitzer’s move to make explicit whether municipalities accept money to fund local projects made possible by coal development.
A magnitude-3.4 earthquake shook the Dillon area Wednesday morning but did not cause any damage. A group of House Republicans say Border Patrol agents should be granted direct control over U.S. borders, even on federal lands managed by other agencies. A 21-year-old Ronan man has entered a not guilty plea to deliberate homicide and tampering with evidence in the 2005 death of a St. Ignatius man. Opposition to President Barack Obama’s health care law jumped after he signed it — a clear indication his victory could become a liability for Democrats in this fall’s elections. Montana U.S. Marshal Dwight MacKay announced his retirement Wednesday in classic Western style. A new Montana stamp will be unveiled Friday morning at the state Capitol. An absolute must-read story by Mike Dennison: Across the state, employees at scores of school districts covered by the Montana Unified School Trust (MUST) are looking at paying thousands more for their health coverage. During testimony in her gender discrimination lawsuit against Montana State University Wednesday, former women’s basketball coach Robin Potera-Haskins said the school’s athletic director bullied her into putting his daughter on her team and giving her a scholarship.