Saturday

THE BUZZ

Recent polls show that Democratic Sen. Jon Tester faces an uphill battle to fend off GOP challenger Rep. Dennis Rehberg, according to the National Journal.

Polls conducted in Montana and New Mexico also shine a light on how vulnerable President Barack Obama is, the online political journal said. It said that, in Gallup's Daily tracking data released Tuesday, Obama had an approval rating in Montana of just under 34 percent--a very weak number for an incumbent.

Meanwhile, a recent Democratic poll showed Rehberg with a 46-43 edge over Tester, while a GOP poll showed Rehberg with a 53-42 lead.

Those numbers may explain why Tester has been taking more conservative positions in recent days, including his recent call for an accounting of the federal money that goes to groups that sue federal agencies.

Know where the world's largest snowflake was found? Fort Keough, Montana.

That bit of trivia is courtesy of the "Google Doodle," the piece of art you see on the Google search home page. It was featured last Saturday, and tens of millions of people saw it as they clicked on Google's search page. The art featured a cow grazing in snow-covered ground. Gradually, a giant snowflake floated down, sending birds flying away to avoid being crushed, and drawing the interest of the cow. The snowflake became the second "o" in Google's logo, joining a leafless tree as the "G" and a tower which substitutes for the "l".

Also, when clicked, the doodle brought up this message: "Largest snowflake ever observed: 38 centimeters (15 in) in diameter; Fort Keogh, Montana, United States, 38th January 1887." (For those who don't know, Fort Keogh is an old military fort on the outskirts of Miles City.)

The Guinness Book of World Records gave a nearby farmer credit for recording the size of the size of the snowflake, and describing some as the size of "milk pans," but saying there is no corroborating evidence.

Montana fans of romance novels might be attracted by the cover and brief blurbs on "Two Spirit Ranch." The cover shows a cowboy and his beau staring off over a pond into a dreamy sunset. Short descriptions of the book make it sound like standard romance fare: A successful female lawyer flees Manhattan for the less-hectic lifestyle of Montana, where she meets and falls in love with a handsome sheriff. But delve deeper and you find out the rest of the story: The attorney is a transgendered female.

Of course, as Jerry Seinfeld and friends used to say: "Not that there's anything wrong with that." Still, that might give some Montana book buyers pause.

The Los Angeles author, Jaime Stryker, says the title is derived from the belief of some Indian tribes that members could assume the identity of members of the opposite sex and still be accepted. "Many of the native peoples believed a spectrum of gender identities was part of nature's diversity."

Wasn't that a disaster? No, we're not talking about the winter storm that walloped Montana this week, but Dave Gallik's short-lived term as Montana's political practices commissioner. Just what was he thinking, anyway?

Gallik stepped down from the post Tuesday after a terrific investigative report by Great Falls Tribune reporter John S. Adams laid out the case that Gallik was fudging state time sheets and logging state pay for hours he'd actually been spending on his private law practice. Gallik denied the charges, which were made all the more powerful because they came from his staff of four at the political practices office and were backed by official records.

Gallik claimed that Gov. Brian Schweitzer gave him the go-ahead to work at his law practice at the same time he was doing the state ethics job, which paid him $57,689 a year. But his staff accused him of "stealing from the taxpayers" and "committing ethics violations" by claiming to work on state business when he was actually working on his own law business.

The Helena Independent Record said Gallik's departure represents an opportunity for the governor, in appointing a replacement, to bring necessary reforms and a new era of nonpartisanship to the office.

What the IR didn't note was that Gallik's appointment last May was Schweitzer's attempt to poke GOP lawmakers in the eye for not confirming his first choice for the job, Jennifer Hensley. Hensley served in the post for several months but Republicans resisted her confirmation, saying she'd been too much of a Democratic activist to keep the job permanently. By turning to Gallik, Schweitzer picked someone with even more of a reputation as a partisan. Gallik, too, faced confirmation hearings, but not until the 2013 Legislature met because Schweitzer appointed him after the 2011 session adjourned.

One of the ironies is that, during her short tenure, Hensley impressed many observers with the volume of work she did and her effort to be nonpartisan.

While she did have a partisan background, she may have ended up being a good commissioner. The staff gave her high marks -- in contrast to Gallik.

In hindsight, it appears Republican legislators made a bad choice in rejecting her. Schweitzer, in turn, blundered by using Gallik to get revenge against the GOP.

