Tuesday: Dog Park, Somers Crash, WUI Prep

By Dan Testa, 6-23-09

Good morning; on the Beacon today, more traffic fatalities. Marlene Kay Siblerud of Somers was killed in a three-vehicle crash just south of Somers Monday. Jury selection is underway in the case of Stephen M. Thomas, accused of shooting to death a 69-year-old man at a Libby area campground. With the snip of a blue and red leash, the Hugh Rogers Wag Park made its debut Saturday morning in Whitefish. Check out Lido's amazing slide show of the 2009 Relay for Life, the American Cancer Society's signature fundraiser. Flathead County commissioners are considering a proposal to fund a long-term maintenance plan for bike and pedestrian paths throughout the county at a cost of about $29,000 annually.

The U.S. House this week will consider a bill with $11.75 million for five conservation easements in Montana. At a fire season briefing, Gov. Brian Schweitzer said homeowners in the wildland urban interface must do more to defend their homes from wildfires. At the same conference state forester Bob Harrington warned that trees damaged by pine beetles have the potential to provide major fuel for fires this year. And the city of Bozeman has backed off of its controversial policy to review password-protected information on job candidates' Web sites. [End of article]