Volume XXI, Number 13

Wednesday, November 2, 2005

After years of delay, Ravalli County crew employees, working under the supervision of DEQ, are doing the final reclamation work on the Burnt Fork Gravel Pit, all under the watchful eye of landowner Jim Anderson, who forced the County to do the work by filing a lawsuit. Michael Howell photo.

County gravel pit still gravels landowner

By Michael Howell

Ravalli County is currently doing reclamation work at the site of a gravel pit it once operated on land leased to them by Jim Anderson. The gravel pit, located up the Burnt Fork east of Stevensville, is about five acres in size and is no longer in use. More...

Supreme Court censures Judge Langton

By Carlotta Grandstaff

The public censure of District Judge Jeffrey Langton, held last week by the Montana Supreme Court, was brief and somber.

Chief Justice Karla Gray spoke for the court. She spoke softly, and did not appear to relish her duty to reprimand a Montana district court judge for two episodes of public drunkenness or, taking language from the Montana Constitution, what she termed his "habitual intemperance." More...

Ballot issues addressed at Stevensville forum

By Michael Howell

Mail-in municipal elections in Ravalli County continue through November 8, when all ballots must be returned to the County Election Administrator at 215 S. 4th Street in Hamilton. In addition, the Sheriff's Office Levy is a county-wide issue and voters must go to their regular polling places to cast their ballots regarding the levy. The League of Women Voters and the Bitterroot Star sponsored a forum in Stevensville last week addressing the Stevensville municipal ballot and the Sheriff's Office Levy. More...

Cornered fugitive dies of apparent suicide

By Michael Howell

Travis Dean Smith, of Kalispell, apparently killed himself in the bathroom of the Hamilton Town Pump on Thursday, October 27, according to Ravalli County Sheriff and Coroner Chris Hoffman. Hoffman said that "the cause of death appears to be a result of a self inflicted gunshot wound." More...

Stevi Council discusses proposed PUD

By Michael Howell

The Stevensville Town Council held further discussions concerning possible conditions to be placed on the Planned Unit Development (PUD) being proposed by former mayor Pat Groninger at its regular council meeting on Monday, October 24. The discussion was long and rambling, leading to some misunderstanding of what was actually decided at the meeting, including a mistaken story in the valley's daily newspaper to the effect that the PUD had been approved. Actually, upon a motion by Councilman Gene Mim Mack, the council simply agreed to limit future discussions of potential conditions to be placed upon the development to the nine conditions currently under discussion. Adoption or rejection of any conditions on the development was postponed to the next regular council meeting. More...