Flathead Valley News Buffet: Kalispell, Montana News

Good morning and happy July 4 weekend! On the Beacon today, we raided the Kitchen Guy's recipe stash for a four-course Fourth of July menu. Every year on July 4, the Flathead County Animal Shelter experiences an influx of lost and anxious pups that fled their homes because of the noise from fireworks. A retired Kalispell doctor charged with aggravated animal cruelty for abandoning 12 puppies at a dump site in Somers received a 6-month deferred sentence. David Bernach has pleaded guilty to negligent arson for starting a fire that destroyed several units in an apartment building. Jesse Sheridan of Lakeside, accused of attacking his ex-girlfriend's boyfriend with an ax, has been sentenced to 20 years with a 10-year suspended sentence. Paul LaMott is the new Bigfork boys' basketball coach. Idaho Timber of Montana says it will close its plant in Whitefish with the loss of 26 jobs.

A new study by the CDC finds fewer Montana teens are smoking and more are wearing their seatbelts. Authorities believe the fire that burned down the Havre Jaycees' fireworks stand was arson. Ted Turner has been raising his profile in Montana this week, dining with the governor and giving an interview to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle. And a man injured in a bar fight in Helena has died.

Good morning; on the Beacon today, skateboarders at Woodland Park say the Kalispell Police have been cracking down hard since a vote to relax the helmet law died in city council. A new grocery store in Kalispell and the reopening of the Safeway in Whitefish have brought in a few hundred jobs at a crucial time. A fire in a mobile home park in south Kalispell killed 28 cats and a bird. Charges were filed Wednesday against Timothy Withrow of Somers for shooting his 18-year-old son in the chest and stomach. A jury found Stephen Thomas not guilty in the shooting death of Larry Kingsley at a campground near Libby. And Wild Bill Schneider discusses the need to pass the "No Child Left Inside" Act.

The Montana ProLife Coalition is proposing three ballot measures that would effectively ban abortion in the state. A new survey shows fewer Montana teens are using methamphetamine. The Legislative Fiscal Division told lawmakers yesterday state revenue collections could drop even further than anticipated. And the EPA is now testing for asbestos fibers near the site of a former W.R. Grace & Co. factory in the Spokane area.

Good morning; on the Beacon today, American Dream Montana is leveling allegations against the county planning director and his staff, including violation of state open record and meeting laws and misuse of public funds. One of the largest Christian mission organizations in the world is based out of an old Air Force base above Lakeside. On June 26, one of the only fully restored B-17s in the world, the Sentimental Journey, landed at Glacier Park International Airport as part of an annual summer tour around the United States. A 52-year-old Somers man has been arrested on suspicion of shooting his 18-year-old son in the stomach. Kalispell City Council approved the employment contract for the new city manager Monday on a 7-2 vote, over the objections of some on the council and in the public who questioned whether the salary and other benefits in the package are too generous.

Sgt. Terry Lynch, 22, of Shepherd was killed Monday in Afghanistan by a roadside bomb. Much of the country is enjoying a mild fire season so far. A federal appeals court has dismissed a lawsuit by environmentalists that challenged a timber sale on the Lolo National Forest. A fire Tuesday destroyed a fireworks stand in Havre. And Smith's Food and Drug stores are expanding their beef recall out of E. coli concerns.

Good morning; on the Beacon today, FWP's Aquatic Nuisance Species program gave a presentation to a roomful of fellow aquatic experts describing high priority invasive species and what can be done to either prevent or mitigate them. Kalispell residents are now eligible for a discount of 20 percent off the price of commonly prescribed drugs, through a new program offered by the city. The Glacier National Park Fund has set a $3.5 million fundraising goal for upgrades and restoration. A 66-year-old Evergreen woman faces aggravated animal cruelty charges after county officials seized 25 dogs living in cramped, filthy quarters.

The Bozeman City Commission will hire an investigator to look into how former job candidates' personal information affected hiring. Gov. Brian Schweitzer has picked Department of Labor lead counsel Vivian Hammill, 54, to be his new chief of staff. U.S. Rep. Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., voted against the climate change legislation that recently passed the House, but Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester aren't saying how they will vote. Montana's Commissioner of Political Practices has ruled that a conservative group that bankrolled a trio of ballot measures in 2006 must reveal its financial donors. Tester's mother, Helen, passed away Saturday of natural causes. The Montana Land Board holds hearings this week on whether to lease land near Ashland containing 600 million tons of coal. And Dennis McDonald, congressional candidate and chair of the state Dems, comes out in favor of single-payer health care.

Good morning; on the Beacon this morning, buoyed by enrollment increases, Flathead Valley Community College's budget looks strong. The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee agreed last week to distribute $250,000 to the city of Kalispell to help modernize and improve the safety of the city’s public safety building, which houses the police department, fire station and city court. Former Oregon quarterback Justin Roper has confirmed that he will play for the Montana Griz.

In other news around the state, Montana Sen. Jon Tester's mother, Helen Tester, died Saturday of natural causes. Travel in and around Montana has largely been a last-minute decision this year, and that trend will likely continue into the Fourth of July weekend. Cascade County Attorney John Parker has received a trial by fire introduction to the job; in his first six months, there have been four deaths classified as homicides — already more than the county's yearly average.

Happy Monday, everyone!

Good morning; on the Beacon today, establishing a technology-based business in a remote area like the Flathead brings both perks and perils. One of those firms, BigforkWEB, has established it's name partially through the community service its employees have performed. Kelly H. Hilbun and Terry Ann Hilbun of Whitefish are charged with stealing more than $30,000 of tools from Flathead Valley construction sites. Flathead High students Charden Wood and Steven Quade are in a national contest over the INCREDIBLE duct tape outfits they crafted by hand. And Dave Skinner takes some literary risks in his latest column, imagining a mining genie granting the wish of some environmentalist lawyers.

Gov. Brian Schweitzer released reports yesterday tracking federal stimulus spending in Montana. Investigators do not believe arson caused the recent Butte tire warehouse fire, but they're not sure what did. A member of the Missoula County Public Schools board of trustees has resigned over the political fallout from a vote related to a controversial documentary about America's consumer culture. Federal officials and livestock agencies in Montana, Wyoming and Idaho have agreed on a tentative plan to change how they deal with the cattle disease brucellosis.

Good morning; on the Beacon today, H2 Pure Power is launching a business retrofitting vehicles with clean hydrogen power – an example of some of the small businesses around the valley trying to cash in on the demand for alternative energy. A Lincoln County group is working out a land use management plan in the Kootenai Forest in an attempt to move past the era of the "Timber Wars." At a special meeting Monday night, Kalispell City Council members decided to offer the position of city manager to Jane Howington of Dayton, Ohio. The Northwest Montana Association of Realtors has hired former state lawmaker John Sinrud as its new government affairs director, making him the new point person for dealing with municipalities throughout the valley when it comes to land use regulations. The Going-to-the-Sun Road is expected to open over Logan Pass by the end of the week. And FWP says lake trout have been confirmed in Lindberg Lake.

In state news, lots of pot. A Helena man faces felony drug charges after investigators say they found 70 pot plants in his funeral home. Two people are accused of selling marijuana-laced treats at Poplar's Wild West Days. Secretary of State Linda McCulloch will push for a greater voice for Rocky Mountain states in the 2010 Democratic primaries and caucuses at a commission this weekend. And some Montanans are heading to Washington D.C. for a public rally promoting the option of publicly funded health care coverage.

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.