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Photo courtesy of Rick and Susie Graetz
Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012
produced daily by Shellie Nelson
Page 2
More news from the Rockies
Community
Edmonton companies win contracts to design, build 12 schools in Alberta
Edmonton-based firms Stantec and Clark Builders won contracts worth nearly $298 million to design and build 12 schools in Alberta.
Edmonton Journal; Sept. 26

Census survey finds more people in Utah living in poverty
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau's one-year American Community Survey released recently said that, in 2011, 13.5 percent of Utahns live in poverty and 15.9 percent of Utah children live in poverty.
Salt Lake Tribune; Sept. 26

Environment
USGS to release report on groundwater tests in Wyoming
The U.S. Geological Survey, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Wyoming and two tribes collaborated on groundwater tests done near Pavillion, where there are claims that gas and oil operations have contaminated drinking water wells, and the report on those tests will be released today.
Billings Gazette (AP); Sept. 25

Colorado couple relinquish adopted mustangs to BLM
Bureau of Land Management officials said the three mustangs from the Spring Creek Herd voluntarily relinquished by a Cortez couple who had adopted them in 2011, were extremely malnourished and are currently in the care of a veterinarian.
Durango Herald; Sept. 26

Politics
Boise School Board officially opposes education ballot initiatives
Tuesday's vote by the Boise School Board to formally oppose Propositions 1, 2 and 3 on the ballot in November isn't surprising, given that the Idaho school board opposed the Students Come First laws that gave rise to the ballot measures.
Idaho Statesman; Sept. 26

Montana U.S. House candidates differ on Affordable Care Act
The three candidates running for Montana's open U.S. House seat, Republican Steve Daines, Democrat Kim Gillan and Libertarian Dave Kaiser, met for debate Tuesday night, and both Daines and Kaiser said they would work to repeal the 2010 Affordable Care Act, while Gillan said she would work to improve it.
Montana Standard; Sept. 26

Candidates for Montana superintendent of schools post meet for debate
Charter schools and teacher evaluations were among the issues Superintendent of Public Instruction Denise Juneau and her Republican challenger, Sandy Welch, debate on Tuesday evening.
Billings Gazette (AP); Sept. 26

Legislature
Idaho legislators visit schools
Members of the Idaho Legislature's Joint Finance-Appropriations Committee, who make decisions about education budgets, are in the Magic Valley touring some of the schools that are affected by those decisions.
Twin Falls Times-News; Sept. 26

Economy
Montana's most business-friendly community has lots of empty storefronts
The Montana Policy Institute ranked the state's 25 largest communities on their economic vitality, business tax burden and community allure, and Polson won the top overall ranking, an interesting result given that a half dozen businesses there have recently closed their doors.
Missoulian; Sept. 26

Alberta's retail sales in July the highest in Canada
The $5.7-billion in retail sales reported in Alberta in July was a 9.2 percent increase over sales reported in July 20ll.
Calgary Herald; Sept. 26

Idaho breweries form trade guild
Breweries in Idaho have formed the Idaho Breweries Guild, which will help promote local brews and work on legislative matters.
Twin Falls Times-News; Sept. 26

Colorado to benefit from Comcast's plan to close California call centers
Comcast is closing call centers in Northern California and moving the 1,000 jobs to call centers in Colorado, Oregon and Washington, with Denver to get 250 new jobs and Colorado Springs 150.
Denver Post (AP); Sept. 26

Utah ski resorts celebrate first snow
All fourteen ski resorts in Utah reported new snow, the first of the season, on Tuesday.
Deseret News; Sept. 26





Mountain West News is a program of the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West
at The University of Montana.
"I t is truly strange that the oil and gas industry, particularly in Alberta, lobbied to have Petro-Canada … de-nationalized in the 1970s while today, in 2012, many in the same industry see nothing wrong with the Chinese government owning one of our important oil and gas companies."

Sinclair Stevens, the industry minister in Canada in 1985 who helped rewrite national law to make it more investment friendly, warning the country about the CNOOC-Nexen deal.
- Toronto Globe and Mail

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

A Look Ahead
Roundtable on the Crown of the Continent's Third Annual Conference: Pathways to Prosperity: Caring for Communities in the Crown of the Continent, Fernie, B.C.

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