My Page: Lucia Stewart
Telluride MountainFilm Festival
The Unforeseen: A Film about a Rural Development Clash
“Growth itself is not the enemy, it is the nature of that growth and the quality within it.”
It’s a story of development, citizen campaign and the future of open space. Sound familiar?
The film, The Unforeseen, is a complex story about the development of the rural land outside of Austin, Texas, but has themes that ring true in the Northern Rockies.
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Telluride MountainFilm Festival
What is Mountainfilm: Just Another Film Festival or More?
Inspirational films of endeavors that push limits, telling tales of remote explorations and discoveries, and conversations among mountain-minded people gathered in Telluride, Colorado under the spectacular breath of the San Juan Mountains. But having never been to Mountainfilm, I may just be naïve in my notion of what Mountainfilm is.
There is a hint of excitement and discovery as I flip though the Mountainfilm guide on one of the many town’s benches, surrounded by hundreds of blowing in prayer flags. And the newly fallen snow (yes, it continues) seems to bring the already towering mountains just a little closer.
Throughout the next three days, I will be writing a few articles from the 30th annual Telluride MountainFilm Festival on NewWest.Net, uncovering what MountainFilm really is about.
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Gallatin Valley Speaker Series
Air and Water Quality in the Gallatin Valley in Question?
Being able to see the stars overhead, keeping clarity of our neighborhood rivers and having enough water for the Gallatin Valley to drink is a question of many residents. These subjects and more will be discussed at a free Gallatin Valley Speaker Series presentation at the Museum of the Rockies, May 28 at 7 p.m.
The challenge of managing population growth in the Valley while maintaining air and water quality will be addressed by featured speakers: Rep. JP Pomnichowski of Bozeman (D-Dist. 63) and Dr. Joseph Shaw, Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Montana State University.
The current air and water quality status and projected conditions in the Gallatin Valley will be presented, as well as what residents may do to maintain and improve them.
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MSU Wheeler Center Annual Spring Conference
A Discussion on Montana’s Energy and Agriculture FutureWhat does the future of agriculture and energy in Montana appear to be, particularly in the variable climate challenges we face?
This is the spotlight of the discussion at the Burton K. Wheeler Center’s statewide conference next week, “Climate Change in Montana: Impacts and Opportunities for Energy and Agriculture.”
On May 12-13, an immense conversation between the agriculture and energy sectors, environmental, educational and state agencies, legislators, officials and climate scientists will focus on Montana’s energy and agriculture sectors’ innovations and opportunities, climate challenges and its impacts, and future prices and outlook.
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New West News Brief
TERRA Video Series Explores Bison Issue
As the controversy over the Yellowstone National Park’s population of bison continues, Bozeman-based TERRA shares a three-part video series on the “free-ranging” population’s scenerio and the hazing that is occurring. (Click video above for a preview of the series.)
As there are passionate people on both sides of the debate, this series tries to understand all sides of this issue.
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New West News Brief
Yellowstone Bison Slaughter Halted, Meat Distributed to Food Banks
With more than half of the Yellowstone National Park bison population removed this season due to slaughter, winter weather and hunting, the Interagency Bison Management has halted all additional deaths and are holding 255 cows and calves until the grass greens.
Meanwhile, an estimated 600,000 pounds of meat from the slaughtered 1,700 bison is currently being distributed to Montana tribes and food banks, reports the Billings Gazette. An additional 700 are estimated dead due to weather.
The Montana Food Bank network recently purchased 15,000 pounds of bison meat that will be distributed to 189 banks throughout the state, perfect timing with the February recall of 143 million pounds of Californian beef.
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A Little More Room to Breathe
Yellowstone Bison Agreement Provides Additional Habitat
For the first time in a decade, wild bison will be allowed to legally roam outside of Yellowstone National Park.
The purchase of the cattle grazing rights from the Church Universal and Triumphant’s Royal Teton Ranch will provide an approximate 5,000-acre “zone” where bison can roam outside of the park boundary while having little-to-no risk of possible interaction and transmission of brucellosis to Montana’s cattle.
Although too small in landmass to provide the title “Free-ranging Yellowstone bison," the range is released through a pact agreement and collaboration between three federal agencies, two Montana agencies, one private landowner and a coalition of four non-profit organizations.
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Trade in and Trade up
Bozeman Bike Swap this Weekend
It’s time to gear up for spring and dust off the bike.
For all your cycling needs visit the Bike Swap this Saturday, April 19 at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds. The Gallatin Valley Bike Club sponsors an annual bike swap which is open to the general public from 11am – 1pm. If you are hoping to sell stuff on consignment, it must be at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds between 8-10am that morning. Swap items usually include kids’ bikes, bike trailers, mountain bikes and competitive racers.
A percentage of the sales supports the Gallatin Valley Bike Club, a non-profit organization which provides recreational and competitive activities for area cyclists.
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New West News Brief
Yellowstone Club on Brink of Bankruptcy, Edra Blixseth SaysThe divorce of millionaires Edra and Tim Blixseth has turned nasty, as they find themselves in a court-disputed power struggle over the operations of the Yellowstone Club, reports Scott McMillion of the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
Edra claims that the Yellowstone Club is on the brink of bankruptcy due to overdue court settlements and drained assets for Tim’s Yellowstone Club World venture, McMillion reported from the Virgina City courtroom. She asks to be reinstated as the chief operating officer and have her estranged husband banned from the offices. Tim claims this is a legal move to circumvent the court process in California.
“There is no competent evidence that Blixseth has raised or can raise sufficient cash to solve the crisis and stabilize the club without effecting ‘firesale’ lot sales. He has also lost the confidence of the club’s creditors and employees,” as reported from Edra’s court papers.
Click here for the full story.
Update: The Chronicle reported after the continued hearing, Judge Loren Tucker stayed all motions from the 12 lawyers until a deposition is received from the Yellowstone Club's loan holder, Credit Suisse. Tim Blixseth will remain in his position overseeing the club at this time. It was also reported that Boston financier Sam Byrne backed out of purchasing the club due to the overdue settlement to Greg LeMond and other minor shareholders, and the bad publicity that followed.
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Census Report
Gallatin County Becomes Fastest Growing in MontanaGallatin County has surpassed Flathead County as the third most populous in Montana — and is leading in the state for growth.
The recent U.S. Census reports over 87,359 current residents in Gallatin County, gaining 19,528 new residents since Census 2000, a 28.8 percent population increase in eight years.
Gallatin County is also ranked No. 92 on the “100 fastest growing counties” in the United States, where 22 of the 100 are in the West.
Montana’s overall population increased 6.2 percent since 2000. But this growth was concentrated in 22 of the 56 counties, while 34 counties, mainly in Eastern and North Central Montana, faced declining population.
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