A half-mile trail appropriately named the Golden Spike officially opened Wednesday, the final piece in a bike-walk route that now connects downtown Missoula with Hamilton. The ceremonial ribbon-cutting also celebrated the new Montana Rail Link Park and the long-awaited connection of neighborhoods around Missoula. “We’ve kind of nicknamed this trail segment the Golden … [Read more...] about Golden Spike trail opens, providing final link between Missoula and Hamilton
Environment
Study: Poor air quality leads to fewer national park visitors
By Nick McCannJuly 18, 2018
Air pollution may be keeping people away from national parks, according to a new study of ozone levels in some of our most popular public treasures. Ground-level ozone gas is a pollutant created by the sun’s rays reacting to combusted fossil fuels. Cars emit nitrous oxide and volatile organic compounds, the chemical precursors to ozone. High concentrations of ground-level … [Read more...] about Study: Poor air quality leads to fewer national park visitors
Grizzly bear euthanized after fall onto Glacier Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road
By Sherry Devlin July 18, 2018
Rangers in Glacier National Park euthanized a female grizzly bear this week after it apparently fell about 20 feet onto Going-to-the-Sun Road from a precipice in the Rim Rock area, the park announced Wednesday. The grizzly was discovered partially paralyzed and lying on its back in the road at about 11:30 p.m. Sunday. At first, they believed the bear had been hit by a … [Read more...] about Grizzly bear euthanized after fall onto Glacier Park’s Going-to-the-Sun Road
Report: Montana falling behind nation in transition to renewable energy sources
By Martin KidstonJuly 18, 2018
While Montana's congressional delegation hailed passage of a bill to extend the license for a hydropower dam on the Rocky Mountain Front this week, a new report suggests the state is falling behind the nation in pursuit of clean energy. The report, released by the Montana Research and Policy Center, found that solar in the state grew less than 13 percent compared to 40 … [Read more...] about Report: Montana falling behind nation in transition to renewable energy sources
Open space stewardship levy headed for November vote
By Sherry Devlin July 16, 2018
Come November, Missoula voters will be asked to approve a $500,000 perpetual mill levy intended to take care of the open and accessible lands they’ve voted to purchase and protect over the past four decades. With a 10-1 vote Monday night, City Council members placed the open space stewardship mill levy on the Nov. 6 general election ballot. Ward 4 Councilman Jesse Ramos was … [Read more...] about Open space stewardship levy headed for November vote