People in the Bitterroot valley have been living with bears for a long time. Over the years the population has grown more “bear aware”, especially on the West side of the valley along the forest front, learning how not to tempt them into our yards and how to protect our pets. But the need to […]
Steve Brown accepts position as Stevensville District Ranger
The Bitterroot National Forest Supervisor’s Office recently announced that Steve Brown has accepted the Ranger position for the Stevensville Ranger District. Brown has been serving as the interim Ranger at Stevensville for the past several months. “I believe folks in the Bitterroot Valley will really enjoy working with Steve,” said Matt Anderson, Bitterroot National Forest […]
Eastside Highway improvements planned
The Montana Department of Transportation is beginning to work on the Stevensville Safety Improvement Project. The project involves a stretch of the Eastside Highway (Highway 269) from North Birch Creek Road north 5.9 miles to its intersection with Pine Hollow Road. This project is designed to enhance roadside safety along one of the most dangerous […]
Daly Hospital nurses get hands on trauma training in mobile lab
Last month you may have seen what looked like an ordinary semi-trailer truck sitting in the parking lot at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital. But it was not your ordinary delivery truck. It was a mobile training center with over a million dollars’ worth of equipment inside. Inside the trailer, nurses receive training in critical […]
Forest supervisor addresses confusion over Bitterroot Front Project
A bit of confusion still clouds the air around the Bitterroot National Forest’s latest efforts at involving the public in its forest management decisions. Under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), the Forest Service is required to involve the public in its decision making process. The usual process has begun with what is called a […]
Stevi to apply for grant to address void created by Main Street Assn closure
At its November 14 meeting, the Stevensville Town Council unanimously approved making a grant application to Montana Department of Commerce for $10,000. No match is required. The grant request was brought forth by former members of the recently closed Main Street Association to help fund a community effort at re-inventing the organization with a new […]
Water Compact still waiting for Congressional approval
The pending Water Compact between the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT), the state of Montana and the federal government is the result of more than a decade of negotiations to resolve the Tribes’ claims to reserved rights within the state. The compact includes a settlement of tribal water right claims both on and off […]
Voters reject the Aquatic Center bond and levy
Voters overwhelmingly rejected the bond and levy proposed for a remodel and addition to the Bitterroot Aquatic Center in Hamilton. In both cases 72% of the voters said no deal. The $5.8 million bond request was for upgrading and expanding the facility. It was voted down by a vote of 4,073 to 1,586. The $350,000 […]
Town of Stevensville ponders land purchase for water issues
The Town of Stevensville is considering the potential purchase of 26 acres of ground located adjacent to the town’s well fields next to the Twin Creeks Subdivision. The issue came up because the Town holds a Right of First Refusal on the property and the property owner has received an offer on the property […]
Ravalli County Federal Credit Union opens branch in Florence
Employees of the Ravalli County Federal Credit Union and members of the Bitterroot Chamber of Commerce celebrated the opening of a new branch office in Florence last week. The doors to the new branch office actually opened on October 29. “I’m thrilled to be opening a new branch in Florence,” said Branch Manager Paul Anderson. […]
McKibbin awarded Best Body of Work at prestigious show
Local artist Bobbie McKibbin has returned from the second annual Yellowstone Plein Air Invitational with more honors. McKibbin’s work earned her an award for excellence in the 2018 inaugural Invitational. This time she was awarded the Best Body of Work award for the entirety of the work that she produced at the 2019 event. […]
Permit issued for gravel pit 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. The Moudy Pit Site covers 13.7 acres with 4.7 acres currently bonded for excavation purposes. The permit will allow up to 500,000 cubic yards of gravel to be removed across the 13.7 […]