Montana News

Should drugs be legalized and regulated?

By Edward O'Brien • Jul 26, 2013

A retired Oregon corrections counselor, who also worked as a parole and probation officer, says America's war on drugs is an abject failure.
Shelley Fox-Loken says states should have the authority to decide whether they want to legalize drugs that are now illegal. She predicts that responsibly legalizing drugs would result in decreased violent crime and drug use rates, while simultaneously benefiting state coffers.
Loken is a member of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition, a group of law enforcement officials opposed to the war on drugs.

NCAA announces results of its investigation into UM's athletics department

By Edward O'Brien • Jul 26, 2013

The results of the NCAA's investigation into the University of Montana athletics department have just been released. Here's a copy of the memo UM president Royce Engstrom released to the campus community today:

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

New fire breaks out between Frenchtown and Missoula

By Sally Mauk • Jul 25, 2013

A new wildfire burning just east of Frenchtown and west of Missoula has grown to over 550 acres and prompted several evacuations. The fire - started by a mower sparking on a rock this afternoon - has forced homeowners between Mill Creek and Fred Lane to evacuate as firefighters attack the blaze from the ground and the air. (see map) So far, there are no reports of homes lost to the fire.

Sister of Sandy Hook victim urges Montanans to support new gun control

By Sally Mauk • Jul 25, 2013

Carlee Soto will never forget December 14th, 2012.

UM looks for ET

By Sally Mauk • Jul 23, 2013

NASA recently awarded a 1.125 million dollar grant to researchers at the University of Montana to explore, among other things, whether there is life on other planets.

“Winter in the Blood” film a labor of love for Native American actors

By Sally Mauk • Jul 22, 2013

The new film "Winter in the Blood", based on the late Montana author James Welch's novel, had its Montana premiere over the weekend in Missoula.

$2 million grant to create entrepreneurship ‘LaunchPads’ and UM, MSU

By Dan Boyce • Jul 19, 2013

Political leaders, college students, colorful banners and flat screen TVs ringed the state capitol building’s rotunda on Friday for the unveiling of a 3-year, $2 million grant to expand entrepreneurship through Montana’s two biggest Universities.

Wildlife scientist Joel Berger studies everything from “takins” in Bhutan to goats in Glacier

By Sally Mauk • Jul 19, 2013

A professor at the University of Montana has won this year's prestigious Aldo Leopold award from the American Society of Mammalogists

Fresh pack, helicopters, and the "last best cherry"

By Katrin Frye • Jul 18, 2013

From Polson, north to Bigfork cherry stands which have remained shuttered through the year are just opening up as the cherry harvest starts in Montana.

Some of the growers along the east shore of Flathead Lake are hobby growers with a couple of acres of orchard in their yards scaling down toward the lake, or up to the edge of the mountains.

Many pool their resources and their cherries as part of the Flathead Lake Cherry Growers Cooperative.

Earlier this week harvest started on the first Flathead cherries of the season.

Wildfire forces more evacuations near Superior

By Sally Mauk • Jul 18, 2013

The Mineral County sheriff's office issued more evacuation orders today as temperatures rose and the humidity decreased on the West Mullan fire burning north of Superior. Strong winds yesterday pushed the fire to over 3600 acres. Information officer Pat McKelvey says the fire took a big run but they're making some progress today. At least 100 homes have been evacuated since the fire started on Sunday, with the latest evacuations in the Keystone area near the fire. No structures have been lost so far.