MONTANA HEADLINE NEWS, 08/27
The Remington Fire started last Wednesday northeast of Leiter Wyoming and so far it has burned around 200,000 acres across 42 miles and three counties in southeastern Montana. Pat Dennis with Rosebud County Disaster and Emergency Services told Northern Ag Network’s Brett McCrae that while the fire isn’t completely controlled firefighters and local land owners have managed to make significant progress in containment. Click here for more coverage and ways to help on the Northern Ag Network.
President Biden has signed a disaster declaration for Missoula and Powell counties to assist recovery efforts following July windstorm costs of damages estimated around $3.7 million. FEMA can now reimburse a majority of government spending for infrastructure damage and storm response.
The U.S. construction industry has seen a surge in demand in recent years which has historically been a male-dominated sector. In the 1960s only about 6% of construction industry workers were women while today 14.3% of all workers and 10.2% of full-time workers in the sector are women and their pay is up too. Female Construction Industry Workers in Montana Earn about $52,000 a year.
The Montana State Parks and Recreation Board has adopted a new lottery system to reallocate permitted launch days for outfitters on the Smith River once they become available. It will now include all commercial fishing and floating operators licensed in Montana.
Attorney General Austin Knudsen wants Narcan first aid kits in public spaces to help in the fight against the deadly illegal drug fentanyl using some of our opioid settlement money the department got from suing manufacturers. He said they’re going to look just like a first aid kit you’d see hanging on the wall at a public school or at a library but instead in public spaces.
Missoula’s new ordinance regulating homelessness bans overnight stays in specific places including Caras and Montana Rail Link parks. Overnight camping in select parks from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. is allowed but no sheltering within 300 feet of schools and day cares.
Butte will play host to The Wall That Heals a three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington D.C. until Sunday afternoon at 2.
The Bozeman Fire Department is starting its first-ever Citizens Fire Academy this week aiming to engage and connect with the community. The academy will feature two five-week classes that cover the department’s various responsibilities and the types of emergencies they respond to.
Kalispell is launching two new high school level charter schools. Both PACE Academy and the Rising Wolf Charter School will offer students an opportunity to have a more flexible schedule to fit their lifestyle and education needs.
Beach Transportation which operates the Missoula County Public Schools’ buses faced a staffing shortage but not anymore. The company now has about 120 bus drivers and the staffing shortage has almost disappeared just as public schools are starting this week.
According to a report from real estate research group John Burns a shrinking number of homes in the Northwest including Montana are getting multiple offers while just a few years ago they were getting dozens of higher priced offers. The market is now quieter as most prospective buyers wait for mortgage rates to come down further while well-priced turnkey homes are going fast. Less competition is a good thing for the few buyers still looking. House hunters can take their time and may even be able to negotiate with sellers.
Butte-Silver Bow commissioners have approved a $180.2 million county budget and a separate measure that will raise rates for sewer services by 3%. Fees for trash services aren’t expected to rise in the county’s 2025 budget.
