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When a bear tries to steal elk from wolves in Yellowstone National Park, here’s what happens
Bears are thieves, among the predators that steal carcasses from wolves. A new study based partly in Yellowstone National Park sheds light on the interactions of these animals and how they compete for food, such as elk or moose. Aimee Tallian, lead author of the international study, said it’s one more puzzle piece that helps […]
Montana cities, towns see local control diminish with legislative action
In a growing trend, Montana’s lawmakers have been hamstringing the power of local governments on a variety of issues, from zoning to conservation to public health, according to a memo issued earlier this month by the city attorney in Missoula. “Historically, in recent decades, there were numerous instances of state preemption that directly affected the […]
Montana PSC considers new garbage hauling service in Missoula
The Montana Public Service Commission is weighing whether a competing garbage hauling service can operate in Missoula County, which currently is served by Republic Services of Montana. L&L Site Services, which operates in Gallatin County, tried in 2018 to enter the market in Missoula. The PSC turned down the application after the case landed in […]
Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission adopts new elk hunting regulations — with amendments
Hunters will have new regulations for taking elk in the 2022-23 seasons, but the changes won’t be as dramatic as earlier proposed with an amended and unanimously approved update Friday by the Fish and Wildlife Commission. Earlier, the proposed regulations had elicited outrage by many hunters, and Friday, many members of the public on all […]
Controversial elk hunting regs on Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission agenda Friday
If elk were dimwitted and equally distributed across Montana, setting rules for hunting them might be easier. But the ungulates can apparently figure out where to elude bullets and arrows, and in the face of a more-than-healthy elk population in many places but too few in others, the Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department is working […]
University of Montana student government opens Bear Necessities to help with food, housing, more
When Kat Cowley helped open the food pantry at the University of Montana three years ago, she held a secret hope that it was just the start of providing support to students who need it. Cowley wanted a one-stop shop. Tuesday, members of the campus and Missoula community celebrated the opening of the Bear Necessities […]
Judge: Plaintiff can proceed with Title IX claims against University of Montana
A University of Montana faculty member who is one of four plaintiffs in a Title IX lawsuit against the campus and university system offered enough evidence to proceed with her gender discrimination claim, according to an order this week from a U.S. District Court judge in Missoula. “Victims of discrimination seldom can prove their claim […]
Antiracist TikTok influencer posts story about University of Montana professor
A TikTok influencer with more than 1 million followers combined on several different accounts posted a story last week that again put the spotlight on a University of Montana professor who had made racist comments in private text messages and called his toddler the “n” word in a video. In a phone call Friday, influencer […]
Montana Museum of Art and Culture acquires ‘significant’ Western collection
The Montana Museum of Art and Culture has acquired a new collection that director and professor of art history and criticism Rafael Chacón said shaped people’s ideas of the West and offers viewers a chance to reconsider its mythologies. “It’s such an important part of the landscape of the nation, that it behooves us to […]
Lawmakers urge fixes for children’s mental health program
After hearing concerns from lawmakers about negative effects on children, Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen said the problems with a program that delivers mental health services to students in public schools will be ironed out by February. Arntzen made the statement after several Democratic members of the Children, Families, Health and Human Services Committee […]
Judge: Montana Clean Campaign Act unconstitutional
The Montana Clean Campaign Act doesn’t pass constitutional muster, according to an order Tuesday from U.S. District Court Judge Donald Molloy. The Fair Notice provision in state law requires political committees to “contemporaneously provide a candidate with a copy of any campaign advertisement published within 10 days of an election if that advertisement refers to, […]
Report: Depression among youth hits 30-year high in pandemic
Depression among high school students hit its highest rate in three decades, 41 percent, during the pandemic, according to results of the 2021 Montana Youth Risk Behavior Study. “If anything good came out of this reporting in 2021, it was that our suicide attempts did not increase during the pandemic,” said Susan Court, state coordinator […]