In brief

Gas prices fall in Montana

Average retail gasoline prices in Montana have fallen 1.3 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.32 per gallon yesterday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 615 gas outlets in Montana. This compares with the national average that has fallen 5.0 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.16 gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com. 

Including the change in gas prices in Montana during the past week, prices yesterday were 67.1 cents per gallon lower than the same day one year ago and are 10.3 cents per gallon lower than a month ago. The national average has decreased 11.4 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 72.1 cents per gallon lower than this day one year ago.

Libby Dam flow increasing

The outflow at Libby Dam was increased from 4,000 cubic feet per second to 9,000 cubic feet per second over three hours beginning at 4 a.m. Flows will likely increase from 9,000 cubic feet per second during the week to a possible maximum of 16,000 cubic feet per second during the day followed by a decrease during the night. This operation is intended to begin drafting the reservoir to reach 2,437 ft at the end of November.

Good Neighbor Award nominations 

Governor Steve Bullock, along with a group of Montana-based organizations, is seeking nominations for the Montana Neighbor Awards.

The awards give recognition to landowners who work collaboratively with their neighbors to enhance Montana’s sense of community.

The group is seeking nominations of landowners from across Montana. Winners will receive specially printed and framed Montana Neighbor Award certificates signed by Gov. Bullock and awards committee members.

The Montana Neighbor group includes Artemis Common Ground, The Nature Conservancy of Montana, Montana Council of Trout Unlimited, Montana Association of Land Trusts, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, and the Office of the Governor.

“It’s no secret that land ownership in Montana has been in transition,” said Chris King, Winnett rancher and member of the Montana Neighbor Awards Committee. “There is tension out there between landowners, public resource agencies, and sportsmen. Those situations get press. But the fact is there are many new and long-time landowners who are great neighbors in the Montana tradition. We want to give them recognition.”

Send nominations to: Montana Neighbor Awards, C/O Jennifer Bond; Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks; P.O. Box 200701, Helena, MT 59620-0701; or email to: jebond@mt.gov, or to Brian.Kahn@earthlink.net.

Grizzly killed in Coram

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks responded to calls from the Coram area that involved a grizzly bear breaking out the back window of a truck to get horse feed, getting into a refrigerator on a porch and trying to get into a slide-in camper. According to FWP Grizzly Bear Management Specialist Tim Manley, a culvert trap and remote cameras were set Wednesday night next to the camper. While setting the trap, the radio signal from the collar of an adult male grizzly bear was detected. The grizzly bear was captured less than an hour after the trap was set.  

On Thursday the decision was made to remove the grizzly bear from the population due to his behavior of repeatedly breaking into vehicles and structures to get food. The 12- 15- year old bear was drugged by FWP personnel and euthanized by a local veterinarian. He was in good physical condition and weighed 575 pounds. The hide and skull will be kept for educational purposes.

The grizzly had been previously captured on Sept. 8, 2015, after he had broken into a chicken coop and killed chickens. There were also apples in his scat indicating he had been in other yards feeding on apples. It was the first time the bear had been captured, and the bear was radio-collared and released in the Puzzle Creek drainage south of Marias Pass, about 40 straight line-miles from Coram. In September, the grizzly bear weighed 482 pounds.

“The worst part of my job is having to remove a grizzly bear from the population because it has become food-conditioned and starts causing property damage,” said Manley. “The key to reducing human/bear conflicts is prevention. A grizzly bear doesn’t just start breaking into structures overnight to get food.”

Astronomy Club meeting Nov. 20

Join the Kootenai Stargazers Astronomy Club on the third Friday of each month at 324 White Avenue, Gene & Laura McGlasson’s home.

The next event, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 20, at 6 p.m., is “Google Earth and Astronomy,” presented by Kathy Nielsen. 

Chow and chatter provided. For more information visit the club online at http://www.ksaclibby.org or call 293-2552.

Chamber Luncheon Nov. 18

The November Chamber Luncheon is scheduled for noon on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at Henry’s Restaurant. Guest speakers will be from Northwest Community Health Center and Lincoln County Christmas. R.S.V.P. to 293-4167.

Wildlife talk set for Nov. 19

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Fisheries Program Manager Mark Deleray and Fisheries Biologist Leo Rosenthal will present a talk on bull trout in the South Fork of the Flathead River drainage on Thursday evening, Nov. 19 at Flathead Valley Community College. The talk will begin at 7 p.m. and will include exciting new underwater footage of these native fish. Deleray and Rosenthal will discuss interesting facets of the bull trout’s life history as well as their status in the South Fork Flathead drainage. They will also cover FWP’s bull trout monitoring program and bull trout fishing opportunities.

The bull trout presentation is part of the lecture series “Wildlife & Humans Together in the 21st Century” on selected Thursday evenings at 7 p.m. through December at FVCC. The series is free and open to the public.

The talk will take place in the large community meeting room inside the Arts & Technology building on FVCC’s Kalispell campus. The presentation will last approximately an hour and will follow with a 15-minute question and answer period.

Select soccer league registration opens

Kootenai Rapids Select League soccer registration is currently underway. All Libby/Troy soccer players age 10 to 18 interested in competitive soccer are encouraged to register at this time; no other formal registrations will be held. Teams are currently forming for the 2016 spring soccer season.

Please call Mark Petersen at 293-3626 or Mark R-B at 295-4994 for more information. Deadline for registering for 2016 season is December 1, 2015. Registration forms are available in Libby at the Lincoln County Library, Libby Public Schools and the Montana Athletic Center. Forms are available in Troy at Kootenai Drug & Hardware and Troy Public Schools.