May 2021

Party of 4? Your trail is ready. Busy parks try reservations

Published on Fri, 05/28/2021 - 2:11pm
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ST. HUBERTS, N.Y. (AP) — Nick and Matthew Golebiewski climbed to the summit of Gothics mountain in the Adirondacks with packs, water, good boots and a new must-have item: advanced reservations.

The free reservation system went online recently to handle the fast-growing number of visitors to the privately owned Adirondack Mountain Reserve. Similar management systems are in place this summer season for outdoor attractions from Maui to Maine, typically in response to the pandemic or to crowds that were surging even before  lockdowns inspired more wilderness visits.

GOP blocks bipartisan probe of deadly riot

Published on Fri, 05/28/2021 - 2:10pm
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans on Friday blocked creation of a bipartisan panel to study the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol in a show of party loyalty to former President Donald Trump, aiming to shift the political focus away from the violent insurrection by his GOP supporters.

Instead, it’s now likely that questions about who should bear responsibility for the attack will continue to be filtered through a partisan lens rather than addressed by an independent panel modeled after the commission that investigated the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. 

United States to expedite immigration cases of families on Mexico border

Published on Fri, 05/28/2021 - 2:08pm

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Families arriving at the U.S. border with Mexico will have their cases fast-tracked in immigration court, the Biden administration said Friday, less than two weeks after it said it was easing pandemic-related restrictions on seeking asylum. 

TIME OUT WITH LOIS: What’s your dream job?

Published on Fri, 05/28/2021 - 2:08pm

We are doing a new “Time Out” contest for June with a $20 DQ gift card for the “Best Dream Job” story. Send them to this newspaper or to loistimeout@gmail.com. We will print as many as we can. 

Last week I wrote told about my dream job as a tour guide at the Visitor Center in Colstrip. I always wanted He-Who-Took-Long-Steps to do “Jeopardy.” He said his dream job was being a U.S. Census taker in 2010. He even had cake and ice cream with Peter Fonda and his wife at their Montana home! 

Wait, what? Bizarre sequence helps Cubs top Pirates

Published on Fri, 05/28/2021 - 2:06pm
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PITTSBURGH (AP) — Javier Báez hit reverse and chaos ensued, as tends to happen whenever the livewire Chicago Cubs shortstop is on the basepaths.

The quick-thinking star’s latest bit of sorcery led to a comedy of errors  by the reeling Pittsburgh Pirates, keying a two-run rally in a 5-3 victory on Thursday.

“He just makes crazy things happen,” Chicago manager David Ross said of Báez. “He runs in moments and guys forget how to play baseball sometimes.”

Pirates first baseman Will Craig certainly did.

Davis, James lead Lakers past erratic Suns for 2-1 lead

Published on Fri, 05/28/2021 - 2:05pm
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anthony Davis had 34 points and 11 rebounds, LeBron James added 21 points and nine assist and the Los Angeles Lakers celebrated their first home playoff game in more than eight years with a 109-95 victory over the Phoenix Suns on Thursday night in Game 3.

Dennis Schröder added 20 points and the seventh-seeded defending NBA champs took a 2-1 lead with their second straight victory in the first-round series. Los Angeles pulled away from erratic Phoenix in the second half for the second straight game, and a fierce late rally by the Suns came up short.

Plague of destructive mice tormenting Australians

Published on Fri, 05/28/2021 - 2:04pm
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BOGAN GATE, Australia (AP) — At night, the floors of sheds vanish beneath carpets of scampering mice. Ceilings come alive with the sounds of scratching. One family blamed mice chewing electrical wires for their house burning down.

Vast tracts of land in Australia’s New South Wales state are being threatened by a mouse plague that the state government describes as “absolutely unprecedented.” Just how many millions of rodents have infested the agricultural plains across the state is guesswork.

MT top prosecutor bans critical race theory programs

Published on Fri, 05/28/2021 - 2:03pm
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HELENA (AP) — Montana’s top prosecutor issued an opinion Thursday labeling critical race theory and some antiracism programs taught in schools as “discriminatory” and said they violate federal and state law.

Republican Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s decision bans the activities — which are also used for employee training — in the state. It came after Republican Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen requested earlier this month for Knudsen to weigh in on the issue.

Remember What the Holiday is About

Published on Fri, 05/28/2021 - 2:01pm
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When it comes to knowing our history, we should all be ‘woke’

Published on Fri, 05/28/2021 - 2:00pm

By Michael Gerson
Syndicated Columnist

WASHINGTON — In the evangelical Christian tradition, you generally know when you’ve been “saved” or “converted.” It comes in a rush of spiritual relief. A burden feels lifted.

But how does one know if he or she has become “woke”? How does one respond to this altar call and accept this baptism?