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Middle East Fork case appealed to 9th Circuit CourtBy Michael Howell Friends of the Bitterroot and the WildWest Institute have filed an appeal to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals asking for a review of U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy's recent order approving the Middle East Fork Hazardous Fuel Reduction Project (MEF Project). The groups also ask for an Injunction Pending Appeal that would preclude logging operations in cutting units that were formerly designated as old growth habitat. They charge in their appeal that the Forest Service's removal of live trees from old growth designation and re-classifying them as "imminently dead" was based upon a questionable methodology that the lower court, in their opinion, didn't fully consider. More...
County adopts animal control ordinanceBy Michael Howell Ravalli County Commissioners adopted on first reading a new animal control ordinance, called an Animal Protection Services Ordinance, that will require dog owners in the county to license their pets. The ordinance, according to its own summary, "is designed to protect and control dogs." Besides requiring license tags that serve as identification tags and help in restoring lost dogs to their owners, the ordinance establishes the potential position of an Animal Control Officer capable of enforcing the ordinance. It allows the use of confinement and quarantine as means of control and protection, and allows for the control of dangerous vicious dogs, dogs running at large or abandoned, sick or injured dogs and dogs that are deemed nuisances. More... Stevi police force down to one officer, but help is on the wayBy Michael Howell Last week Stevensville Chief of Police James Marble was chief of himself, since he was the only active officer left in the Stevensville Police Department. According to Stevensville Town Council member Paul Ludington, with the only other officer in the department out on medical leave due to a job-related injury, it was imperative that the council allow the Chief to hire some temporary help. It was agreed at the January 8 council meeting to hire a Stevensville Reserve Officer to work part time, 20 hours per week, to fill the temporary gap. Marble also has council permission to hire a replacement for the position of Records Clerk in his office. A Reserve Officer from Missoula will be filling in for the local Reserve Officer who takes the temporary part-time shift. Chief Marble is the only officer meeting the requirements for fulfilling the DOT grant the town is implementing. More... Planning Department releases work plan and timetable for countywide zoningBy Michael Howell The Ravalli County Planning Office has released a timetable for enacting the voter-mandated countywide zoning. The plan calls for devising and implementing the necessary zoning regulations over a period of one and a half years in two phases. Possible adoption of the working plan and timetable will be the topic of discussion at a meeting of the Planning Board scheduled for this Wednesday evening in the Commissioners' Meeting Room at the County Administration Building, 215 S. 4th Street, Hamilton. More... |
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