Living
Eastern, western Montana differ in reasons for not vaccinating
Children in Montana get vaccinated at a lower rate than those in the nation as a whole — just 62 percent of those in the Treasure State complete the recommended vaccination series compared to 71 percent nationally, according to the University of Montana. A new study from the Missoula flagship looks at why. Sophia Newcomer, […]
Lawsuit challenges gray wolf harvest near Yellowstone National Park
A dispute about the wolf population around Yellowstone National Park and the size of elk herds has gotten chippy, as at least one Fish Wildlife Parks Commissioner alleged intentional pain and suffering, while an outdoor group claims the commissioners who are now in the minority are using legal stall tactics to appease out-of-state environmental groups. […]
Glacier: Park sees record 2021 through May
Glacier National Park counted its highest visitation year-to-date through May on record, the park said Thursday in a news release. The park hosted 170,277 visitors in May 2021, a 2% increase from May 2019 (167,403), according to the news release. (May 2020 cannot be used as a good year-to-year comparison due to the park being […]
Intersection of Grizzly bears and tourists discussed at Wednesday’s management meeting
Plans for a historic number of visitors to national parks coupled with a peaking grizzly bear population have prompted leaders in the Interagency Grizzly Bear Commission to consider how to manage the potential conflicts. One bear specifically, Bear 863, commonly known as “Felicia,” was brought up multiple times as an example of the clash between […]
Yellowstone National Park continues free day permits for horseback
MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY – Yellowstone National Park will continue issuing free day permits to individuals who ride or lead stock such as horses and mules on park trails this summer. Launched in 2017, the free permit system helps park managers understand where, when and how many stock users visit the park. This information is important in […]
Bozeman mayor, others beg Congress to do something about affordable housing
WASHINGTON—The mayors of cities in Ohio, Montana and Arizona stressed the need for affordable housing to be included in any congressional infrastructure package during a Tuesday hearing before the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs Committee. Mayors Daniel Horrigan of Akron, Ohio, Cyndy Andrus of Bozeman, Mont., and Corey Woods of Tempe, Ariz., all said […]
Hot, dry, windy: Montana weather unseasonably dangerous for a couple of days
For the next day or so — but maybe longer — Montana’s weather is being, well, Montanan. In a state that frequently sees weather shifts from heat to snow and then back, the scorching hot weather that has gripped the central and eastern part of the state should subside by Wednesday and Thursday, bringing heat […]
Glacier proposes telecommunications upgrades
Better internet and cell phone service may be coming to the busiest areas of Glacier National Park in the future, but the backcountry still should stay quiet, as the park proposed in a telecommunications plan out for public comment until July 11. Glacier announced Friday its Comprehensive Telecommunications Plan and Environmental Assessment was out for […]
Where did that 60 million years go?
Visitors to Mammoth Hot Springs in Yellowstone National Park might have noticed an odd geological feature near the top of Mount Everts—an unconformity! This juxtaposition of different rocks serves as a marker of missing history in the Yellowstone region. An unconformity at the top of Mount Everts is located where the Huckleberry Ridge Tuff, 2.1 million […]
Tester introduces legislation aimed at making meat, poultry industry more accountable
When Jess Peterson of the United States Cattlemen Association was looking back at how long it has taken to get legislation on the meatpacking industry introduced, he was amazed. In 1920, Congress had been concerned about the consolidation of power among meatpackers. At the dawn of the Warren Harding administration, there were five big packers, […]
After 3 bear encounters, Yellowstone is urging folks to be more ‘bear aware’
Summertime for national parks in Montana means millions of tourists — and for locals, the beginning of a stream of stories chronicling unaware tourists’ encounters with wildlife, ranging from clueless to dangerous. In the roughly month or so since visitations have begun a steep increase, Yellowstone National Park has had three documented close encounters of […]
Glacier: Prepare for crowds in 2021; some campsites still closed
More locations and services in Glacier National Park are gradually opening as summer gets closer, the park said in a news release Tuesday. Glacier National Park said it is offering additional services and visitor opportunities as the summer season approaches. The new Going-to-the-Sun Road Ticketed Entry reservation system took effect May 28, 2021. Entry reservation […]