Good morning; on the Beacon today, Whitefish Mountain Resort announced a new uphill travel policy last week, laying down clear guidelines for skiers, snowboarders and snowshoers who wish to ascend the slopes of Big Mountain during the winter. Talking to a crowd of about 50 Friday afternoon at Glacier Discovery Square, Sen. Max Baucus acknowledged the dismal state of the Flathead economy, noting the loss of timber and construction jobs, particularly in Columbia Falls. Earlier this month, the Flathead County Commission agreed to allocate $250,000 of its Community Transportation Enhancement Program (CTEP) funds toward the Red Bridge restoration project in Columbia Falls, spearheaded by a committee within the First Best Place Task Force. Two Washington State Patrol troopers, including a native of Eureka, and the head of the agency’s emergency call center in Wenatchee were believed to be dead Monday after an early-morning fire destroyed a house in Yakima County. The Lake County sheriff’s office says two brothers died when a young boy fell into a canal and his older brother jumped in to try to save him.
Talk of shrinking the government’s involvement in the mortgage market is growing. Just don’t expect action any time soon. The state Land Board led by Gov. Brian Schweitzer is giving its approval to a Fish, Wildlife and Parks plan to buy a 28,000-acre ranch near Deer Lodge for hunting, fishing and recreation. A grizzly bear that mauled three campers outside Yellowstone National Park had parasites and was struggling to feed her cubs, according to a report released Monday. Three Idaho residents are asking a state judge to block the first wave of oversized shipments of equipment that oil companies are planning to haul along U.S. Highway 12, the winding and scenic roadway that cuts across northcentral Idaho. The Montana Department of Transportation says an environmental review of an oil company’s plans to transport giant oilfield machinery through the state should be finished this week. NotMyBathroom.com has lost a lawsuit alleging Missoula city and county officials tried to thwart its petition to strike down the city’s anti-discrimination ordinance. As part of the federal health care reform law, Montana is getting $1 million in federal funds to help it review whether health insurance premiums are fairly priced in the state. A statewide effort to check registered sex offenders was recently completed with law enforcement agencies across the state contacting nearly 1,800 people.