Missoula Current

Reggae-inspired, hip-hop influenced and rock punctuated the music of Dirty Heads on a hot and smokey evening along the banks of the Blackfoot River in western Montana.

The state of Montana is reviewing a exploration license for another company wanting to join the rush to mine Montana, this time on private land west of Lake Mary Ronan.

Lizzy Pennock writes, "Even if FWP knew exactly how many wolves there are, that doesn’t justify the killing nor the cruelty."

The current draft will grow the city's tax revenues by roughly $2.8 million, but with recent changes made by the Legislature, the owner of a median-priced primary home will likely see a slight reduction in city taxes, as will some commercial properties.

Both hotshots and horsemen have helped in the face of the largest wildfire in Montana, and the good news is an historic hot springs and ski lodge have survived.

Mike Garrity writes, "Like the Alliance, it's the small environmental and conservation groups such as Native Ecosystems Council, Conservation Congress, and Friends of the Clearwater that are actually stopping the vast majority of deforestation projects on public lands."

Several nonprofit organizations have asked Missoula County to submit a grant application to the state on their behalf to help them pursue several projects on the horizon.

Jim Elliott writes, "In my view, the Democrats supporting Bodnar have put their Party in a hard place, and it will be interesting to see if it can be mended."

Marine Corps veteran Jason Howard worked tough jobs until an accident and legal trouble left him homeless. He's now on the road to recovery with stable housing in Missoula.

Four organizations are preparing to challenge a logging project near Seeley Lake, saying the Forest Service is once again trying to claim that slivers of land can provide secure habitat for grizzly bears.