Community Development "In the News"
City Voters Allowed to Vote Country: Montana AG's Opinion Highlights Urban-Rural Divide on Zoning
An opinion released this week in Montana by the Attorney General attempts to answer, but ends up raising more questions about whether city residents should have a say in rural zoning. NewWest.net; June 27.
Flight Service to Seven Montana Towns Up in Air - Economic Development Negatively Impacted
The flights connect the towns with medical services in Billings and state government in Helena, and help spur economic development. Morehouse said the longer the seven cities go without air service, the more likely it is that the Department of Transportation will end the program. Great Falls Tribune; June 21
Western States Stage China Mission
Agriculture officials from 11 Western states including Utah plan to visit China next week to dedicate a center they hope will sell more high-value goods such as steak and wine to an expanding Chinese middle class. Salt Lake Tribune; June 13
Reports Puts Montana at 29th for Kids' Overall Well-Being
The annual Kids Count report from the Annie E. Casey Foundation showed a decrease in mortality rates for children but an increase in infant mortality, and an increase in high school dropout rates, but the percentage of children living in poverty stayed the same, as did the state's overall ranking. Montana Standard (AP); June 12
Clean-up at Montana Superfund Sites Varies Greatly
From Butte and its infamous Berkeley Pit to Missoula's Milltown Reservoir and up to Libby, the town contaminated with a particularly nasty form of asbestos named Libby Amphibole, the nation's Superfund environmental clean-up program is on display, with varying degrees of success. Missoula Independent; June 6
Montana Governor, Livestock Groups at Odds Over Bison Plan
The number of bison in Yellowstone National Park was halved this winter, and most of the ones that did not survive the winter had wandered out of the park into Montana, where they were rounded up and shipped to slaughter in an effort to keep brucellosis from Montana's cattle herds, and Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer said he wants to give the beasts more room to roam, but livestock groups are opposing any plan that could put the state's brucellosis-free status at risk. Christian Science Monitor; June 4
High Gold Prices Add 6 years to Life of Montana Mine
The Golden Sunlight Mine in Montana near Whitehall was slated to close this year, but mine managers said the high price of gold ensured the mine would continue operations until 2015. Montana Standard; June 3
Montana County Gets $1.6M Federal Grant for Economic Development
The Economic Development Administration awarded Ravalli County Economic Development Authority a $1.6 million grant which the Montana county will use to build a business development center and upgrade existing infrastructure in Hamilton that will allow for more community development. Ravalli Republic; June 3
Montana Dispute Puts Focus on Floodplain Development
The owner of property along Montana's East Rosebud River said he believed recent stream side subdividing prompted his neighbors to complain about beaver dams and fallen trees on his property that affected the flow of the stream, and he urged Stillwater County Commissioners to put a moratorium on floodplain development. Billings Gazette; May 30
Montana Seeks Public Comment on Wind-Farm Proposal on State Lands
A New Jersey-based company is doing a feasibility study on building a wind farm on 11 acres of Montana state schools lands near Big Timber, and the state Department of Natural Resources and Conservation is asking for public input on the project and a public hearing is scheduled Thursday in Big Timber. Billings Gazette; May 28
Northwest Region Sets Record in Power Conservation
The Northwest Power and Conservation Council said that power conservation efforts in the region hit a record in 2007, with enough power saved to light up 146,000 homes. Missoulian; May 27
Montana Development Forced into Bankruptcy
The Glacier Horse Ranch, a planned community offering homesites nestled in trees and next to ponds near Kalispell, filed for involuntary bankruptcy in February, and the Arizona-based developer said efforts are ongoing to reorganize and recapitalize the project, which is about $16 million in debt, nearly $10 million of which is owed to First Interstate bank. NewWest.net; May 23
Montana's Largest Wind Farm Scheduled to be Built by Oct. 31
NaturEner, the California-based company that is building what will be Montana's largest wind farm, said construction continues apace on the 140-turbine, 210-megawatt facility, and that work should be completed by the end of October. Great Falls Tribune; May 22
Major Company Considers Bringing Jobs to Missoula
The National economy may be in a slump, but Missoula got some encouraging news that could mean a huge bump for the local economy. Some three hundred jobs may soon come to Missoula. Montana News Station.com; May 21
Montana City to Harness Methane From Landfill
Billings wants to partner with Montana-North Dakota Utilities to harvest methane from the Montana city's landfill to pump into the utility's pipeline. Billings Gazette; May 21
Farmers, Ranchers Not Happy with Montana County's Planning Effort
An effort to enact countywide zoning efforts in Montana's Ravalli County has drawn the displeasure of the Ravalli County Right to Farm and Ranch Board, who expressed concerns about the latest draft's taxation changes based on land use and a need for more incentives for cluster-based development. Ravalli Republic; May 20
Montana Board OKs Assessment of Coal Tracts
The Montana Land Board, consisting of the state's top five elected officials, voted unanimously to get a market appraisal of the state's 550 million tons of coal, the first step in the process to developing those resources. Helena Independent Record; May 20
Montana Millworkers, Town Prepare for the Next Chapter in Life
The final 100 workers at Stimson Lumber Co.'s mill in Bonner are preparing to move on after their jobs end later this month, and the tiny Montana town that is losing its largest employer, is preparing for change as well. Missoulian; May 19
Where Should Missoula Grow?
To house the growing population, Missoula needs to build about 15,000 new homes in the next 20 years, local planners say. The big question is how the city will accommodate this growth. NewWest.net; May 19
Anaconda-Deer Lodge County, Montana Economic Development Report Outlines Economic Opportunities, Including Alternative Energy, and Hurdles
The community’s location and natural resources hold economic opportunity including alternative energy possibilities, but hurdles remain, a new report said. Montana Standard; May 15
Wyoming Landowner Finds a Way to Keep Ranching and Build Homes Too
Conservation easements have been used by owners of large ranches in Wyoming, Montana and Colorado to allow them to maintain ranching operations and develop some of the land as well. NewWest.net; May 15
Hotter, Drier Weather Forces Montana Farmer to Change Crops
At the Burton K. Wheeler Center’s conference on climate change and its effect on agriculture and energy in Montana, farmers said they've stopped planting barley because the state's climate has become hotter and drier. Bozeman Daily Chronicle; May 13
As Fuel Prices Rise, Oil, Gas Permits in Montana Counties Increase as Well
Oil and gas exploration efforts in Montana's Teton County are higher than they have been in the last quarter-century, and exploration permits are on the rise in neighboring Pondera County as well. Great Falls Tribune; May 12
The WUI and The Western Fire Season
This story looks at the overall outlook of this summer's Western fire season. NewWest.net; May 12
Three Western States Get an "F" on Child-Abuse Policies
A report released today by First Star, a national nonprofit which advocates for abused children, and by the University of San Diego School of Law's Children's Advocacy Institute, gives Utah, Montana, New Mexico and seven other states an "F" for failing to release information about fatal and near-fatal child abuse cases. Deseret News; April 29
Green County, NC ~ Wireless and Way Ahead
A county in eastern North Carolina invested in a community wireless internet system five years ago and already has lots to show for it: higher graduation rates and new businesses. With new technologies on the horizon, low-cost WiFi may soon be within reach for all rural communities. The Daily Yonder; March 26
|
