Last week the Ravalli County Commissioners closed out the books on a Big Sky Trust Fund business expansion grant, signed a contract for implementing another recently awarded grant, and approved … [Read Full Article] about Big Sky Trust Fund making jobs in the Bitterroot
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Rocky Mountain Laboratory to study 2019 novel coronavirus
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus (named “2019-nCoV”) that was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and which continues to expand. According to information on the CDC website, Chinese health officials have reported tens of thousands of […]
Montana Supreme Court to hear arguments in Christensen appeal
The Montana Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the appeal of former Florence doctor Chris Christensen. The 72-year-old former physician was charged in 2015 and, following a long jury trial, was convicted of two cases of negligent homicide and 20 counts of drug related charges having to do with opiod medications. He was sentenced […]
‘Gold buckle dreams’ at 9th annual Cowboy Ball
The ninth annual Bitterroot Cowboy Ball is coming right up on Saturday night! This event is sponsored by the Rockin’ RC Rodeo Committee of the Ravalli County Fair. The doors open at 5:30 with a delicious dinner, games, feed bucket raffles, and a live auction. There are still some tables available and can be reserved […]
Ballance announces bid for Senate District 44 seat
Editor’s Note: Following is Nancy Ballance’s statement of candidacy in her own words. I am formally announcing that I am running for Senate District 44, the seat occupied for the past eight years by my friend and colleague, Senator Fred Thomas. As most of you know, I am term-limited out of the House and Senator […]
Bitterroot Library to partner with RML on community tours
The Bitterroot Public Library will once again partner with Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) in 2020 to offer community tours of RML, but with a new twist: quarterly evening tours will be available for the foreseeable future with the library managing sign ups. The first tour will occur March 12 with registration opening at the library […]
Assessing climate change in Montana and the Bitterroot
Bitterrooters got a chance recently to hear the latest update from one of the leading authors of the 2017 Montana Climate Assessment, not only about how climate change is affecting Montana, but how it is affecting the Bitterroot valley and Hamilton in particular. According to some parameters such as average annual temperature and precipitation, Hamilton […]
Getting a handle on woody debris removal in the river
Some federal, state and local government officials got together with some local fishing outfitters and others in the Bitterroot last week to discuss the issue of removing woody debris from the river. The meeting was organized and hosted by the Bitterroot Conservation District (BCD), the local agency that issues 310 Permits for doing any kind […]
High winds wreak havoc in north valley
During last Saturday’s violent winds the community of Florence was temporarily sealed off to all traffic, according to Florence Fire Chief Charlie Lambson. At one point in the storm a power line came down across the highway blocking access into Florence. According to Lambson, all the back roads into Florence were also blocked by downed […]
Mill Creek climbing closure in effect
The Stevensville Ranger District has issued a reminder of the annual climbing closure in the Mill Creek area north of Hamilton to allow for nesting of cliff-dwelling raptors. Beginning February 1st, several climbing routes are closed to prevent disturbance to these known raptor nesting sites. On the north side of Mill Creek, the spring […]
County implements wage agreement with attorneys’ group
The Ravalli County Commissioners last week declared an impasse had been reached with the Ravalli Deputy County Attorney Association in contract negotiations and then voted to implement the wage portion of the last and final wage offer in the negotiations, but not the full contract, although Commission Chair Chris Hoffman said that he believed there […]
Helmbrecht receives Montana Congressional Veterans Award
Donald Helmbrecht of Victor was presented with the Montana Congressional Veterans Commendation last week by U.S. Congressman Greg Gianforte. The award, Gianforte said, was for Helmbrecht’s “service to his country and his dedication to veteran causes in his community” and took place in the Ravalli County Commissioners’ meeting room in Hamilton last Wednesday, January 22. […]
Humane shelter construction project held up by lawsuit
Kent Barbian, a resident of Stonegate Meadows, came to the Hamilton City Council last week to express how disheartened he was by the actions of the Hamilton Zoning Board of Adjustment. Barbian and some neighbors are suing the Hamilton Zoning Board of Adjustment for granting a conditional use permit that would allow the Bitter Root […]
Victor’s Tintzman wins award
Cassy Tintzman is the vocational-agricultural (vo-ag) and FFA teacher at Victor. She has been there since 2014. Last fall she was awarded the Teacher Turn the Key Award. There was one winner selected from each state. This is a professional development scholarship and is awarded by the National Association of Agricultural Educators. It is given […]
Grizzly bears entering Bitterroot protected under Endangered Species Act
Grizzly bears entering the Bitterroot are protected under Endangered Species Act The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has notified supervisors of the Bitterroot, Nez-Perce-Clearwater, Lolo and Salmon-Challis National Forests informing them that grizzly bears present in the Bitterroot Grizzly Bear Experimental Population Area (BGBEPA) are protected under the Endangered Species Act. It also means […]