In January 2006, Iain Albee, left, and Mark Albee made their way up Big Mountain on telemark skis after the lifts were closed due to power outages. Mark Albee died in an avalanche Wednesday while skiing with his brother in Jewel Basin. (Daily Inter Lake)

MANG to start transition to C-130s in 21 months

Flathead avalanche victim found under 5 feet of snow

Fort Peck council member arrested on assault charges

Key author of MT Constitution retiring from law practice

Helena sued by widow of man who died in fall at ballpark

Snow plow drivers, state can't reach settlement on pay

Helena man sentenced to prison for defrauding investors

Lewistown attorney suing judge files to run for judge's job

Havre's Sletten Cancer Center ends radiation treatment

MT Air National Guard to get C-130s to replace F-15s

State bags plan for new 120-bed prison

Seattle theater opens play based on Ivan Doig novel

Calgary family seeks clemency for MT death-row inmate

Bigfork man identified as victim of avalanche

Judge rejects greens' challenge on sage grouse listing

AG says Ennis schools improperly used money

Forest Service says it wants to boost timber production

Historic Helena mansion burn; no one injured

Hamilton teen sentenced for stealing Daly Mansion pelt

Witness says statement recanting rape was false

Daines raises more money than all opponents combined

Gallatin College at MSU to expand offerings

Feds release $1.9 billion to buy land for Indian tribes

Police: Great Falls man admits molesting girl, 8

Missoula man charged with torching car of former lover

Bighorn sheep moved from Flathead to Dillon area

'Piggyback Bandit' admits assault charges in Helena

Crow Agency man admits illegally selling eagle feathers

Body of avalanche victim recovered northeast of Bigfork

Nominees to political practices post have partisan ties

She was bowled over by avalanche report marriage offer

Billings man told girlfriend he killed 2 sisters, cops say

Marysville residents decry impacts from nearby gold mine

Butte dog heads home after Kansas City road trip

Butte JP charged with drug crimes is suspended with pay

New Yorker pays $300K for special MT bighorn sheep tag

Teachers' Retirement System releases pension data

Caribbean islands win $9.3M judgment against Blixseth

Beartooth co-op manager announces resignation

Billings couple sentenced to prison for prostitution ring

Skier missing in avalanche northeast of Bigfork

Will Keystone sponsor bypass feds by starting line in MT?

Barz report IDs 9 alleged cases of sex assault at UM

MSU wants to learn from UM struggle with sex assault

2nd Yellowstone Park bus driver gets 2 weeks in jail

BUSINESS / ECONOMY

Conrad firm makes ramps for C-130 cargo planes

Wendy's unhappy with franchisee for MT, 2 nearby states

Davidson Cos. make changes in management posts

Owner of Great Falls refinery may be put up for sale

Oracle promises 'aggressive' invesment in RightNow

Vann's closing its Helena store on March 4

Airline ponders flight connecting Helena and Billings

Electronic-parts maker gets geared up in Great Falls

SPORTS / OUTDOORS

2 Bobcats who didn't start playing ball til late in life

Ski phenom Heather McPhie to represent Moonlight Basin

Cats on a roll as Lady Griz come to Bozeman

Griz well-rested, Cats wounded for big rivalry game

Griz forward Ward named to academic team

Hamilton grad Albert finds a good fit at MSU

Bobcat rally against Idaho State falls short, 87-86

Bussey leads Lady Cats to OT win over Idaho State

Helena's Rickman makes mark in first year with Lady Griz

MSU adds strength to line, kicking game, with 12 recruits

FWP wants help buying family friendly fishing pond

OPINION

Mission of Occupy movement is clear as a muddy stream

Feds should expedite review of Keystone XL pipeline

Busted: Seat-belt myths that are harmful to our health

MT's economic outlook isn't bright, but we remain hopeful

Hatred of wolves has gone to extremes

Eye-popping salary for U-System commish bad move

State needs better system of tracking worker hours

Fish, Wildlife & Parks must take extra hard look at budget

FEATURES

MT journalist stays positive as she lives, and works, w/ MS

Bozeman tribal members carry on sweat lodge traditions

GTF woman becomes Slim-Fast celebrity for a day in NYC

Kalispell doc, brother explore history of human heart

Torah dedication marks growth of Bozeman Jewish group

Young Great Falls kids love to learn from deaf teacher

MT's worst massacre: 'Tell Baker to strike them hard'

CALENDAR

Broncos QB Tebow to speak at Billings fundraiser March 5

Tebow will speak the next day at GTF Christian school

Country legend George Jones to perform at UM March 6

Tebow adds Butte Habitat for Humanity event to MT trip

Tim Tebow to make Missoula stopover March 7

Tim Tebow visits Kalispell Christian school March 7

Bozeman's Blake Shelton concert rescheduled for March

Comedian Brian Regan performs in Great Falls March 31

B.B. King performing in Butte and Billings in May

Uncle Kracker will headline Helena fair July 25

Dragon boat races slated for Flathead Lake next fall

Have a tip? Email editor (at) montanabuzz.com

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