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 2009 Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:36:56 MDT Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:36:56 MDT Mark Riffey http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/freedom_machine/11538/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/freedom_machine/11538/ {primary_category} Sat, 04 Jul 2009 18:36:56 MDT As I've told you here in the past, I've made it a habit to read the Declaration of Independence and Constitution at least once a year - and definitely on Independence Day. To encourage Beacon readers to do the same, I usually post a link to read these documents. This year, however, I thought I'd give you something a little different... Keriann Lynch http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/capturing_montanas_big_sky_in_oil/11445/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/capturing_montanas_big_sky_in_oil/11445/ {primary_category} Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:26:21 MDT As a burgeoning landscape artist, East Glacier’s Roger Rink found the perfect complement to his artistic ambitions: construction work. For years, Rink worked in the building industry, moving around the country from West Virginia to North Carolina to New York. The often-variable construction schedule, two months of hard labor followed by two months off, allowed plenty of time to immerse himself fully in painting. Matt Gouras, Associated Press http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/tester_putting_wilderness_areas_on_front_burner/11528/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/tester_putting_wilderness_areas_on_front_burner/11528/ {primary_category} Sat, 04 Jul 2009 10:53:19 MDT HELENA – Wilderness advocates and key officials say Sen. Jon Tester's office has plans to bring Montana its first new wilderness designation since the 1980s. But Tester's office is keeping details quiet — just saying that anyone interested in how forests are managed should contact the senator. Plans for the designation of a new wilderness area draw on separate proposals that have been in the works for years, say advocates who hope legislation will fast-track hundreds of thousands of acres into wilderness status. Associated Press http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/three_arrested_in_fire_that_destroyed_havre_fireworks_booth/11527/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/three_arrested_in_fire_that_destroyed_havre_fireworks_booth/11527/ {primary_category} Sat, 04 Jul 2009 10:47:25 MDT HAVRE – The Hill County Sheriff's Office has arrested three Havre-area men in connection with a fire that destroyed the Havre Jaycees fireworks booth on Tuesday. The Havre Fire Department determined the fire was suspicious. The investigation was then turned over to the Hill County Sheriff's Office. On Thursday, the sheriff's office conducted searches of two separate Havre area homes, which resulted in the recovery of a large amount of fireworks. Jim Suhr, Associated Press http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/us_cities_hope_to_host_gitmo_transplants/11526/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/us_cities_hope_to_host_gitmo_transplants/11526/ {primary_category} Sat, 04 Jul 2009 10:45:13 MDT MARION, Ill. – Once the nation's most secure prison, the federal lockup in southern Illinois has housed everyone from spies to a Colombian druglord to dapper mob boss John Gotti. Now the mayor of Marion hopes to roll out the welcome mat for a new set of accused criminals: Guantanamo Bay terrorism suspects. While other cities across the U.S. have balked at taking in any of the more than 200 detainees from the infamous lockup in Cuba that President Barack Obama hopes to shutter, Marion is part of a small contingent seeking out the… Chef Jim Gray http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/the_july_4th_burger/11454/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/the_july_4th_burger/11454/ {primary_category} Sat, 04 Jul 2009 06:00:25 MDT I know, I know. Hot dogs are supposed to be the food of choice on Independence Day. Remember the old commercial ditty from the 60s and 70s: “Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet?” Don’t get me wrong – I love a good hot dog. There’s nothing like the crispy snap of an all-beef hot dog casing, bathed in mustard, sprinkled with chopped onions and topped with sweet relish. But I think America and Americans have raised hamburgers to high art. However, I hereby exclude all fast food hamburgers from the aforementioned praise, and… Kellyn Brown http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/truly_public_records/11453/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/truly_public_records/11453/ {primary_category} Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:56:13 MDT Shawn Beqaj, the vice president for public affairs with Bresnan Communications, toured Montana last week to discuss, among other things, “wideband,” the blazing-fast Internet service that will, in a few years, allow you to download a feature-length film in a few dozen seconds. But I was far more interested in a contract Bresnan recently won from the state to provide it with a new network and whether Beqaj agreed that Montana municipalities remain archaic in this age of information. On that subject, Beqaj was diplomatic and said his company looks “forward to providing the bandwidth necessary so… Michael Moore, Missoulian http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/mcgovern_pens_book_on_lincoln/11521/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/mcgovern_pens_book_on_lincoln/11521/ {primary_category} Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:27:36 MDT MISSOULA – The first time Arthur Schlesinger Jr. asked former presidential candidate George McGovern to take part in a series of books about American presidents, McGovern said no. He was simply too busy with a little project — feeding every impoverished child in the world a decent meal each day. Later, though, Schlesinger called back and asked again. By this time, the program McGovern helped establish with former Sen. Bob Dole, R-Kan., was well under way. Today, 22 million children are being fed by the program. Associated Press http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/bigfork_man_faces_life_in_prison_for_sex_crimes/11520/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/bigfork_man_faces_life_in_prison_for_sex_crimes/11520/ {primary_category} Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:24:13 MDT KALISPELL – A Bigfork man, who already faces 110 years in federal prison for sex crimes, has pleaded guilty to molesting two young sisters in Flathead County. Ralph Fox pleaded guilty this week to felony sexual assault and failure to register as a sex offender. He also pleaded guilty, through an Alford plea, to a second count of felony sexual assault. That means the defendant does not admit guilt, but does acknowledge enough evidence exists to convict him. Matthew Brown, Associated Press http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/lyme_disease_reports_up/11519/ http://www.flatheadbeacon.com/articles/article/lyme_disease_reports_up/11519/ {primary_category} Fri, 03 Jul 2009 12:21:05 MDT BILLINGS – Doctors have reported 15 cases of Lyme disease in Montana this year — a sharp spike from prior years. But health officials say most appear to be recently diagnosed older illnesses and that all likely originated outside the state. The disease is passed to humans by ticks and can cause headaches, fever, fatigue and a distinctive, bulls-eye shaped rash. The overwhelming majority of cases occur on the East Coast and in the Great Lakes states.