Good morning; on the Beacon today, construction work on the southern section of the U.S. 93 Alternate Route, also known as the Kalispell bypass, is currently on schedule and a new road connecting West Reserve to the new Wal-Mart Supercenter may become a reality this year, according to transportation officials. The harvest season has yet to kick into full gear but there are still plenty of opportunities to browse some fantastic treats at the Kalispell Farmers’ Market. Officials with PPL Montana say the low mountain snowpack makes it “questionable” whether Flathead Lake will refill to its full-pool elevation of 2,893 feet by June 15. And Kitchen Guy Jim Gray discusses the dining options in Las Vegas, and the high prices.
The Institute for Tourism and Recreational Research at the University of Montana predicts the state will see a 2 percent increase in nonresident visitors this year. A legislative interim committee plans to meet Tuesday to discuss the rapid growth of the medical marijuana industry in the state and consider problems that have arisen. Many experts believe the recently passed health care overhaul falls short on taming costs, and that will force Congress to revisit health care in a few years. With no bipartisan deal on how to rein in Wall Street, Democrats stepped up their efforts Sunday to splinter unified Republican opposition to their sweeping regulatory overhaul. The Missoulian’s Michael Jamison has a great roundup of anecdotes about Glacier National Park from different locals who have spent much of their lives wandering its peaks and valleys. Mark French, a Republican challenger to Denny Rehberg for Montana’s House seat, explains his faith and political outlook to Lee’s Jennifer McKee. For the 28,000 Montana senior citizens who hit the “doughnut hole” in Medicare prescription drug coverage, the health-reform bills passed by Congress provides some minimal help this year: A $250 check to fill a hole as deep as $3,600. NorthWestern Corp. Chief Executive Officer Bob Rowe earned $1.5 million in total compensation last year — but he’s among the lowest-paid top executives for utilities in the region.