Archive for the ‘All News & Opinion’ Category

Balancing Out the Montana “Mountain Tax”

By JENNIFER LODINE-CHAFFEY - Many Montanans talk about the “mountain tax” to describe the wage gap between here and other states. But it really does balance out.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Trouble on Campus

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the search for man who allegedly assaulted and robbed a woman on campus.... more

Photos in Remembrance of 9/11/01

Lest we forget. Photos in Remembrance of 09/11/01.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Medical Marijuana Activist Sentenced

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the sentencing of medical marijuana activist Tom Daubert.... more

The Missoula Job Service: Helping Local Businesses

By JENNIFER LODINE-CHAFFEY - In addition to helping Missoulians find work, the Missoula Job Service offers services to support local businesses, like Submittable.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Bigfoot Killed on Highway 93

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's a man who was struck and killed on Highway 93 while dressed as Bigfoot.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: A High-Speed Bike Chase

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the valiant action of a Missoula Police Officer during a bike chase.... more

Senator Lee Metcalf: Champion of Conservation, Montana Legend

By BRIAN D'AMBROSIO - Perhaps no U.S. Senator ever was more faithful to sensible, proactive resource management than Montana's Lee Metcalf.... more

The Economic Impact of Missoula’s Saturday Markets

By JENNIFER LODINE-CHAFFEY - In addition to creating a vibrant community, there are a number of economic benefits to supporting Missoula's farmers' markets.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Montana Summer Wild Fires

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the intense heat inflaming dozens of wildfires all over Western Montana.... more

The Wall That Heals Vietnam Veterans Memorial Visits Missoula

The Wall That Heals, a traveling half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., visits Missoula.... more

Young Men, Fire, and the Missoula Fire Lab

By MARK VOSBURGH - It's August, it's hot, and it's fire season. If you haven't read Norman Maclean's Montana literary classic, "Young Men and Fire", now is the time.... more

New “Zoo City” License Plate Provides Recreation Grants for Low-Income Kids

a NEW Parks and Recreation license plate, featuring Missoula artist Monte Dolack’s iconic print, “Zoo City” benefits Youth Recreation Grants for Low-income kids.... more

How to Use Social Media to Help Your Job Search

By JENNIFER LODINE-CHAFFEY - While social media can be a very effective tool in your job search it can also threaten your odds of finding employment. ... more

Severe Storms Forecast to Pummel Western Montana This Afternoon

By PAUL QUENEAU - Severe Storms forecast to pummel western Montana this afternoon. One-inch hail, damaging winds and flash flooding all possible.... more

Eliminate the Cost of Chicken Feed

By PAUL WHEATON - I used to sell my chickens for nearly the same price I paid for feed. I found ways to not only eliminate feed costs, but provide higher-quality feed! ... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Summer River Fatalities

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the string of summer drowning fatalities on the Clark Fork River.... more

Can Pigs Build Ponds?

By PAUL WHEATON - Don't even THINK of using a pond liner if you have pigs around. Paul Wheaton shows us a better way to seal a pond using pigs.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Bad to the Bovine

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the mysterious case of bovine destruction in the Flathead Valley.... more

A Preview of IdeaMensch in Missoula: IM48 LA Recap

By COLIN STONER - I was in LA for IdeaMensch's IM48 kickoff on Monday, and got a sneak peek of the entrepreneurial event coming our way next Friday in Missoula.... more

IdeaMensch in Missoula: Bring Your Entrepreneurial Ideas to Life

By COLIN STONER - Entrepreneurs are dreamers, but there's a fine line between dream and reality. On July 13, IdeaMensch will be in Missoula to help bring ideas to life.... more

How NOT to raise chickens

By PAUL WHEATON - This comic artist is exceptionally brilliant at capturing very common and complicated issues that can arise for people who have never raised chickens before. I think the desire to steward chi... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Bad Courtroom Behavior

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the Florence man who showed us how not to act in front of a Missoula judge.... more

It’s the Right Time to Buy…for Some!

