Missoula councilman proposes misdemeanor crime, fine for refusing DUI breath test

By KEILA SZPALLER of the Missoulian

Refusing a breath test is slated to cost a suspected drunken driver at least $300 in a proposed ordinance heading to the Missoula City Council.

New Feb 09, 2010 | 10:45 pm | Loading…

• Related: Referral to City Council committee
• Related: Draft of breath test refusal ordinance

Saying 'sovereignty in jeopardy,' Stevensville woman wants borders back in Montana Constitution

By CHARLES S. JOHNSON Missoulian State Bureau

HELENA - A Ravalli County woman wants to amend the Montana Constitution to restore the state's boundaries that were deleted when the state charter was rewritten in 1972.

Feb 09, 2010 | 10:30 pm | Loading…

• Related: Boundaries in 1889 Constitution

UPDATED: British Columbia declares Canadian North Fork off limits to mining, energy development

By ROB CHANEY of the Missoulian

British Columbia Lt. Gov. Steven Point declared the Canadian portion of the Flathead River Valley off limits to mining and energy extraction in a speech to his parliament on Tuesday.

Updated: 7:53 pm | Loading…

• Related: U.N. scientists urge stop to mining around Glacier National Park

Missoula City Council approves 'bear buffer zone,' related garbage rules

By KEILA SZPALLER of the Missoulian

Bears in Missoula are going to have a harder time sticking their noses into garbage.

Feb 09, 2010 | 7:00 am | Loading…

• Related: Map of proposed bear buffer zones
• Related: Proposed bears/garbage rules
• Related: Proposed bear buffer zones for Missoula released
• Related: UM student's research shows Missoula bears are nocturnal apple eaters

Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. pays $50.4M in bonuses; still owes Missoula County $1.8M in taxes

By KEILA SZPALLER of the Missoulian

Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. doled out roughly $50.4 million in bonus pay last year, including $8.1 million to executives, according to a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filing.

Feb 09, 2010 | 6:45 am | Loading…

• Related: Help for employees affected by shutdown

Missoula man in jail after alleged felony assault over parking space

By TRISTAN SCOTT of the Missoulian

Missoula police arrested a man for felony assault early Monday morning after a bloody brawl erupted during a dispute about a parking space.

Feb 09, 2010 | 6:15 am | Loading…

Haitian boy’s new family in Lolo struggles to pay the bills

By MICHAEL MOORE of the Missoulian

Judi and Jay DeWaters didn’t expect it to be easy, this business of adopting a Haitian orphan. To wit, Judi’s bout with cancer, the loss of her job, along with the loss of medical insurance at Jay’s job. Those difficulties, occurring amid a recession and the family’s effort to adopt,…

Feb 08, 2010 | 11:20 pm | Loading…

• Related: Hamilton surgeon, mother head to Haiti to help in hospital

FEATURE PHOTO: First ski is the hardest

By KURT WILSON of the Missoulian

Two-year-old Abby Kaufman gets out for her very first ski lesson Monday afternoon with help from her mom, Amy, in the family’s Rattlesnake Valley neighborhood. 

Feb 08, 2010 | 11:15 pm | Loading…

Effort hopes to keep Frenchtown wetlands from running dry after mill closure

By ROB CHANEY of the Missoulian

FRENCHTOWN – The Marcure Lane wetlands still have plenty of water, much to Larry Weeks’ happy surprise. The former technical director for Smurfit-Stone Container Corp.’s Frenchtown pulp mill helped shepherd the ponds into existence over the past decade. Now he’s part of an unofficial…

Feb 08, 2010 | 11:10 pm | Loading…

• Related: Smurfit-Stone Container Corp. pays $50.4M in bonuses; still owes Missoula County $1.8M in taxes
• Related: Timeline of Frenchtown pulp mill's history
• Related: Refuge run dry? With closure, Smurfit ponds likely to lose water source

Wolves pushed as "park stewards," neutered and transplanted nationwide

By MATTHEW BROWN of the Associated Press

BILLINGS - With ballooning elk and deer populations eating up greenery and altering ecosystems at national parks across the country, a group of researchers is suggesting an unusual solution: introduce small packs of gray wolves to curb the expanding herds.

Feb 08, 2010 | 6:30 am | Loading…

Allied Waste services for some in Missoula changing, automating

By KEILA SZPALLER of the Missoulian

Where do you take your Blue Bag? And what’s with those big blue trash cans?

Feb 08, 2010 | 6:15 am | Loading…

Medal hopes at Winter Games realistic for Butte freestyle skier

By BRUCE SAYLER Montana Standard

Flying into Vancouver on Sunday, then on to Japan the next. ... Well, within the next couple three weeks, anyway. Then it’s on to Sweden, then Spain.

Feb 08, 2010 | 5:30 am | Loading…

• Related: Winter Olympics Web page

Real estate agents: Buyers remain cautious, but feeling more optimistic

By KEILA SZPALLER of the Missoulian

The craftsman home in West Riverside charmed Cristin and Ryan Zachariasen on their Sunday tour of open houses. The couple rents in Missoula, but would like to buy a home of their own and figured they’d put an offer on the craftsman with the big kitchen and enough rooms to start a family. I…

Feb 07, 2010 | 10:45 pm | Loading…

• Related: MissoulaRedTape.com

Missoula business looks for strategies to cut airfares; Syracuse, N.Y., provides one answer

By BETSY COHEN of the Missoulian

Fighting for the survival of his Missoula-based production company, John Barrett is taking on Goliath.

Feb 07, 2010 | 6:45 am | Loading…

Company sees 'very large' gold and silver resource near Rock Creek

By KIM BRIGGEMAN of the Missoulian

An Atlanta-based gold mining company is eyeing what it calls “a very large open-ended gold and silver system” within two miles of Rock Creek in Granite County.

Feb 07, 2010 | 6:30 am | Loading…

• Related: Rock Creek gold mine map

Alcohol-related crashes cost state $642 million, new report finds

By TRISTAN SCOTT of the Missoulian

Alcohol-related car crashes that injure Montana residents boost the overall cost of alcohol abuse to the state's economy to $642 million, according to a new report by a University of Montana economist.

Feb 07, 2010 | 6:15 am | Loading…

State Sen. Barkus' attorneys seek delay in Flathead boat crash case

By MICHAEL JAMISON of the Missoulian

KALISPELL - Attorneys for state Sen. Greg Barkus did not file a handful of expected motions on Friday - including an anticipated request that three felony charges be dismissed - opting instead to ask the judge to delay the case while they gather expert testimony and negotiate a possible p…

Feb 06, 2010 | 5:00 am | Loading…

Forest Service's Rock Creek firewood cutting limit on hold for another month

By AJ MAZZOLINI of the Missoulian

Firewood cutting near Rock Creek will still be allowed for another month after a flurry of public comments.

Feb 06, 2010 | 4:45 am | Loading…

Eunice Misbe named interim manager of Western Montana Fair; horse racing approved by state

By KIM BRIGGEMAN of the Missoulian

As the longtime office manager at the Missoula County Fairgrounds, Eunice Misbe knows as much as anyone about what it takes to put on the Western Montana Fair.

Feb 06, 2010 | 4:45 am | Loading…