Volume XX, Number 36

Wednesday, March 30, 2005

Volunteer judges for the Montana Junior Duck Stamp Contest for 2005 made their selections last week at the Lee Metcalf National Wildlife Refuge. Pictured from left to right: Beth Bonham, Emily West, Robbie Springs, Rebecca Sharp and Ron Jenkins. Overall winner was Tanna Roths, a 17-year-old homeschooled student from Stevensville. Her winning picture of a harequin duck, was titled "Stranded" and done in colored pencil. On the back of the painting Roths wrote, "God's creation was made for us to enjoy; we must fight to preserve it." Michael Howell photo.

Ski resort proposal nixed for now

By Michael Howell

Florence area rancher, Tom Maclay, has been denied a Special Use Permit by the U.S. Forest Service for his proposed ski development in the Lolo Peak area. Using his ranchland as the base for developing a resort community including a hotel, condominiums, shopping and conference centers, a golf course, tennis courts, a swimming pool, and the lower slopes of a downhill ski area, Maclay had submitted an application to the Forest Service to use almost 11,000 acres of National Forest land above his ranch to accommodate a system of nordic and downhill ski trails and associated ski lifts all the way to Lolo Peak. If granted, the permits would allow the Bitterroot Resort to tout itself, as it already has in its proposal, as a destination ski resort with "the largest vertical drop in North America." More...

Study Commission faces off with City Hall

By Michael Howell

Convinced that the position of city treasurer should be an elected position, according to their reading of past Government Plans, members of the Hamilton Government Study Commission have expressed frustration at the refusal of City Attorney Ken Bell and County Attorney George Corn to affirm their position on the matter. They have also recently drawn fire from city officials for mailing what city officials call "inaccurate information" concerning the salaries of city employees to every voter in the city. More...

Kootenai Creek Subdivision approved

By Michael Howell

The Ravalli County Commissioners approved a 124-lot major subdivision comprised of 24 attached single family townhouse lots and 100 detached single family residential lots located jut southwest of the Stevensville Wye off U.S. Highway 93 within the Stevensville School and Fire Districts. The property is located within three-quarters of a mile of the Town of Stevensville. More...

County Planner gazes into crystal ball

By Michael Howell

Director of the Ravalli County Planning Department, Patrick O'Herren, offered people gathered at a Bitterrooters for Planning meeting last week a thumbnail sketch of the recent past and a sobering look into the future of development in the Bitterroot Valley. More...

Hamilton Heights Subdivision approval revoked

By Michael Howell

The Ravalli County Commissioners officially revoked their approval of the Hamilton Heights Subdivision, proposed by Lynn and Janet Nielsen, on Friday, March 25. More...