We’ve heard the phrase, “It’s a good time to buy,” but what does that really mean? With interest rates under 4%, it’s important that consumers consider the COST of a home and not just the Price.... more

The Dreaded “C” Word

By COLIN STONER - Even though I despise the word "cloud," some amazing things have happened in the tech world since it started appearing in daily conversations.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Buy a Montana Town

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the upcoming auction of Pray, Montana in the Paradise Valley.... more

New Housing Trends Show a Rebound

There are mixed messages in terms of real estate growth and an economic recovery, but home sale trends and low mortgage rates, point to a housing turnaround.... more

How to Lose Friends and Alienate People

By COLIN STONER - How do you spend almost a decade amassing 900 million friends, only to lose them overnight? You take your company public.... more

Advancing Beyond the Missoula Lifestyle Business

By COLIN STONER - As entrepreneurs and business owners in Missoula, we fall into the lifestyle business category quite often. Question is, how do you move beyond it?... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Montana Supreme Court Reviews Marijuana Laws

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the Montana Supreme Court's review of state medical marijuana laws.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Willard Alternative School Graduation

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the graduation of 88 students from Missoula's Willard Alternative School.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Dangerous Spring Runoff Waters

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, warm weather and a fast runoff have created high, unpredictable river levels.... more

Coal Trains Cause Concern for Missoula Citizens

By MARK BOATMAN - As more coal trains run through Missoula from the Powder River Basin, some citizens are voicing concern over increased pollution and noise.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Orange Street Food Farm

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most interesting or unusual story in Missoula. This week, Orange Street Food Farm got a new door, courtesy of a minivan.... more

Homeword Aims to Change the Image of Affordable Housing

By ANDREW FISHER - Homeword, a Missoula non-profit, wants to change the image of affordable housing by creating sustainable, community-oriented buildings.... more

Video: Nonprofits, University Offer Options to Reduce Drunk Driving

By GRADY HIGGINS and MATT HUDSON - Volunteers and student-supported services are working to reduce drunk driving and make the late-night streets of Missoula safer.... more

Local Vitamin Manufacturer Reaches Global Markets

By JON TWEETEN - In an inconspicuous building on Third Street, Nutritional Laboratories International makes supplements and vitamins that are sold all over the world.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Missoula Under National Scrutiny

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the national investigation of the handling of local sexual assault cases.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Pertussis Outbreak in the Bitterroot

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the pertussis outbreak in Ravalli County that's forced school closures.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: UM Football Harassment Complaint

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the federal harassment complaint lodged against the UM football team.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Medical Marijuana Arrests

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the federal arrests of several Montana medical marijuana providers.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: University of Montana Athletics

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the dismissal of UM football coach Robin Pflugrad and AD Jim O'Day.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Info Needed on Burglaries

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of the past week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the recent burglaries in downtown Missoula that need info from the public.... more

Big Business in the Other Valley

By ELKE GOVERTSEN - It's not Silicon Valley, but Missoula is a valley of innovation, hard work, and big ideas. It's the Other Valley - you know, the one with no traffic.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: House Fire Victims Need Support

By TOM DIDDEL - A house fire engulfed a home in Target Range Thursday morning and took the life of an 11-year-old boy. A donation fund has been set up to help the family.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Wolf Hunting in Montana

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of this week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's wolf hunting in Montana and the controversy that surrounds it.... more

Missoula Story of the Week: Montana Judge Richard Cebull

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of this week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's Montana judge Richard Cebull's inflammatory email about President Obama.... more

A UM College Degree: Worth an Extra $20,000 a Year

By AARON TRAYLOR - A new Pew Research study indicates that a college degree is worth an extra $20K a year. Wish you'd stayed in school? Wish you'd dropped out?... more

Missoula Story of the Week: The Foresters’ Ball

By TOM DIDDEL - A recap of this week's most talked-about story in Missoula. This week, it's the UM Foresters' Ball and President Engstrom's call for changes to the fundraiser.... more

Skiers worship “epic” powder Sunday on Lolo Pass, Whitefish Mountain

By PAUL QUENEAU - Lolo Pass, Whitefish Mountain and several other locations are busy marking one of the great powder days of recent times.... more