Dairy Farms, Obama Back?, Clunkers Continues

By Dan Testa, 8-05-09

Good morning; on the Beacon today, only two dairy farms remain in the Flathead, and those operations are struggling to hang on. After weeks of hearing allegations of illegal activity and fiscal abuses, the Flathead County Planning Office recently responded to many of its detractors’ specific complaints for the first time. President Barack Obama will be visiting Bozeman on Aug. 14 to hold a town hall meeting at an airport hanger there. Former Grizzly football player Cody van Appen was given a three-year deferred sentence and 21 days in jail Tuesday for this role in an assault that left a University of Montana student, Jesse Johnson of Olney, unconscious and with a broken jaw.

The Senate has cleared the way for a vote extending the "cash-for-clunkers" program. State Auditor Monica Lindeen said Tuesday that she is ordering an outside investigation into allegations that her deputy, Walt Schweitzer, used the office for political fundraising. Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester say they are confident Congress will enact a health care overhaul, despite delays. The Kootenai Creek fire, near Stevensville, doubled in size yesterday to about 2,000 acres. And the siege on Western Montana by grasshoppers continues. [End of article]