http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/ The Flathead Beacon is a weekly print and daily online news source serving Western Montana's Flathead Valley. en webmaster@flatheadbeacon.com Copyright 2010 Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:18:17 MDT Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:18:17 MDT Wayne Hirst http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/letter_550_jobs_do_matter/16546/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/letter_550_jobs_do_matter/16546/ {primary_category} Sat, 13 Mar 2010 01:18:17 MDT What’s a paycheck worth? More to some people than others. Creating jobs and paychecks is, of course, among the important goals of Sen. Jon Tester’s Forest Jobs and Recreation Act – a bill that blazes a trail to healthier, more productive and more sustainable forests in Montana. Big deal! So shouted one of the bill’s extreme critics in a recent commentary (March 3 Beacon: “Jon Tester, Hostage Negotiator”). Dave Skinner offered a simplistic, pessimistic formula of 5.5 jobs per million board feet of timber harvested to declare the Forest Jobs and Recreation… Molly Priddy http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/group_calls_for_entire_fair_board_to_resign/16540/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/group_calls_for_entire_fair_board_to_resign/16540/ {primary_category} Fri, 12 Mar 2010 18:42:58 MDT A group of frustrated Flathead Valley residents are calling for the resignation of every member of the Flathead County Fair Board, a movement that comes on the heels of the board’s decision to not renew then-Fair Manager Jay Scott’s contract. A crowd of roughly 100 people gathered at Gardner Auction Service on March 11 to air their grievances and attempt to get organized in their efforts to get Scott reinstated. Gerry Banzet led the charge, asserting that firing Scott was unjust and immoral. Myers Reece http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/on_tap_whitefish_winter_classic_and_flathead_fitness_party/16542/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/on_tap_whitefish_winter_classic_and_flathead_fitness_party/16542/ {primary_category} Fri, 12 Mar 2010 15:04:54 MDT Live Music: Friday: Open Mic Night With Dangerous; Precision Entertainment DH and Karaoke at LC’s Sports Bar; Voodoo Horseshoes at Craggy Range; Smart Alex at Great Northern; Friday Night Live at Blue Canyon; DJ Night at Red’s Saturday: Shamrockers at Belton Chalet; Billy Angel at The Lodge; Night of the Operas at Flathead High School; Open Mic Jam Night at Ricciardi’s; Karaoke With Jody at Grizzly Jacks; Sick Ponys at Red’s; Smart Alex at Great Northern; Dangerous at Swanies; Barnyard Riot at Craggy Range Sports: Saturday: Second Annual March Meltdown at Polson Sports… Myers Reece http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/braves_lose_out_of_state_tournament/16539/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/braves_lose_out_of_state_tournament/16539/ {primary_category} Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:26:38 MDT Shortly after its cross-town rival Flathead lost out of the Class AA boys state basketball tournament on Friday afternoon, Glacier lost to Billings Senior 61-50 in a loser-out game. The Wolfpack, Western AA's fourth seed, narrowly lost to top-ranked Billings West 53-50 in the first round on Thursday. Glacier finishes the season 14-9. The Flathead Braves are done for the season after losing 50-43 to Billings Skyview on Friday afternoon in the Class AA boys state basketball tournament in Billings. The Braves, Western AA's third seed, lost their first-round game… Warren Miller http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/warrens_world_lucky_person/16472/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/warrens_world_lucky_person/16472/ {primary_category} Fri, 12 Mar 2010 10:14:18 MDT I am a very lucky person, recently broken back notwithstanding. Twelve years ago I joined the Yellowstone Club in Montana as the director of skiing, and nine years ago we started building our dream home on the side of a ski run here in Montana. I can lie in my bed between drug ingestions and watch skiers and snowboarders sliding by within a 100 feet of our bedroom window. I’m five weeks into the curative process and every day is a new and better one for me. I admit that I am getting tired of sleeping… Myers Reece http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/glacier_loses_heartbreaker_local_teams_winless_at_state/16537/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/glacier_loses_heartbreaker_local_teams_winless_at_state/16537/ {primary_category} Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:10:27 MDT After leading for most of the game, Glacier lost a heartbreaker in the first round of the Class AA boys state basketball tournament. Coming in as heavy underdogs, the fourth-seeded Wolfpack narrowly lost to Class AA's top seed Billings West 53-50 on Thursday. Glacier, 14-8, faces Billings Senior in a loser-out game at 1:30 p.m. on Friday. West, 19-2, moves on to the semifinals and plays Helena Capital at 8 p.m. on Friday. Glacier led by as much as 44-38 in the fourth quarter. West coach Doug Robinson told the Billings Gazette after the game: "We were… Heather Jurva http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/threatening_gestures_and_a_slobbery_assault/16527/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/threatening_gestures_and_a_slobbery_assault/16527/ {primary_category} Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:54:42 MDT 2:26 p.m. A local man claims that another individual came into his business and made threatening hand gestures. 12:51 a.m. An intoxicated woman was escorted to jail from a local bar. When asked to leave the premises, she decided to spit on the responding deputy. Associated Press http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/powder_in_envelope_mailed_to_state_just_crushed_pain_pill/16536/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/powder_in_envelope_mailed_to_state_just_crushed_pain_pill/16536/ {primary_category} Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:52:58 MDT HELENA – Helena police say the white powder in an envelope that was mailed to the Department of Labor was a pain relief tablet that likely accidentally fell into the envelope before a Butte woman mailed some paperwork to the state. Assistant Police Chief Dave Jeseritz says the possible "triggering device" was a lollipop stick. Alan Fram, Associated Press http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/democrats_pare_differences_over_health_overhaul/16535/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/democrats_pare_differences_over_health_overhaul/16535/ {primary_category} Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:51:31 MDT WASHINGTON – President Barack Obama is postponing his long-scheduled Asian trip for a few days to make a final push for passage of historic legislation reinventing the health care system. Obama's decision, revealed Friday morning by senior administration official, came amid assertions by leading Hill Democrats that they're resolving disputes over the measure that has been through a host of rewrites. At the same time, these Democrats said decisions remain on how to subsidize health insrance coverage. And they confirmed they're still hunting for sufficient votes to get it through. Associated Press http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/wolf_population_rises_in_northern_rockies/16534/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/wolf_population_rises_in_northern_rockies/16534/ {primary_category} Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:49:13 MDT HELENA – The wolf population in the Northern Rockies rose last year, but at the slowest rate in nearly 15 years, according to a report released Thursday by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. There were a minimum of 1,706 wolves inhabiting Montana, Idaho, Wyoming, and parts of Oregon and Washington state in 2009, compared to at least 1,650 wolves the year before. The number of breeding packs increased from 95 to 115.