Bloglander

Mager versus ??? As county officials plod through more primary ballots this week, the county commissioner race continues to be the one to talk about. Incumbent Bonnie Mager is still in the lead, and will remain there, but it's second place that is in question. Jeff Holy came another five votes closer to Al French, according to the recent count. The men are separated by just 153 votes. Counting continues today and Wednesday, and the vote will be certified on Sept. 1. (SR)

Give us your poor, your tired... just not your garbage After months of stockpiling garbage, readying it for shipment to Washington state, Hawaiian officials acknowledged yesterday that shipping their waste here isn't exactly such a great idea anymore. After a court blocked the first garbage shipment last week — following a complaint by the Yakama tribe — Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell appears to have thrown in the towel, at least temporarily. "The city bent over backwards to try to make this shipping effort work, but it is clear that shipping is not a viable option at this time," he said. (AP)

Why not ship it to Montana? For bear food. Scientists in Yellowstone National Park are reporting a shortage in the preferred food for grizzly bears — the nuts from whitebark pine cones. Bears have already been seen by hikers and hunters in greater numbers than usual. "Pack your bear spray: There’s going to be run-ins,” grizzly researcher Chuck Schwartz told the Associated Press. (SR)