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Photo courtesy of Rick and Susie Graetz
Monday, June 25, 2012
produced daily by Shellie Nelson
Page 2
More news from the Rockies
Community
U. of Washington proposes plan to improve health care in rural Idaho
Forty years ago the Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho regional medical education program through the University of Washington School of Medicine was formed to provide doctors to rural and underserved areas, and in 2009, the Idaho State Board of Education voted to double the number of attendees from that state but has been unable to provide funding, a situation the director of the WWAMI program for Washington and Idaho hopes to solve by targeting students for participation in the program called the Targeted Rural Under-served Track.
Idaho Statesman (Moscow-Pullman Daily News); June 25

Roscoe-area residents rally against a Montana hydropower project
Residents of the East Rosebud Valley in Montana have gathered 900 signatures on a petition opposing proposals to put a small hydroelectric power plant on East Rosebud Creek.
Billings Gazette; June 25

Colorado city creates registration process for foreclosed homes
In order to better track who's responsible for homes that are in foreclosure, the Commerce City Council has created a registration process to allow the Colorado city to be able to contact the lenders about properties that are falling into disrepair.
Denver Post (YourHub); June 25

Colorado county commissioner takes drilling fight to D.C.
Pitkin County Commissioner George Newman has again been invited to attend the Great Outdoors America Week in Washington D.C., and the Colorado county commissioner said he intends to visit with U.S. Sen. Mark Udall about his Central Mountains wilderness proposal, which has pitted wilderness advocates against energy interests.
Aspen Times; June 25

Tribes
Cobell settlement funds begin to flow to Montana tribes
The $1-billion component of the $3.4-billion settlement of the lawsuit filed by Blackfeet tribal member Elouise Cobell against the federal government for mismanagement of tribal assets is being distributed to 41 tribes across the nation, including the Blackfeet and Salish Kootenai tribes in Montana.
Flathead Beacon (AP); June 24

Environment
Three wildfires burning in Montana
Wildfire season blazed into southwest Montana, with three wildfires reported near Butte: The Antelope Fire had burned 462 acres by Sunday evening; the Pony fire was 300 acres in size; and the Coyote fire near Delmoe Lake was held at just 1/4-acre.
Montana Standard; June 24

  • High Park Fire in Colorado has destroyed 248 homes
    Fifty-seven homes in the Glacier View subdivision of Fort Collins were added to the 181 homes previously burned by the High Park Fire in Colorado, bringing the total number of houses burned by the 83,205-acre fire to 248.
    Denver Post; June 25





Wildfire destroys more than 2 dozen structures in Utah
The Wood Hollow Fire in Utah's Sanpete County sent thousands fleeing their homes this past weekend, and hundreds of homes are still threatened by the 39,000-acre blaze.
Deseret News; June 25

Some Utah wildfires nearly contained
The Quail Fire near St. George, which was ignited by a man who was burning cheatgrass on Bureau of Land Management lands on Saturday, was nearly 90 percent contained on Sunday evening; the 16,500-acre Grease Fire in Utah's Millard County was 80 percent contained Sunday morning; and the Dump Fire in Utah County was 80 percent contained.
Deseret News; June 25

Politics
Wyoming Family Services Department provides details for budget cuts
In order to meet Gov. Matt Mead's mandate for statewide agencies to reduce their budgets by 8 percent, the Wyoming Department of Family Services lined out the 30 positions that would be cut or not filled and other agencies provided some details on how they would meet that mandate.
Casper Star-Tribune; June 25

Idaho Republicans elect Mountain Home man as party chairman
Barry Peterson, the owner of a hardware store in Mountain Home, was elected by the Idaho Republicans at their convention this past weekend to serve as chairman of the state GOP party.
Idaho Statesman (AP); June 25

Idaho's 32 GOP delegates to support Romney
At the Idaho Republican Party's convention this past weekend in Twin Falls, party members voted to send all 32 delegates to the national convention this summer to vote for GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Idaho Statesman (AP); June 25

Legislature
Montana legislative panel wraps up listening sessions on water bills
The Montana Legislature's Water Policy Interim Committee conducted listening sessions around the state on various bills dealing with groundwater and specifically small domestic water wells, and Hamilton lawmaker Rep. Pat Connell, who serves on the committee, said that he does not believe there is a statewide option, as conditions vary so much from area to area.
Ravalli Republic; June 24

Economy
Denver makes a play for summer outdoor gear trade show
Salt Lake City has hosted the Outdoor Retailer summer trade show in August since the first one was held in 1996, but the show has outgrown the Utah city's convention center and the plan to split the show between two venues has the trade show looking for new venues, with Denver making the short list of possible sites.
Denver Post; June 25

Wyoming governor speaks at mining industry meeting
The Wyoming Mining Association’s 57th annual convention in Grand Teton National Park wrapped up on Friday with a speech from Gov. Matt Mead, who said he believed that mining and environmental protection were not mutually exclusive activities, and that there is a way to develop resources with harming the environment.
Jackson Hole Daily; June 25

Hundreds of Idahoans drawn to jobs in N.D. oilfields
In 2010, 1,700 Idahoans left the state to work in the oilfields of North Dakota, a 58 percent increase in the number who did so in 2009, and with 60,600 Idahoans unemployed this year, the oilfields continue to draw workers east.
Idaho Statesman; June 25

Wyoming printer manufacturer has new Italian owner
Italy-based Seac Banche has added Wyoming-based Pertech Resources Inc., which makes printers for financial transactions, to its holdings, and while the Riverton company will undergo a name change, the 30 or so employees in the Cowboy State will keep their jobs and more may be added.
Casper Star-Tribune (Riverton Ranger); June 25





Mountain West News is a program of the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West
at The University of Montana.
"W e have got a couple of critical fire days ahead. It is going to be very active. We haven't had a fire season this bad since certainly 2002."


On The Bookshelf
Barbara Theroux of Fact & Fiction reviews Christine Byl's "Dirt Work: An education in the woods

5/15/2013

Mountain West Perspectives
Study uncovers the restoration realities in Montana


4/15/2013

Mountain West Voices
Hear weekly stories from the Rocky Mountain West as gathered by Clay Scott

5/22/2013:  This Little Journey
5/8/2013:  Making Roots
5/1/2013:  Cancer in the Real World
4/24/2013:  Sheep Country
4/10/2013:  Shearing Sheep


Mountain West News is a program of the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West



at the

The University of Montana