Bitterroot Star

People in the Bitterroot valley have been living with bears for a long time. Over the years the population has grown more “bear aware”, especially on the West side of the valley along the forest front, learning how not to tempt them into our yards and how to protect our pets. But the need to […]

The Bitterroot National Forest Supervisor’s Office recently announced that Steve Brown has accepted the Ranger position for the Stevensville Ranger District. Brown has been serving as the interim Ranger at Stevensville for the past several months. “I believe folks in the Bitterroot Valley will really enjoy working with Steve,” said Matt Anderson, Bitterroot National Forest […]

Ravalli Electric Co-op (REC) has officially relocated to its brand-new facility located at the intersection of Hwy 93 and Bell Crossing. REC employees began the move on November 18 and will be passing on their old facility to the Corvallis School District which acquired the property in 2018. During a strategic planning session in 2016, […]

The Montana Department of Transportation is beginning to work on the Stevensville Safety Improvement Project. The project involves a stretch of the Eastside Highway (Highway 269) from North Birch Creek Road north 5.9 miles to its intersection with Pine Hollow Road. This project is designed to enhance roadside safety along one of the most dangerous […]

  Last month you may have seen what looked like an ordinary semi-trailer truck sitting in the parking lot at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital. But it was not your ordinary delivery truck. It was a mobile training center with over a million dollars’ worth of equipment inside. Inside the trailer, nurses receive training in critical […]

One in 12 children in Montana will experience the death of a loved one before their 18th birthday. In recognition of the importance of understanding the impact of childhood grief, this year, Missoula Mayor John Engen and Montana Governor Steve Bullock recognized Nov. 21, 2019 as Children’s Grief Awareness Day for the City of Missoula […]

A bit of confusion still clouds the air around the Bitterroot National Forest’s latest efforts at involving the public in its forest management decisions. Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Forest Service is required to involve the public in its decision making process. The usual process has begun with what is called a […]

The Bitterroot Star recently presented a $1500 check to members of the Three Mile Community Senior Center for the Kids’ Backpack Program. The group purchases and prepares 50 bags of food for children at Lone Rock School to take home on Friday to eat over the weekend.  Every week, bags are filled with eight individual […]

At its November 14 meeting, the Stevensville Town Council unanimously approved making a grant application to Montana Department of Commerce for $10,000. No match is required. The grant request was brought forth by former members of the recently closed Main Street Association to help fund a community effort at re-inventing the organization with a new […]

The pending Water Compact between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT), the state of Montana and the federal government is the result of more than a decade of negotiations to resolve the Tribes’ claims to reserved rights within the state. The compact includes a settlement of tribal water right claims both on and off […]

Voters overwhelmingly rejected the bond and levy proposed for a remodel and addition to the Bitterroot Aquatic Center in Hamilton. In both cases 72% of the voters said no deal. The $5.8 million bond request was for upgrading and expanding the facility. It was voted down by a vote of 4,073 to 1,586.  The $350,000 […]

Hamilton In the contest for the council seat in Ward 1 Robin Pruitt ousted incumbent Joe Petrusaitis, grabbing over two thirds of the vote. It was the only really contested race on the ballot. Hamilton City Judge Michael Reardon got a great vote of confidence in his unopposed race for another term gaining 845 of […]

  The Town of Stevensville is considering the potential purchase of 26 acres of ground located adjacent to the town’s well fields next to the Twin Creeks Subdivision. The issue came up because the Town holds a Right of First Refusal on the property and the property owner has received an offer on the property […]

A new non-profit group in Stevensville will kick off its efforts with a holiday party on Saturday, December 7th at the newly reopened Plum Loco building, 201 Main in downtown Stevensville. Rob Ralls, new owner of the Plum Loco, has generously agreed to allow Project 59870 to use the currently empty restaurant-side of his building […]