Good morning; on the Beacon today, a hearing on a proposed acquisition of Qwest by CenturyLink drew nearly 50 residents to the elementary school in West Glacier to find out if the deal could – finally – bring broadband Internet access to the area. Good news for hunters: Northwest Montana wildlife officials are anticipating improved hunting seasons beginning this fall based on strong survival rates for deer and elk fawns. August was another banner month for Glacier National Park visitation numbers, bringing the total to about 1.8 million visitors so far. Officials say the park could meet the 2.2 million mark set in 1983 if September and October are strong months as well. Wildlife are learning to use special crossings to safely get to the other side of U.S. Highway 93 as it passes through the Flathead Indian Reservation in western Montana. The Westboro Baptist Church tests the First Amendment in U.S. Supreme Court.
Two decades after the federal government spent a half-million dollars to study the reintroduction of gray wolves to the Northern Rockies, lawmakers say it’s time for Congress to step in again — this time to clamp down on the endangered animals. Former University of Montana Grizzly football player and now Tennessee Titan Marc Mariani had a 98-yard return and touchdown on a kick-off in the 26-20 loss to the Denver Broncos over the weekend. Montana’s Governor Brian Schweitzer is considering a clemency request from convicted Canadian double-murderer Ronald Smith, who was convicted in 1983 for shooting to death two cousins, Harvey Madman Jr. and Thomas Running Rabbit, while he was high on drugs and alcohol.