Business group upbeat on Montana tech industry’s future
MISSOULA, Mont.— A Montana business group is optimistic about the future of the technology industry in the state.
Christina Henderson of the Montana High Tech Business Alliance said she’s encouraged by 2018 developments at three companies with a presence in Missoula.
The Missoulian reported Sunday that Advanced Technology Group, which employs 130 in Missoula, was acquired by Cognizant Technology Solutions, an internet technology company. Henderson said the company’s Missoula workforce could grow.
She said Missoula-based outdoor tech company onX secured $20.3 million in venture capital funding in February. The company has an app allowing hunters and others to help mobile GPS users navigate in the backcountry.
Henderson also cited a decision by fitness tech company ClassPass to hire more than 100 workers in downtown Missoula.
ISP says Nampa woman crossing the street is struck and killed by a vehicle
NAMPA — Idaho State Police say a 39-year-old woman has died after she was struck by a vehicle while crossing a street in Nampa.
KBOI-TV reported Jessica Justice of Nampa died at the scene of the early Sunday morning crash at Northside Boulevard.
Police said Justice was crossing Northside when she was struck by the southbound vehicle.
Yakima homeless camp returns to former site
YAKIMA — A homeless encampment in Yakima has returned to its former location after temporarily relocating.
The Yakima Herald-Republic reported the operators of Camp Hope are required to move the encampment every six months so it can be deemed a temporary camp as part of a deal with the city.
About 30 residents live at the camp run by Transform Yakima Together, a faith-based group. Executive Director Andy Ferguson says residents returned to the military-style tents at the location off East Nob Hill Boulevard on Dec. 22.
Ferguson said permanent electrical services been installed, and sewer and water services are expected soon.
Residents had relocated for two weeks, staying at the parking lot of the Union Gospel Mission.
140 people evacuated from chairlift at Montana ski resort
KALISPELL, Mont. — A Montana ski resort says it has safely evacuated 140 people from a chairlift after a mechanical problem prompted operators to stop the lift.
The Flathead Beacon reported it took 2½ hours to remove everyone from Whitefish Mountain Resort’s Chair 5 on Saturday.
Resort officials said they decided to evacuate the passengers because of the time the repairs would require.
Some of people were lowered from the lift with cables and harnesses. Resort officials said temperatures were in the high teens and winds were blowing at about 10 mph at the time.
The resort said no one was injured
Commercial crab season set to open in Oregon, Washington
ASTORIA, Ore. — Commercial fishermen in parts of Oregon and Washington state will be able to set their Dungeness crab gear Tuesday, according to fishery managers.
Fishermen can begin pulling their gear Friday, the Daily Astorian reported.
The lucrative commercial fishery traditionally starts Dec. 1. But the fishery was delayed this year after tests showed crab had not filled out enough.
Crab are still below the meat quality criteria required by the state between Cape Arago and Gold Beach in Oregon. Those areas will remain closed.
Recent testing shows crab are just above the required threshold in areas of Oregon and Washington state that will reopen.
More than 23 million pounds of crab were landed in the 2017-2018 season. That brought in a record $74.2 million in ex-vessel value.
The 2017-2018 season also started late, with commercial boats finally deployed in late January. Its tardy start was because of various reasons, first because of low-meat yields, then because of price negotiations and later because of weather.
Fishery managers initially postponed the start of this season until mid-December because of low-meat quantities.
Oregon crash kills one, injures one
GRANTS PASS, Ore. — A man died and another man was injured in a head-on collision near Grants Pass.
The Daily Courier newspaper of Grants Pass reported 34-year-old Eric Maddox of Grants Pass died at the scene of the Saturday morning crash on the Williams Highway, which is also known as Highway 238.
Sixty-three-year-old Robert Culton of Williams was injured and taken to Asante Three Rivers Medical Center.
Oregon State Police said Maddox was driving a Subaru Forester when he swerved to avoid a deer, then overcorrected and crossed the centerline. Police said the Forester collided with an oncoming Ford Ranger driven by Culton.
