Montana

updated 5:25 p.m.

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Fans give Griz hoopsters spiritied send-off

Griz fan Sue Olinger cheers as buses carrying the University of Montana men's basketball team parade through downtown Missoula on their way to the Missoula ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - 1:26 p.m.

Missoula kayaker Doug Ammons named one of Outside's top 10 adventurers

Any river is,” says Missoula kayaker Doug Ammons. “Water is a metaphor for the flow of time, and for your place in that flow. ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - 12:03 p.m.

Former Griz star Hays reflects on March Madness

Hays, who went on to win more than 350 games as the Missoula Hellgate boys' basketball coach, probably wasn't the only fan to turn his TV off at halftime ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - 10:26 a.m.

Dalai Lama coming to Missoula, Arlee

Rinpoche will speak about the impending visit by the Dalai Lama at a press conference this Friday, March 19, at the Inner Harmony Yoga Studio in Missoula. ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - 10:26 a.m.

Hit The Books Begins In Area Schools

MISSOULA, MT - The Missoula Osprey's biggest and most successful community program is the Hit the Books Reading Program, which begins today in 31 ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - 9:40 a.m.

TUESDAY'S WAKE-UP WEATHER FORECAST: Sunny and a high of 64

The National Weather Service in Missoula says today's high will be near 64 degrees, with south winds between 6 mph and 8 mph. Tonight, there's a 30 percent ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - 9:40 a.m.

Judge says Missoula City Council violated developer's rights

MISSOULA - A 4th District judge says the Missoula City Council violated a developer's property rights by forcing him to grant a trail and public access ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - 9:40 a.m.

The Dalai Lama’s coming to town

by Pete Talbot This is cool. An email/press release from my Buddhist friend Simone Ellis: the Dalai Lama will be visiting Western Montana. The Garden of 1000 Buddhas in Arlee seems to be the main draw for His Holiness. I don’t have a specific date but a press conference is being held Friday, so I guess that’s [...] ...
4&20 Blackbirds - 9:29 a.m. - 5 clicks 5 clicks

Appraiser offers services for free

A nationally recognized art and antiquities appraiser, Timothy Gordon of Missoula, will be offering his expertise, free of charge, at the CM Russell Art ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - 5:41 a.m. - 3 clicks 3 clicks

Latest candidates listed

SD4: Mary Reckin, D-Kalispell; Dan Pickar, D-Missoula. SD8: Richard Jennison, R-Ronan. SD11: Jim Whitaker, R-Great Falls. SD15: Dan Tiegen, D-Tiegen. ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - 1:49 a.m. - 4 clicks 4 clicks

Judge: Missoula City Council violated developer's property rights

Photo by LINDA THOMPSON/Missoulian The Missoula City Council trampled on private property rights when it required the Clark Fork Terrace developer to grant ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - 1:49 a.m. - 3 clicks 3 clicks

Spring practice officially marks beginning of Pflugrad era

MISSOULA, Mont. -- Monday marked the practice debut of new University of Montana football coach Robin Pflugrad. It was the first day of spring practice in ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - 1:49 a.m. - 3 clicks 3 clicks

Demolition reveals building's rich history downtown

It's chunk upon chunk of Missoula memories, especially to descendants of AA Howard. Four generations of Howards operated or worked at the Florence Laundry ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - 1:49 a.m. - 2 clicks 2 clicks

Consultants in Town for Best Place Project

Missoula Mayor John Engen has some help this week for the “Best Place Project.” It's an effort to recruit and keep businesses in the Garden City. ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - Mon 10:45 p.m. - 2 clicks 2 clicks

4 MCPS trustees seek to keep seats on board; deadline March 25

If you have any questions about filing for a seat on the Missoula County Public Schools board of trustees, contact the district's business director, ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - Mon 10:45 p.m. - 2 clicks 2 clicks

8 file for Montana's US House seat; Kelleher not running for office for 1st …

Melinda Gopher, a Missoula paralegal, paid her filing fee to enter the race Friday, while Sam Rankin, a Billings real estate broker, jumped into the race ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - Mon 10:45 p.m.

Missoula plans leaf pickup to gather foliage left from fall freeze

The city of Missoula will pick up leaves - those stranded on trees since last fall's early freeze - during the coming four weeks. April 5-9: Area 4, ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - Mon 10:45 p.m.

