Bitterroot siblings are Coast Guard ‘brothers in arms’

  Photo: Brothers Trevor (left) and Travis (right) Capp, residents of Stevensville, and members of U.S. Coast Guard Port Security Unit 313 based in Everett, WA, participate in the Combined Joint Logistics Over-the-Shore (CJLOTS) exercise as part of Operation Foal Eagle 2013 in Pohang, South Korea.   By Daniel King, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer…

Painted Rocks Reservoir back in action after spillway shutoffs

  By Michael Howell Irrigators and recreationists are all happy that water is once again spilling over the dam at Painted Rocks Reservoir. Flows from the dam were incrementally reduced and then shut down for repairs at the end of April. As a result, a stretch of the West Fork of the Bitterroot just below…

Economic future looks good, but different, say experts

By Victoria Howell The prognosis for the still ailing U.S. and Montana economies is fairly good, according to two economists who spoke to about 250 businesspeople at this year’s annual Business Success Symposium sponsored last week by Farmers State Bank. Dr. Christopher Thornberg, founding partner of Beacon Economics, LLC and an expert in economic forecasting,…

SAFE celebrates 25th anniversary

  By Michael Howell The non-profit organization called Supporters of Abuse Free Environments (SAFE) which provides shelter and other services to victims of sexual and domestic violence is celebrating its 25th anniversary this week. Despite the recent setback suffered when a fire damaged a portion of its building on Fairgrounds Road, the organization  is fully…

Federal budget sequestration cutbacks hit county

  By Michael Howell Ravalli County officials have been notified by Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar that, due to failure of Congress to reach a deal on balanced deficit reduction to avoid sequestration, the President issued a sequestration order canceling approximately $85 billion in budgetary resources across the federal government for the remainder of…

Montana WWII vets awarded French Medal of Honor

    By Michael Howell Five Montanans received the French Medal of Honor at a ceremony held at the Ravalli County Veterans Memorial in Heironymous Park in Hamilton last Saturday. The five veterans of World War II fought on French territory in Normandy, Southern France, Northern France, and the Ardennes, participating in the Liberation of…

Hospital Foundation unveils plans for ICU expansion

  By Michael Howell The Daly Hospital Foundation is going public with a Power of Health Initiative to raise funds for a new Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at Marcus Daly Memorial Hospital. The plan involves transforming a cramped 492 square foot facility that holds three beds separated only by curtains into a five-bed facility in…

Stevi weapons ordinance hearing draws a crowd

  By Michael Howell The Stevensville Town Council passed a new weapons ordinance on first reading a few weeks ago. A public hearing held last Thursday, April 25, however, drew a roomful of people, almost all of whom expressed concern that the new ordinance was too restrictive and urged the Council to reconsider it. At…