Monday: 41 Huskies, Boat Fatality, Physician Exodus

By Dan Testa, 7-06-09

Good morning; on the Beacon today, Travis Wickum, 27, was killed and his wife injured in a boating accident on Flathead Lake over the weekend. Lincoln County officials have rejected a petition to recall the sheriff. Volunteers at the Flathead County Animal Shelter are scrambling to care for 41 homeless huskies after they were rescued from a woman's trailer, who has been charged with aggravated cruelty to animals. East Glacier artist Roger Rink's exhibition of landscape oil paintings will be on display this week at Whitefish's Jest Gallery. First Descents kayak camp for adults with cancer kicks off this week in the waters around Glacier National Park.

Sen. Jon Tester has plans to bring Montana its first new wilderness designation since the 1980s, but his office is keeping quiet on the details. State officials plan to seek bids on massive coal tracts near the Northern Cheyenne Indian reservation. Lee's Mike Dennison has a must-read story on the exodus of primary care physicians leaving Montana. The young couple accused of holding up a Whitefish hotel in April have pleaded not guilty. [End of article]