Missoula council backs sustainable building center application for $1.4M grant

The Missoula City Council helped the Montana Sustainable Building Center inch toward a $1.4 million grant - but not before much grilling during the Monday ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - Mon 10:45 p.m.

Legion Baseball/Prep Softball

The home opener is May 8 when Missoula is at Billings in a doubleheader. The defending state champion Billings Scarlets open their season at the Missoula ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - Mon 9:04 p.m. - 4 clicks 4 clicks

64 Legislative Filings in One Day?

by jhwygirl 64 legislative filings in one day? That has got to be some sort of record. No word yet on whether we’ve got ourselves a primary race for county commissioner. It does look, though, that Republicans haven’t totally bailed on Missoula. Looks like a number of races now have a Republican challenger. We’ve also gained another [...] ...
4&20 Blackbirds - Mon 7:46 p.m. - 19 clicks 19 clicks

What Caught My Eye – State Tournament Edition

In a hard-fought match-up with Missoula Sentinel, West won by three, giving them the third place trophy. - Sidney and Billings Central represented the ... See all stories on this [...]...
Missoula dot Net - Mon 6:25 p.m. - 4 clicks 4 clicks

Realtors Hiring Out of Staters to Protect Out of Staters from Paying Fair Share of Taxes

We haven't had much opportunity to discuss the Montana Realtors' effort to foreclose real estate transfer taxes through a Constitutional Amendment this November, but this should be taken for what it is -- an invitation to more speculation that leads to housing bubbles and a "Please Change the Fabric of Our State" invitation for fancy pants characters from California. More interestingly, the campa...
Left in the West - Mon 4:21 p.m. - 2 clicks 2 clicks

Why MT Republicans' Glass House is Shattering

The Republican Party in Montana is fracturing under the weight of a series of double and even triple contested primaries that threaten to sink the party's already deeply troubled other candidacies (Rehberg, PSC). The GOP's problems, which include infighting and ideological splits , lack of funds, multiple scandals at every level, hypocrisy , and crisis of leadership underline arguments mad...
Left in the West - Mon 4:03 p.m. - 4 clicks 4 clicks

Yellowstone Celebrates 15 Years of Trash...and Progress

Educating more than one million people a year about being "good stewards" is part of the job at Yellowstone National Park - and it has been that way for the last 15 years. The anniversary of the park's "Greening of Yellowstone" effort is being observed at a event Tuesday, when the successes and challenges of the project will be discussed in Bozeman. Jim Evanoff is an environ...
New West Missoula - Mon 10:44 a.m. - 4 clicks 4 clicks

Yellowstone Celebrates 15 Years of Trash...and Progress

Educating more than one million people a year about being "good stewards" is part of the job at Yellowstone National Park - and it has been that way for the last 15 years. The anniversary of the park's "Greening of Yellowstone" effort is being observed at a event Tuesday, when the successes and challenges of the project will be discussed in Bozeman. Jim Evanoff is an environ...
New West Bozeman - Mon 10:44 a.m. - 3 clicks 3 clicks

Health Reform Enters Final Stretch, Good Impacts for Montana

Finally. Health care reform is entering the final stretch in Congress. All sorts of stories will be written in the next few days, but the bottom line is that the Congress is about to pass the most significant economic justice legislation in 40 years and the most fundamental rewrite of our social contract since the New Deal and Social Security. Like Social Security, Medicare, and, well, everythin...
Left in the West - Mon 10:23 a.m. - 4 clicks 4 clicks

Way to politicize charity

It happens occasionally, but none more so than by inviting a Presidential contender to speak on your behalf. Teen Challenge USA is bringingSarah Palin to Missoula on September 12. Tickets are $100 per person. I don’t know much about Teen Challenge, but I don’t see publicizing and endorsing politicians in their mission [...] ...
Bunk in the West - Sat 10:06 a.m. - 18 clicks 18 clicks

GOP Blocked Ban on Using Taxpayer $$ for Golden Parachutes Before Tapping Parachuter as Leader

As The Dude would say, "New s has come to light" in the Bowen Greenwood scandal. It turns out that a bill that would have prevented lawmakers from using your tax dollars to give out lucrative golden parachutes to political staff like Bowen Greenwood, Executive Director of the Republican Party of Montana, failed to pass in the 2009 Legislative Session on a party line vote.  Guess which party...
Left in the West - Fri 8:06 p.m. - 4 clicks 4 clicks

