Flathead Beacon // 2.5.14
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FEBRUARY 5, 2014 | VOL. 8 NO. 6
The Patrol
WWW.FLATHEADBEACON.COM
For decades an elite group of skiers has worked to keep
Big Mountain safe for visitors, on good days and bad.
PAGE 20
Eric Sjoden, assistant patrol
director, sweeps the mountain
with other ski patrol members at
the end of the day.
GREG LINDSTROM | FLATHEAD BEACON
From Recovery
MONTANA’S
FARM REFORM
PLOWS FORWARD
BASS MASTER
to Expansion,
After a two-year stalemate, federal farm
Economic Outlook subsidies bill moves toward inal passage Tim Johnston of Kalispell
to compete in world’s most
Keeps Brightening
PAGE 13
prestigious professional ishing
tournament
Flathead’s economy PAGE 58
picked up steam last
year, spurring hopes
that the momentum will
continue into 2014
PAGE 32
BAUCUS VISITS LIBBY 5 | BANNER YEAR FOR STATE PARKS 18 | VALENTINE’S DAY IN BIGFORK 41