Two Stevensville High School students each recently received a new set of tires when their essays on safe winter driving won top honors in a competition meant to honor the memory of 19-year-old Wyatt Hudson, who died in an automobile accident last winter. Wyatt, the son of Tony and Anna Hudson of Stevensville, was driving […]
Expert presents impacts of climate change on wildlife
Bitterrooters got a chance last week to hear about the impacts of climate change on wildlife worldwide and some attempts by the World Wildlife Fund to mitigate those impacts on wildlife species and help them avoid extinction. The talk was given by Kristy Bly, Senior Conservation Biologist for the WWF Northern Plains Program. She spoke […]
Morton wins Stevi Rocks award
Kyla Morton is the recipient of this month’s Stevi Rocks staff award. According to Stevensville High School Principal Brian Gum, “she has been choir teacher at Stevensville High School for the past 11 years.” “Kyla does an excellent job with a wide array of students ranging from 6th to 12th grade,” said Gum. “She is […]
Commissioners again balk at removal of Hughes Creek gate
The Board of Ravalli County Commissioners balked once again at enforcing their order requiring the removal of the private gate blocking public access on Hughes Creek Road. The local landowners got what they now call “bad legal advice” when they applied for the abandonment of a portion of the road through their properties in […]
Stevensville council approves budget
After vehemently advocating for a 3% decrease in both the water and sewer rates for months, Stevensville Town Council President Steve Gibson declined to make a motion to that effect even though the matter was on the agenda at last week’s meeting. As a result, no action was taken on the agenda item. Nearly six […]
Flood plain administrator terminated, re-hired and soon to be terminated
In September, former Flood Plain Administrator Brian Wilkinson was terminated “effective immediately” following an investigation into his behavior in the workplace that at least five other county employees found to be “very unprofessional,” rude,” and “aggressive.” At the time, Wilkinson complained about this being the second time that someone was trying to “come after […]
Whittecar Rifle Range offers new opportunities
The Whittecar Rifle Range, a non-profit public shooting range, located on Riverview Road northeast of Hamilton, has, with some ingenuity in design, squeezed in a brand new shooting range. The new rimfire range serves only air rifle and .22 caliber rifle shooters. The aim, according to director Dan Ashmore, was to extend their services to […]
Local landowners appeal gravel mining permit near Big Creek
On October 30, the Opencut Mining Section at the Department of Environmental Quality issued a permit to mine gravel to Wade Moudy in the Victor area near Bell Crossing at the corner of Meridian Road and Curlew Orchard Road. The Moudy Pit Site covers 13.7 acres with 4.7 acres currently bonded for excavation purposes. The […]
Another complaint against Stevensville mayor dismissed
The ethics complaint lodged by Stevensville resident (now council person) Dempsey Vick on October 24, 2019 against Stevensville Mayor Brandon Dewey was dismissed by Montana Commissioner of Political Practices (COPP) Jeffrey Mangan on December 2nd. The complaint alleged that mayor Dewey improperly utilized public time and facilities to solicit support or opposition for candidates running […]
County takes the reins at Valley Veterans Center
Acting at the request of the Valley Veterans Service Center, whose board of directors has offered up their resignations, the Ravalli County Commissioners have agreed to enter a three-year lease agreement for the commercial space that the Valley Veterans Service Center has been leasing. Deputy County Attorney Royce McCarty explained that since the mill levy […]
FWP Commission to hear petition exempting hovercraft from watercraft regs
Jim Crews of Stevensville wants to fly his hovercraft on the Clark Fork and Bitterroot Rivers. He presented a petition to the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Commission at the end of October asking the commission to recognize that Hovercraft are a separate category or class of powered watercraft and exempt them from the 20 […]
Stevensville council decides against property purchase
At a special meeting on Tuesday, November 19, the Stevensville Town Council decided not to exercise its Right of First Refusal on a 26.4-acre parcel of land adjacent to its well field. The decision was finally made after four motions died due to a lack of a second and a fifth failed in a tie […]