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Photo courtesy of Rick and Susie Graetz
Friday, Sept. 28, 2012
produced daily by Shellie Nelson
Page 2
More news from the Rockies
Community
Investors in western resorts sue Credit Suisse to get documents unsealed
In 2010, investors in Idaho's Tamarack Resort, the Yellowstone Club in Montana, Nevada's Lake Las Vegas resort and the Ginn Sur Mer Resort in the Bahamas, sued Credit Suisse, the Swiss banker that provided loans for those resorts, claiming the bank overvalued the resorts and issued loans on the inflated values with an intent to foreclose and gain control of the properties, and those investors are now fighting to get some of the documents in that lawsuit submitted by Credit Suisse unsealed.
Idaho Statesman (AP); Sept. 28

New federal rules on school lunches leave Utah students hungry
Across Utah, school officials, parents and students are displeased with new federal guidelines on school lunches that leave students hungry and garbage cans overflowing with fruits and vegetables.
Deseret News; Sept. 28

Budget gap at Idaho's 3rd-largest school district now at $4.5-million
Nampa school officials will begin meeting next week to deal with the Idaho school district's budget gap for the 2012-13 year that was first reported to be $2.8 million last month, but is now estimated to be $4.5 million.
Idaho Statesman; Sept. 28

Alberta to begin water consultations across the province
Hydraulic fracturing, healthy lakes, the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing, efficient management and municipal issues will be on the agenda of Alberta's provincewide meetings on water that will begin later this year or early next year, but the sale of water outside the province will not be on the agenda.
Edmonton Journal; Sept. 28

USPS's new 'forever' stamp contains Idaho image
Among the images on the U.S. Postal Service's new 15 forever stamps is a picture of logs bound for a sawmill floating on an unidentified Idaho river.
Idaho Statesman; Sept. 28

Tribes
Flathead Nation, Montana, federal officials to meet Oct. 3 on water rights
The Flathead Nation is the last of Montana's seven tribes to negotiate a settlement of historic water rights, and on Oct. 3, tribal representatives will meet with Montana and federal officials to continue working on the details of such a settlement.
Char-Koosta News; Sept. 28

U. of Montana Native American Center gets $2.4M grant
The National Native Children's Trauma Center at the University of Montana began helping treat Native American children on Montana reservations in 2003, and went national in 2007, and the $2.4-million grant the Center received recently will fund its work for the next four years.
Missoulian; Sept. 28

Environment
BLM begins environmental review of road to Wyoming wind project
To clear the way for construction of the 62-turbine Pioneer Park Wind Energy Project in Wyoming's Converse County, the Mormon Canyon Road south of Glenrock needs to be improved, including a section that crosses federal lands, and the Bureau of Land Management has begun an environmental assessment of the upgrade.
Casper Star-Tribune; Sept. 28

Utah groups asks federal government to keep wolves on protected list
In a letter to Interior Secretary Ken Salazar, more than a dozen conservation groups in Utah are urging that the gray wolf remain on the federal endangered species list.
Salt Lake Tribune; Sept. 28

After a decade, Yellowstone NP making a dent in lake trout populations
Lake trout in Yellowstone Lake are devouring native cutthroat trout, and a decade ago, Yellowstone National Park fish biologists began netting operations to remove the voracious predator, and this year, they said they are beginning to see results, although there are still an estimated half-a-million lake trout in the lake.
Jackson Hole Daily; Sept. 28

Idaho sees upswing in big game counts
Whitetail deer are spreading across Idaho, and hunters are killing more of the whitetail than they are mule deer, and state game officials said last year's mild winter allowed deer numbers to rebound a bit.
Spokane Spokesman-Review; Sept. 28

Politics
Montana gubernatorial candidates meet for 2nd of 7 debates
Development of Montana's natural resources and public schools were among the issues debated by gubernatorial candidates Democrat Steve Bullock and Republican Rick Hill on Thursday in Butte.
Montana Standard; Sept. 28

State leaders lay out options for Medicaid expansion in Idaho
At a meeting Thursday of the 15-member working group appointed by Idaho Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter to submit recommendations by Nov. 1 on expanding Medicaid options, state leaders laid out three possible scenarios.
Twin Falls Times-News; Sept. 28

Ann Romney's first Idaho fundraiser brings in half a million dollars
At a private fundraiser in Meridian that drew more than 200 attendees, the wife of Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney helped raise $500,000 in Idaho.
Idaho Statesman; Sept. 28

Legislature
Wyoming bill would put state in charge of Medicaid eligibility
The Wyoming Legislature's Joint Labor, Health and Social Services Committee has drafted legislation that would make Medicaid eligibility part of state statute.
Casper Star-Tribune; Sept. 28

Economy
Oil, gas producers air concerns about Colorado's proposed regulations
At a stakeholders' meeting on Thursday, representatives of Anadarko, Encana, Noble and other oil and gas companies operating in Colorado stated their concerns about the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission's work to update drilling regulations.
Denver Post; Sept. 28

Cabela's to build, open store in NW Montana next year
The 42,000-square-foot store Cabela's announced it would build and open in Kalispell in 2013 will be the second in Montana, with the first in Billings.
Flathead Beacon; Sept. 28

Wyoming uranium project has a new owner
The residents of Jeffrey City have adopted a wait-and-see attitude about the prospect that the old Sheep Mountain uranium mine will reopen as they've heard that before, but the Wyoming mine's new owner, Colorado-based Energy Fuels Inc., said it intends to reopen the mine.
Casper Star-Tribune; Sept. 28





Mountain West News is a program of the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West
at The University of Montana.
"T he Forest Service is allowed under current federal law to keep all the money they bring in from a campground, so there are no efficiencies gained by contracting a private company."

Kitty Benzar, president of the Western Slope No-Fee Coalition in Colorado, which opposes the U.S. Forest Service's use of private operators to run public campgrounds.
- Denver Post

On The Bookshelf
Barbara Theroux gives readers a preview of books to be released this fall

6/12/2013

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

6/12/2013:  An Afternoon Cigar
5/29/2013:  Like A Small Family
5/22/2013:  This Little Journey
5/15/2013:  A Long Way
5/8/2013:  Making Roots


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



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The University of Montana