Bitterroot Valley news you may have missed this week

Here are some news stories from the Bitterroot Valley you may have missed this week...

Hamilton lab employee exposed to Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

A Rocky Mountain Laboratories (RML) employee was exposed to Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever in November according to officials from RML and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in Bethesda, Maryland.

“The individual remained well and showed no evidence of being infected. They have been back at work for some time,” RML Associate Director for Scientific Management Marshall Bloom stated in an email on Tuesday.

RML is a remote campus of NIH, which confirmed the exposure Wednesday in an email to the Ravalli Republic stating “At no time was there any risk to the public or to other staff.”

Hamilton lab employee exposed to Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever

New Stevensville town fees pose issue for local civic groups

The Stevensville Town Council recently approved a variety of new fees for special events and park use which groups say will increase costs for many of the town's annual events.

The fee changes will increase application costs for Stevensville's Harvest Valley Farmers Market from $225 to $890 annually, according to market officials.

The new fees, adopted during their Thursday, Feb. 12, meeting, will also bring changes to events established in the town for years like the Creamery Picnic and parades.

Stevensville Mayor Jim Crews says the problem lies in an ordinance for special event permit fees that has been overlooked by town officials for the last 16 years, so now they have to define terms and redetermine fees to correct the error.

New Stevensville town fees pose issue for local civic groups

Wildlife officials advance restrictions on Bitterroot motor boats

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks proposed the closure, which would apply to all tributaries between Stevensville and Corvallis to motor boats, citing potential impacts to waterways that serve as nurseries for young trout, and gravels where the fish dig out nesting sites known as redds.

“There are impacts to eggs with jet boats run shallow over gravels that have eggs in the substrates,” FWP fish biologist told members of the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission during their Feb. 12 meeting. “In general, if there’s redds in the area and jet boats run over them, we can suspect that there’s similar impacts that you would see from wade fishing.”

Several members expressed skepticism during their Thursday meeting, however, that the proposal from the state wildlife agency was justified. Jeff Burrows, the commissioner representing Region 2, argued the proposal didn’t appear to be backed by scientific data and questioned why the proposal only concerned a particular stretch of the river. Region 2 covers central western Montana, including Ravalli and Missoula counties.

“Are we trying to resolve a hunters’-access-versus-landowner conflict? Or are we trying to protect a resource?” Burrows asked.

Wildlife officials advance restrictions on Bitterroot motor boats

Bitterroot canines get round of 'a-paws' at Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

A Florence Saint Bernard named Bodacious won Best of Breed at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden in New York City, along with second place in the Working Group category.

The Saint Bernard officially known as “GCHG Mountain’s Bodacious at Sapphire Mountain BCAT” also competed in 2025, winning best of breed and placing third in the Working Group category. The category is for dogs who perform specific functions like water rescues, pulling sleds or guarding property.

Bodacious was one of three canines from the Bitterroot Valley who received a coveted invite to compete at the 150th anniversary of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show at Madison Square Garden in New York Feb. 2 and 3. A Victor Cocker Spaniel named Braun, and a Spinone Italiano named Winslow from Darby also competed in the event. The show featured over 3,000 dogs from all 50 states in the United States and had entries from over 17 countries. The competition is considered the “Super Bowl of dog shows,” according to Jann Butler, one of Bodacious’ owners.

Bitterroot canines get round of 'a-paws' at Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

'Take care of all the future Bitterrooters': Stevensville celebrates new charter school

About 60 second-graders counted down from 10 at the top of their lungs on Friday before student Siann Nelson used medical scissors to cut the ribbon marking the beginning of the Stevensville Health and Science Academy — the newest approved public charter school in the Bitterroot Valley.

Stevensville’s charter was one of two new public charter schools approved by the Board of Public Education this year. This is the smallest batch of new charters approved in Montana after the 2025 Legislature instated a cap on the funds towards starting new public charters.

Stevensville’s Health Sciences Academy is slated to provide hands-on medical experience for kids interested in pursuing a career in medicine and was designed through a partnership with Bitterroot Health.

'Take care of all the future Bitterrooters': Stevensville celebrates new charter school

Who's running (so far): A roundup of Bitterroot candidates for the Montana Legislature

Candidates are lining up to file their intention to run for state office in Ravalli County on the June primary ballot with several seats up for grabs.

The window to file to run for office opened on Feb. 17 and will close on March 4.

Ravalli County consists of four House Districts (HD 85, HD 86, HD 87, HD 88) and two Senate Districts (SD 43 and SD 44). All four Ravalli County House seats as well as one Senate seat, all currently held by Republicans, will be up for grabs in the 2026 election.

Who's running (so far): A roundup of Bitterroot candidates for the Montana Legislature

Candidates line up to run for local office in Ravalli County

Several local elected positions are up for grabs in Ravalli County's 2026 elections including two county commission seats, county sheriff, county attorney, clerk and recorder/superintendent of schools, treasurer and judges.

The window to file to run for office opened on Feb. 17 and will close on March 4.

Candidates line up to run for local office in Ravalli County