Montana Property Owners Urged To Check Tax Classifications

These aren't your property tax bills. Yet.

The Montana Department of Revenue advises property owners, including businesses, to watch for notifications arriving this week that will allow them to verify the accuracy of their information and file for changes if necessary.

The latest property classification and appraisal notices that are arriving in the mail this week.

The Department of Revenue says the notices reflect the latest rate changes following the Legislative session.

However, now's the time to review the info before property taxes are mailed in November.

A different kind of 4th after firefighter ambush

In regional news, tomorrow's traditional 4th of July parade in Coeur d'Alene will be even more emotional than usual, as community leaders plan to dedicate the "American Heroes Parade" to the two firefighters who were killed in an ambush on Sunday.

Plans call for having two riderless horses at the head of the parade in memory of John Morrison and Frank Harwood, who were gunned down while responding to a brush fire on Sunday.

-That follows an amazing outpouring of support on Tuesday, when thousands of people lined I-90 and streets as the bodies of the pair were returned back to CDA after an autopsy in Spokane.

Follow the Montana fireworks rules!

Fire departments and public lands agencies across the state are continuing to express concerns about fireworks and wildfire starts, as we head into the Independence Day weekend. Montanans are being reminded that fireworks are illegal ALL THE TIME on Forest Service and other public lands, as a number of locations moved to "high" fire danger this week.

Residents are being urged to check local regulations because many of Montana's cities do have tight restrictions or even outright bans on fireworks.

Good news on a dangerous Montana fire

New fires have continued to pop across the southern half of the state over the past couple of days, following the hot, dry, and windy weather. Although most have been small, the Buggy Gulch Fire, which is burning in open country east of Dillon, shows how dry it is, burning 2 hundred acres in just a couple of hours after it was reported.

Trail building on Jericho Mt Fire; USFS photo

However, the good news with that the dangerous Jericho Mountain Fire is burning west of Helena at McDonald Pass. Crews have nearly full containment on that lightning-caused fire, holding it to just under 500 acres.

Meet the "Billings Bypass"

Billings drivers are expected to get their first chance to drive the new "Billings Bypass" today… that $136-million route which connects Lockwood with the Billings Heights. Construction has been underway for the past few years, and there are still sections to finish.

MDT was expecting to get a partial opening today, especially the long-awaited railroad overpass.

A cross-state bus will keep rolling

A new operator is jumping in to fill the transportation gap after Flathead Transit stopped its intercity bus service on Monday.

Jefferson Lines is taking over the routes, starting today. Jefferson Lines will run from Whitefish to Missoula, Bozeman, Livingston, Big Timber, and as far east as Billings four days a week.

It follows Jefferson's acquisition of Bozeman-based Karst Stage last month.