Schweitzer's Drug Play

The idea of reimporting cheap prescription drugs from Canada, where drugs cost a fraction of what the identical medicine costs here, has been dormant for many months, if not years. Then, yesterday, Schweitzer stormed into the china shop and shattered some dishes .Two questions arise. FIRST why had the issue gone dormant? Short Answer: The Obama Administration cut a deal with the Pharmaceutical I...
DailyKos (Montana) - Fri 4:09 p.m. - 40 clicks 40 clicks

Molnar violated campaign finance rules, examiner finds

Ah, good ol' Brad Molnar - the Montana Republican party's highest ranked statewide officeholder. Now, LiTW has written a bit about the Public Service Commissioner, mainly about Molnar's complete ignorance - or contempt? - for campaign finance law. This is a man who was, after all, accused of soliciting money from the corporations he oversees for campaign literature , then huffed and puffed thro...
Left in the West - Fri 2:26 p.m. - 4 clicks 4 clicks

A Smelly Carcass

Here is a ten-point rack of antlers, some political reading-between-the lines of what we have learned in the press so far, regarding Poacher-gate. 1) Notice, so far, that Lance Lovell, the Republican hack who got a ?few headlines out of the Schweitzer-ethics charge back in 2008 (but never any blood) is saying things like Vogel "is innocent of these charges" and is "presumed innocent." He is couc...
Left in the West - Fri 2:26 p.m. - 6 clicks 6 clicks

Rehberg against earmarks... and also for them

Montana's only Congressman is out there touting his support for a ban on earmarks (also called "appropriations") for fiscal year 2011.  In case you missed this tweet from Dennis Rehberg: "I supported the GOP-wide EARMARK MORATORIUM. It's time for an all-of-the-above approach to TRUE spending reform. This is only a first step." So, this means we can expect Dennis Rehberg not to request...
Left in the West - Fri 9:45 a.m. - 3 clicks 3 clicks

Cheap Canadian RX drugs! Thanks Brian!

It seems that Gov. Brian Schweitzer has finally jumped back on the band wagon to help Montanans obtain cheap Canadian prescription drugs.  This could mean a savings of up to $40 MILLION DOLLARS!!!  In a state with under 1 million people that is some major coin!  Here is a link to the Helena IR article: http://www.helenair.com/... My question is, why can't other states do wh...
DailyKos (Montana) - Fri 9:09 a.m. - 19 clicks 19 clicks

Growth of Montana's Wolf Population Slows in 2009

The following is a press release the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department and is part of NewWest.Net's bulletin board, which offers press releases with a wide variety of views and news about the West. At least 525 wolves inhabit Montana according to the 2009 annual wolf conservation and management report released today by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. FWP's report, which is avail...
New West Missoula - Fri 8:09 a.m. - 6 clicks 6 clicks

Growth of Montana's Wolf Population Slows in 2009

The following is a press release the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department and is part of NewWest.Net's bulletin board, which offers press releases with a wide variety of views and news about the West. At least 525 wolves inhabit Montana according to the 2009 annual wolf conservation and management report released today by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. FWP's report, which is avail...
New West Bozeman - Fri 8:09 a.m. - 3 clicks 3 clicks

How Does the AFL-CIO Endorse Without Going to Its Members?

by jhwygirl At Tuesday’s congressional candidate forum held by the Missoula County Democrats – Pete did a great write-up on it – Dennis McDonald, Democratic primary candidate for congress rattled off a couple of his endorsements during his introduction, finishing off the list with “and tomorrow I expect to have the AFL-CIO (endorsement)”. I found [...] ...
4&20 Blackbirds - Fri 7:40 a.m. - 13 clicks 13 clicks

h.r. 4789

by jhwygirl Florida Representative Alan Grayson introduced HR4789 Tuesday. It’s pretty simple. In introducing the bill, he speaks to the very issue we here in Montana face – just like dozens of others: Lack of true competition in the market place. Here in Montana, Blue Cross Blue Shield Montana controls 75% of [...] ...
4&20 Blackbirds - Thu 9:44 p.m. - 7 clicks 7 clicks

Rehberg Staffer Randy Vogel’s Fascinating Defense

To some extent, I have to admire Randy Vogel, the top Rehberg aide accused of poaching an elk in November. He seems to work harder than his boss, offering not one, but two credibility straining statements to the press to explain the charges against him. Statement number one? He’s being framed by political enemies of Representative [...]...
Intelligent Discontent - Thu 3:42 p.m. - 37 clicks 37 clicks

