Good morning; on the Beacon today, a subsidiary of the Exxon Mobil Corporation has decided not to pursue oil and gas development on more than 21,000 acres of leased land in the North Fork of the Flathead River. Flathead County’s public transportation service, Eagle Transit, recently finished its new bus barn and updated an old garage, thanks in large part to stimulus dollars. Fans of pizza slices and munchies after a night on the town will be pleased to hear that mobile food vendors are once again allowed to set up in Whitefish, beginning in late October. And Kitchen Guy Jim Gray sticks to his guns in support of locally owned restaurants.
Doctors and hospitals upset with the way a proposed workers’ compensation overhaul would send less money their way believe they can persuade business and labor interests to change a carefully crafted compromise that has been three years in the making. Backup Doug Shumway threw two touchdown passes and Scottie Cordier had a 45-yard interception return for a score as Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo rallied to defeat Montana 35-33 on Saturday night. Two interceptions and a fourth-down stop led to Washington State’s 16 fourth-quarter points, and Nico Grasu booted a game-winning 18-yard field goal with 2:13 remaining to lift the Cougars past Montana State 23-22 on Saturday. Praising God and America, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin brought an adoring crowd to its feet with her message of faith, family and the power of prayer during a Sunday fundraising event to support a Christ-centered Missoula women’s residential center. Her appearance drew about 30 protesters from around Western Montana. Although not a perfect weathervane for the U.S. House race, campaign fundraising reports by Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg and Democratic challenger Dennis McDonald reveal plenty about the candidates’ financial strength and support. Looking to the future, Gov. Brian Schweitzer wants to set aside several billion dollars in anticipated coal tax money for free or greatly discounted college tuition for Montana science and math students and to create a world-class energy research institute. Help is pouring in for a Kalispell family who had their truck and many belongings stolen while in Seattle for their son’s chemotherapy treatments.