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Photo courtesy of Rick and Susie Graetz
Thursday, July 5, 2012
produced daily by Shellie Nelson
Page 2
More news from the Rockies
Community
 Wyoming to seek waiver from federal No Child Left Behind standards
The Wyoming Department of Education has asked the U.S. Department of Education to keep math and language arts standards at 2011 levels to allow the state to focus on meeting standards for a new system of educational accountability mandated by a new state law.
Casper Star-Tribune; July 5

Two Montana counties declare drought disasters
Both the Stillwater and Yellowstone county commissions in Montana declared drought disasters this week.
Billings Gazette; July 5

Environment
 Scofflaw target shooters leave their marks on Montana national forest
Helena National Forest officials said tolerance is ebbing for slob target shooters who leave spent cartridges and targets, such as televisions and microwaves they drag into the Montana forest, shoot them up and leave them behind.
Helena Independent Record; July 5

Severe weather tromps southern Alberta this summer
Scientists said that the storms that are tearing through Alberta this year are much more severe than normal, and the southern half of the province has been hit particularly hard.
Calgary Herald; July 5

Water tests find no contamination from cows in Colorado hot springs
The U.S. Forest Service said water tests done on Conundrum Hot Springs in Colorado found no contamination from the carcasses of cows that froze to death last winter near the hot springs, but did find the usual E. Coli and fecal coli form counts higher than drinking water limits, but lower than recreational limits.
Aspen Times; July 4

Montana specialist blames mild winter for rise in grizzly bear-human conflicts
Mike Madel, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks' bear management specialist in Choteau, said this spring's human-grizzly bear conflicts have been the highest in decades, and he said a mild winter that left few livestock carcasses available for bears to feed on as they emerged from hibernation was at least one reason for the increase in calls.
Missoula Independent; July 4

Politics
 Idaho Freedom Foundation earns endorsement of Idaho Power
The Idaho Freedom Foundation will host its 3rd Annual Idaho Freedom Celebration and Banquet on July 19, and among the sponsors this year is Idaho Power.
Idaho Statesman; July 4

Economy
 Colorado organic farmer get help from WWOOF volunteers
World Wide Opportunities for Organic Farms or WWOOF, has been matching up volunteers who want to learn about organic farming with those farmers who need help since 2001, and organic farmers in Colorado said the volunteers, who work for room and board, are an integral part of their operations.
Denver Post; July 5

Idaho company produces 80% of world's sweet corn seed
George L. Crookham's 1911 assessment of Idaho's Treasure Valley as having the perfect environment for producing seed corn was spot on, and now the 101-year-old Crookham Company produces 80 percent of the world's sweet corn seeds.
Idaho Statesman; July 4
Mountain West News is a program of the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West
at The University of Montana.
"T he amount of no-go corridors tells you how badly this opportunity was missed the first time and what an important opportunity we have now."

Nada Culver, senior director of agency policy and planning at The Wilderness Society, discussing the settlement with the federal government to reroute some of the energy corridors identified in 11 Western states.
- Durango Herald (AP)
On The Bookshelf
Barbara Theroux of Fact & Fiction reviews Christine Byl's "Dirt Work: An education in the woods

5/15/2013
Mountain West Perspectives
Study uncovers the restoration realities in Montana


4/15/2013
A Look Ahead
July 21: Montana Renewable Energy Fair, National Center for Appropriate Technology, Butte
Mountain West Voices
Hear weekly stories from the Rocky Mountain West as gathered by Clay Scott

5/22/2013:  This Little Journey
5/8/2013:  Making Roots
5/1/2013:  Cancer in the Real World
4/24/2013:  Sheep Country
4/10/2013:  Shearing Sheep

Mountain West News is a program of the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West



at the

The University of Montana