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

Deer ticks, Lyme disease carriers, found in Montana

1 week ago | missoulacurrent.com | Martin J. Kidston

Laura Lundquist(Missoula Current) Montana appears to have a new invasive species, and this one could come with a few nasty parasites. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services announced last week that three blacklegged ticks, also called deer ticks, have been found in eastern Montana over the past year.
Viewpoint: There are reasons why no one listens to Marc Racicot

1 week ago | missoulacurrent.com | Martin J. Kidston

Roger KoopmanCall me naïve, but I want to believe that the left-leaning organizers of Bozeman’s recent “Radical Middle” public program had genuine good intentions, and that the crowd of over 300 predominantly liberal participants were truly hopeful that their featured heroes – Marc Racicot and Dorothy Bradley – would have something important and refreshingly non-partisan to say about building relationships instead of burning bridges.
Downtown Transfer Center to close for upgrades

1 week ago | missoulacurrent.com | Martin J. Kidston

(Missoula Current) The passenger loading island at the Downtown Transfer Center will close for construction while Mountain Line makes electrical and structural upgrades to the platform. Bus service will continue on a regular schedule, but buses will board on Woody Street between Pine and Spruce Streets during construction. The transfer center building will remain open during regular hours, the agency said.
Viewpoint: Missoula needs long-term approach for N. Reserve

1 week ago | missoulacurrent.com | Martin J. Kidston

Hayden CookThe Reserve Street Corridor, which stretches across one of Missoula's most critical and heavily trafficked routes, currently holds the distinction of having the most traffic accidents in town. With over 30,000 vehicles passing through daily, this road regularly sees traffic at capacity. During rush hour, those numbers spike to over 40,000, far exceeding what the infrastructure was designed to handle.
Viewpoint: Fool me twice, shame on me

1 week ago | missoulacurrent.com | Martin J. Kidston

Michael HoytFred Thomas voiced his support for the Colstrip power plant in the Missoula Current on May 15, 2025. In support of Colstrip, he downplays the plant’s emissions of CO2 and other pollutants harmful to human health, sidesteps the fact that Colstrip is among the most expensive and outdated energy sources in the nation, and claims Colstrip helps keep electric rates stable.
Brad Paisley stays sincere at the Kettlehouse

1 week ago | missoulacurrent.com | Martin J. Kidston

William Munoz (Missoula Current) As spring moves toward summer, the outdoor concert season in western Montana is heating up. On the banks of the Blackfoot River, Brad Paisley brought his “Truck Still Works” tour to the sold out Kettlehouse Amphitheatre. Eight semis full of sound and lighting gear gave the crowd much to cheer about. Paisley played on a runway that extended into the crowd; this created an intimacy with fans that has characterized his career.
Climate Connections: Budget bill backwards, dangerous and dumb

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

Amy Cilimburg and Abby HusethClimate advocates and policy nerds had been bracing for more rollbacks and, honestly, we don’t shock easily. But this budget bill is even worse than anticipated. Squashing rooftop solar in its tracks really is quite shocking!One of the craziest things about rescinding the IRA is that it will actually cut jobs and increase energy prices.
Logging project near Yellowstone cancelled after suit

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

Michael GarrityThe U.S. Forest Service cancelled an illegal public land logging project due to a recently-filed lawsuit by Montana conservation group Alliance for the Wild Rockies on May 20th. The illegal logging was scheduled to occur in the Gravelly Mountains of southwest Montana, in an area that provides a critical wildlife corridor connecting the Yellowstone area to other mountain ranges in Montana.
Missoula Police Department reports drop in violent crime, increase in crashes

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

MISSOULA — The number of violent crimes reported in Missoula dropped in 2024, with the exception of sexual intercourse without consent, though that reporting category saw multiple victims report a single individual, according to the Missoula Police Department. Police Chief Mike Colyer on Wednesday detailed his department's activity over the prior year, in which officers responded to roughly 55,000 incidents. That included 36 robberies, 357 assaults and two homicides.
Viewpoint: Republicans throwing millions off health insurance

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

Justin AilportRepublicans want to throw millions off their health insurance By Justin Ailport, Interim Executive Director, Montana Democratic PartyLet's talk about how Republicans in Congress want to throw MILLIONS of Americans off their health insurance so the ultra-wealthy and corporations can get tax breaks. If this statement sounds hyperbolic, I hate to break it to you - it's the cold, hard truth.