Sun River News

There is a public hearing today in Sun River on Cascade County's proposal to charge a $75 fee for each of the 392 or so homes in the Montana county to help buy new fire-fighting and safety equipment.

Cascade County commissioners approved a $75 annual fire tax on Sun River residents Monday evening.

In March, a house fire broke out in Sun River and the local fire department showed up - all three of its volunteers.

Steve Allen Bucher, 61, of Vaughn, a Navy and Army National Guard veteran, died of congestive heart failure Sunday at a Fort Harrison hospital.

In small schools like Highwood and Centerville, where they're close to Great Falls, but just far enough away, students are getting opportunities they might not otherwise be afforded through afterschool programs.

Hale F. Gearhart, 90, of Great Falls, a World War II Army veteran, died of natural causes Saturday at a local nursing home.

Questions about the city of Great Falls selling electricity and the issue of property taxes elicited the sharpest answers from four City Commission and two mayoral candidates at a 1 1/2-hour forum Wednesday.

The community of Simms is on the lookout tonight, following recent sightings of grizzly bears.

Sun River residents are some of the few in Cascade County that don't have to pay for fire protection; their volunteer fire department has relied solely on fundraisers.

With donations drying up and equipment getting old, the Sun River Volunteer Fire Department is turning to taxpayers for the first time in its 46-year history, calling for a $75-a-year fee for fire service.

Cascade County is getting some financial help for firefighting efforts, as it prepares to receive a $20,000 grant towards equipment, including fire suits and shelters for fire departments in rural communities.

The U.S. Forest Service has OK'd a plan to log and burn 1,655 acres of Lewis and Clark National Forest where fire hasn't burned on a large scale in more than a century, increasing the danger of a catastrophic wildfire.

The Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex is named after early forester, wilderness preservation pioneer, and Wilderness Society co-founder Bob Marshall who single-handedly worked in protecting at least 5.4 million acres of wildland.

Montana's electric cooperative leaders peppered U.S. Senate aides Wednesday with questions and concerns about the potential impacts of climate change legislation.

The U.S. Forest Service on Wednesday launched the second phase of its largest ever prescribed fire in the Lewis and Clark National Forest.

SIMMS - If it weren't for the Mustang football jerseys, it would have been difficult to tell the difference between the middle school and high school students here Wednesday.

After several years of work, several hundred thousand dollars and untold hours of volunteer time, the Sun River Skeet Club is up and shooting at its new facility in the Great Falls Shooting Sports Complex north of town.

New regulations that require setbacks for wind towers, relax rules for animal ownership and cut red tape for new businesses were OK'd Tuesday by Cascade County commissioners.

ADAMS - Daughter born Tuesday to Ashley and Timothy Adams of Great Falls. D'LASSALAS - Daughter born Wednesday to Jehan and Oscar D'lassalas of Great Falls.

Few might dispute the English poet's sentiment, but a group of northcentral Montana farmers, implement dealers and university researchers have been plugging away for more than 15 years to pin down where and why so much variation occurs in every field.