Martin J. Kidston

Montana

Founder and Editor at The Missoula Current

Founder of Missoula's daily news journal @missoulacurrent; USMC and Desert Storm vet; artist and author; general explorer, father of two, keeper of cats.

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Articles

Hellgate High School on lockdown following reported threat

3 weeks ago | missoulacurrent.com | Martin J. Kidston

(Missoula Current) The Missoula Police Department responded to Hellgate High School on Friday morning following a reported threat overheard by a student while on campus. The school was placed on lockdown as a result as officers assess the situation and nature of the threat. “Currently, officers are actively investigating the nature of the threat and speaking with involved individuals,” the police department said in a statement.
Missoula set to adopt Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan

3 weeks ago | kpax.com | Martin J. Kidston

MISSOULA — More than 600 electric vehicles are registered in Missoula County, comprising around 5.5% of every 1,000 people. But accommodating those drivers while preparing for growth within the EV industry remains a work in progress. The City of Missoula this week unveiled a draft of its new Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Plan. Two years in the making, the product covers a range of strategies focused on both infrastructure and education.
Viewpoint: Family Maternity Center staff seeking answers

3 weeks ago | missoulacurrent.com | Martin J. Kidston

FMC StaffWe are writing to express our deep disappointment and concern regarding the abrupt closure of the Family Maternity Center—a place that was more than just a department within the hospital. It was a lifeline for families, a sanctuary for healing, and a home for the many healthcare workers who devoted themselves to bringing life into this world. Many of us relocated from out of state as experienced nurses to help open and grow this unit ten years ago.
OR to protect electric customers from subsidizing data centers

3 weeks ago | missoulacurrent.com | Martin J. Kidston

Alex Baumhardt(Oregon Capital Chronicle) Oregon is close to ensuring data center owners pay what they owe for their growth following several years of painful residential electricity hikes driven in part by rising energy demand from the facilities. House Bill 3546, also called the POWER Act, passed the Senate on a party-line vote Tuesday and with bipartisan support in the House on Thursday. Five Republican representatives voted with Democrats to pass it, and Gov. Tina Kotek is expected to sign it.
Waterkeeper to EPA: Enforce Montana’s water quality standards

3 weeks ago | missoulacurrent.com | Martin J. Kidston

Laura Lundquist(Missoula Current) For the second time, the Montana Legislature passed a bill to eliminate numerical standards for nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in Montana’s waters, so a water watchdog is once again asking the federal government to enforce the existing standards.
Viewpoint: Montana’s $8B gamble on losing public lands

3 weeks ago | missoulacurrent.com | Martin J. Kidston

John TubbsGrowing up in Montana I was able to cross our neighbors’ ranches with a promise of closing any gate you opened. Many of these ranches are now closed to the public and marked by orange fence posts and “No Trespass” signs. This era of open access is gone and it’s not coming back. Once lost, gone forever. Access to and protection of Montana’s great outdoors is again under threat. Across the West, calls for massive federal land transfer are being litigated and legislated by the far-right.
Viewpoint: Trump not following Christian values

3 weeks ago | missoulacurrent.com | Martin J. Kidston

David JamesAmerica must resist the temptation to allow Trump to establish the direction for Christians in America. Without Christian support, there is no President Trump. Well-meaning Christians might reexamine the role of their support for Donald Trump. Starting with the January 6th disgrace.
City approves funding for Clark Fork, Bitterroot restoration work

3 weeks ago | missoulacurrent.com | Martin J. Kidston

Martin Kidston(Missoula Current) Work to protect the banks of the Clark Fork River in the urban core and remediate the impacts of a defunct mining site on the Bitterroot River are expected to begin this summer. Members of the Missoula City Council this week approved funding for both projects, including the Clark Fork River restoration effort, which is funded largely by the 2018 Open Space bond.
Viewpoint: Montana needs fair drug pricing, not imported problems

3 weeks ago | missoulacurrent.com | Martin J. Kidston

Calvin NewtAccess to new treatments shouldn’t depend on where you live. But in Montana, where distance, insurance networks, and availability already limit options, Washington’s latest drug pricing proposal could make a hard situation even harder. President Trump’s Executive Order would tie U.S. drug prices to what’s paid in foreign countries. These price-controlled systems are known for restricting access to innovative treatments and dragging out the approval process.
Statement on closure of maternity center misleading

3 weeks ago | missoulacurrent.com | Martin J. Kidston

As the Ob/Gyns of Western Montana Clinic, providing all obstetric and gynecologic care at Saint Patrick Hospital, we must correct the misleading statements made by CEO Mr. Bill Calhoun regarding the closure of the Family Maternity Center (FMC), effective October 10, 2025. Despite Mr. Calhoun's assurances that this decision was carefully considered with input from "key clinical experts, community leaders, and internal stakeholders," this is categorically false.