Daily Archives: February 11, 2012

Atheists sue to remove Jesus statue from Big Mountain

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Missoulian; 2/9/2012
Excerpt:   “WHITEFISH – A national organization of atheists and agnostics filed a lawsuit Wednesday demanding that a statue of Jesus be removed from a small parcel of federal land on the Whitefish Mountain Resort ski area.
The group, Freedom From Religion Foundation, filed the legal action in U.S. District Court in Missoula. The lawsuit follows on the heels of a Jan. 31 decision by top Flathead National Forest officials to let the statue stay, and elevates the controversial issue to new heights………”
Read entire article at  http://missoulian.com/news/local/atheists-sue-to-remove-jesus-statue-from-big-mountain/article_d8e79fcc-527f-11e1-bcdd-0019bb2963f4.html

Rural schools struggle as timber payments end

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KABC TV; 2/10/2012
Excerpt:   “SISKIYOU COUNTY, Calif. (KABC) — It’s been more than 30 years since Kermith Walters hauled logs of pine and fir through the mountains of Siskiyou County. He says he left it behind when the habitat of a dark brown, white-speckled bird became a matter of federal law.
Since 1990, when the northern spotted owl was listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, millions of acres of old-growth forest have been closed to logging, stripping rural communities throughout the Pacific Northwest of their primary economy.
But even now, as the county’s superintendent of schools, Walters’ most pressing concern is still rooted in timber……”
Read entire article at http://abclocal.go.com/kabc/story?section=news/state&id=8539269


Court: No parking fees in Ariz. forest

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Durango Herald; 2/12/2012
Excerpt:   “FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Roadside picnickers, hikers and campers using undeveloped areas of a southern Arizona forest cannot be charged for what amount to parking fees, a federal appeals court ruled in a case that plaintiffs say could have broad impact on U.S. Forest Service policies.
The Coronado National Forest collects fees from all drivers who park in a mile-wide swath of forest running along the 28-mile Catalina Highway, the only paved road to the top of Mount Lemmon outside of Tucson……”
Read entire article at
http://durangoherald.com/article/20120211/NEWS02/702119965/

Forest Service unveils strategy for replacing old slurry bombers

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Missoulian; 2/12/2012
Excerpt:   “DENVER – The U.S. Forest Service released its long-awaited strategy Friday for replacing its wildfire-fighting fleet of aging heavy air tankers with ones that are newer, faster and more cost-effective, though it’s unclear how quickly those multimillion-dollar planes will come on line.
Its current fleet is owned and operated by private contractors, but the agency said it’s possible the government could own some planes in the future……”
Read entire article at http://missoulian.com/news/state-and-regional/forest-service-unveils-strategy-for-replacing-old-slurry-bombers/article_d17624c8-54b1-11e1-8215-0019bb2963f4.html