No Child Left Behind, Unless They Can't Keep Up

Today marks the end of Week 1 of MontCAS testing at Missoula public schools. Montana Comprehensive Assessment System is a series of standardized tests administered each spring under the heinous, deceptively-named No Child Left Behind program implemented by Congress in 2002. You would think from the very title of the program that the federal government will be providing assistance to lagging or und...
New West Missoula - Thu 10:22 a.m. - 4 clicks 4 clicks

No… The University Can’t Pay for It

By CFS Missoula is having a hard time of it lately and things are not going to be getting much better anytime soon.  Macy’s closed this week and several other local downtown businesses are set to shutter their doors.   And no, The University will not be able to bailout this community.  In fact, The University [...] ...
4&20 Blackbirds - Wed 11:42 p.m. - 10 clicks 10 clicks

Salazar Says Feds Aren't Poised for Western Monument 'Land Grab'

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says talk of his department creating new national monuments in Montana and other Western states was just "brainstorming." The issue became big news after after an internal memo about the subject was leaked last month, setting off alarms in many, if not all, Western congressional offices and certainly across the Rockies. Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg is even ...
New West Missoula - Wed 8:27 a.m. - 9 clicks 9 clicks

Salazar Says Feds Aren't Poised for Western Monument 'Land Grab'

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says talk of his department creating new national monuments in Montana and other Western states was just "brainstorming." The issue became big news after after an internal memo about the subject was leaked last month, setting off alarms in many, if not all, Western congressional offices and certainly across the Rockies. Montana Rep. Denny Rehberg is even ...
New West Bozeman - Wed 8:27 a.m. - 5 clicks 5 clicks

Montana Book Awards, "Obit" on Stage, and More

It might not be spring yet, but it sure feels like it here in Colorado, where our piles of November snow have finally started to melt and some crocuses are peeking out of the ground.  With the change in season comes a bunch of regional book awards and event announcements: • Stories on Stage, a Denver theater company that presents literature through performances by professional actors, will ...
New West Bozeman - Wed 7:29 a.m. - 7 clicks 7 clicks

Montana Book Awards, "Obit" on Stage, and More

It might not be spring yet, but it sure feels like it here in Colorado, where our piles of November snow have finally started to melt and some crocuses are peeking out of the ground.  With the change in season comes a bunch of regional book awards and event announcements: • Stories on Stage, a Denver theater company that presents literature through performances by professional actors, will ...
New West Missoula - Wed 7:29 a.m. - 5 clicks 5 clicks

Rehberg State Director Charged with Big Game Violations; Placed on Unpaid Leave

by jhwygirl Supermontanareporter John S. Adams is reporting that Rep. Denny Rehberg’s state director Randy Vogel has been cited for alleged numerous big game violations and obstructing a peace officer. If convicted, Vogel could also face up to six months in jail and loss of hunting privileges for 24 months for the three hunting violations. Obstructing a peace [...] ...
4&20 Blackbirds - Tue 5:28 p.m. - 20 clicks 20 clicks

The North Fork of the Flathead: The Gem of the Continent

Montana is home to some of the most gorgeous landscapes in the world. From the plains of the east, to the mountains of the west, we are incredibly blessed to be able to call it home. And there is one area that holds a special place for me: the North Fork. One of the best parts of my year is when the weather starts to turn warm and I can get away for a weekend to Glacier or the surrounding area...
New West Bozeman - Mar 9 - 7 clicks 7 clicks

Vilsack Warms Up on Tester's Bill

Last December, during a congressional hearing on the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act (NFJA), the Department of Agriculture's testimony was anything but encouraging to Senator Jon Tester (D-MT). However, Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack unrolled a new approach to this controversial bill on Saturday including clear support for its wilderness and timber infrastructure objectives....
New West Bozeman - Mar 9 - 12 clicks 12 clicks

Clash of the Titans

I don’t remember folks paying much attention to Lou Ann Crowley’s decision to run for House District 94. That’s a shame, because I think this Democratic primary race will be quite telling as to the future of the party in Western Montana. In the race to replace political consultant and potential poster boy for [...] ...
Bunk in the West - Mar 6 - 6 clicks 6 clicks