by Michael Howell Leading up to its anticipated submission of a Plan of Operations for mining Rare Earth Elements (REE) at its mining claims in the headwaters of the West […]
Climate change and fisheries in the Bitterroot
by Michael Howell Close to 60 people attended a panel presentation and discussion entitled “Let’s Get Reel: threats and solutions for our waters and fisheries” sponsored by Bitterroot Water Partnership […]
Sapphire Valley Estates conditionally approved
by Michael Howell The Ravalli County Commissioners gave conditional approval last week to the Sapphire Valley Estates subdivision, a 33-lot development on a 49.22-acre parcel of formerly agricultural land near […]
City asks county for help in addressing emergency shelter issue
by Michael Howell As part of its monthly meetings on housing issues in the city and county, the City of Hamilton has recently come to focus upon emergency shelter issues […]
Commissioners adopt Community Wildfire Protection Plan
by Michael Howell Last Tuesday, Feb. 20, the Ravalli County Commissioners unanimously adopted by resolution a revision of Ravalli County’s Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) which was originally adopted in […]
Group asks county commissioners to add hand counting of ballots
by Michael Howell The Ravalli County Republican Central Committee (RCRCC) wants to place an initiative on the upcoming primary ballot that would require a hand count of all the ballots […]
Feds initiate process to evaluate restoration of grizzly bears in Bitterroot Ecosystem
by Michael Howell Grizzly bears once ranged throughout most of the Western United States, however, their abundance and distribution were greatly diminished by excessive human-caused mortality and loss of habitat […]
County considers 11th hour changes to Community Wildfire Protection Plan
The Ravalli County Commissioners held a meeting last week to consider some last minute changes to the Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP) that would involve expanding the Wildland Urban Interface […]
Darby submits wastewater treatment plan to state
The Town of Darby submitted a compliance plan to the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) last Thursday in response to the notice of violations that the agency issued last September […]
Darby denies well to proposed lodge
DEQ has concerns on negative impacts of proposed irrigation well by Michael Howell Last week the Darby Town Council denied a request for an irrigation well to serve the property […]
Landowners to get their day in court
by Michael Howell A couple of Bitterroot valley residents who sued the Forest Service for allowing public access across their land, only to have the case dismissed for being filed […]
Company aims to mine rare-earth metals in the Bitterroot
Just as the Biden administration and Congress are making major investments to expand the domestic critical minerals supply chain in the hopes of breaking our country’s dependence on China, one […]
RML scientists hopeful re: Marburg Virus vaccine low dose efficacy
by Michael Howell While people can get sick and die within days or weeks from exposure to certain highly contagious and highly lethal viruses, the work being done to combat […]
Local researchers developing vaccine against Sudan virus; showing promise in animal trials
A National Institutes of Health research group with extensive experience studying ebolavirus countermeasures has successfully developed a vaccine against Sudan virus (SUDV) based on the licensed Ebola virus (EBOV) vaccine. […]
The art of fly fishing, fly tying and fly-tying art
by Michael Howell Like the art of fly fishing and fly tying itself, Les Korcala came over to America from Europe, landing on the East Coast before eventually making his […]
UM President visits Bitterroot College campus
Last week University of Montana President Seth Bodnar and Associate Vice-Provost for two-year education and workforce development Tom Gallagher visited the Bitterroot College primarily to recognize the importance of the […]
Upper Clark Fork River recovery a very long process
The history of the Upper Clark Fork River is truly a tale of three rivers. The river before industrial mining. The river during the heyday of metal extraction. The river […]
Bell Crossing subdivision conditionally approved
The Ravalli County Commissioners gave conditional approval on January 3 to a 4-lot commercial subdivision extending south from Bell Crossing intersection along the west side of Highway 93. The subdivision, […]
Bitterroot Forest Collaborative and the Bitterroot Front
While the Ravalli County Collaborative, a group appointed by the Ravalli County Commissioners to provide recommendations on public land management issues, recently issued a statement in support of the Bitterroot […]
Wildlife habitat preserved on Skalkaho
Implementation of Ravalli County’s Open Land Bond program and establishment of conservation easements throughout the valley by the Bitter Root Land Trust has led to the protection of over 7,076 […]