David Reese
Feds say Crow Tribe can’t account for $14.5M in highway construction funds
Montana’s Crow Indian Tribe may have to repay up to $14.5 million for highway construction on its reservation because the federal government says the tribe cannot find the receipts for the project.
New website, app show cleanest waters for swimming in Flathead Lake
A new online tool will help swimmers find the cleanest waters for swimming in Flathead Lake. The Flathead Lake Biological Station, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and Flathead Lake Open Water Swimmers recently unveiled a new app and website that provide water-quality information for the lake.
Grizzly that mauled wildlife tech was one of Cabinet’s oldest; acted defensively
One of the oldest grizzly bears in the Cabinet Mountains of northwest Montana was identified as the bear that attacked a woman near Libby last month. Amber Kornak, a field assistant for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, was working on a grizzly bear research project May 17 in the Poorman Creek area south of Libby when she encountered the grizzly bear about 12 feet away.
Booming use prompts rewrite of Flathead River management plan
The rubber and plastic comes in the form of kayaks and rafts, and they are coming by the thousands – with those people aboard – to experience one of the three forks of the Flathead River: the North Fork from Polebridge to Coram, the Middle Fork from Essex to West Glacier, and the South Fork down by Spotted Bear. Increased use over the last 30 years has led the Flathead National Forest to update its river management plans for the three forks of the Flathead. The last plan dates to 1986.
Blackfeet Tribe resolves longstanding water war with U.S. government
One of the final water-rights settlements between the United States and Native American tribes was signed Tuesday, resolving a generation-long battle between the Blackfeet Tribe of Montana and the federal government.
Crews break through Big Drift, set stage for opening Glacier’s Going-to-the-Sun Road
Brian Paul opened the door of his 20,000-pound rotary snowplow Thursday morning and climbed down to dry pavement. The cab has been his office for just over two months now as he’s chipped away at the 60-foot drifts and snowbanks covering Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier National Park.
Flathead voters fill polling places in strong Tuesday turnout
In Tuesday’s primary election, Flathead County had one of the highest voter turnouts among Montana’s highest-populated counties. The county saw 41 percent voter participation, with 27,452 residents casting ballots out of 66,529 registered voters, according to the Montana Secretary of State. Of those ballots, 13,000 were absentee.
Flathead County voters overwhelmingly approve zoning to limit water bottling plant’s size
Flathead County's citizen initiative expands an existing agricultural zone near a proposed water bottling plant owned by Lew Weaver and Montana Artesian Water Co. On Tuesday, the initiative won by an overwhelming margin, with 71 percent of the vote – or 9,531 to 3,952, according to final unofficial totals released by Flathead County.
Political practices chief sues Montana Shooting Sports Association for campaign violations
The Missoula-based Montana Shooting Sports Association did not file accurate reports or properly identify its allegiances in the 2014 Montana legislative primary election, according to a lawsuit filed by the Montana Commissioner of Political Practices.
Flathead County voters to decide future of water bottling plant Tuesday
Montana Artesian Water Co., a water bottling plant in Creston that touts itself as being “just downstream from Glacier National Park,” is being challenged in the courts and on the ballot by conservation organizations.