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FEMA approves funding to combat Buffalo fire
Federal authorities approved Montana’s request for grant money to combat the Buffalo fire burning in Yellowstone County, according to a press release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. At the time of the request, the fire was threatening 285 homes in and around the Huntley, which were under an evacuation order. The fire was also […]
‘A shooting star’: Victim of Ovando bear attack remembered
Whenever Billie Jean Gerke received a call from her friend Leah Davis Lokan, she would greet Lokan with an enthusiastic: “Hello, my adventure girlfriend.” “She was the most adventurous woman I’ve ever known,” said Gerke, who became friends with Lokan in the late 2000s while they both lived in Sandpoint, Idaho. “She was incredibly strong, […]
Judge tosses MT media open-meeting lawsuit against Legislature
A Lewis and Clark County District Court judge has dismissed a case brought by Montana media organizations alleging the chairman of a legislative committee violated Montana’s constitutional right to know by denying a reporter access to a meeting where committee members discussed proposed legislation. Petitioners, which include a handful of Montana media organizations including the […]
FWP: Grizzly likely responsible for fatal Ovando attack has been shot and killed
Wildlife officials shot and killed Friday the grizzly believed to be responsible for the fatal attack of a bicycle camper in Ovando, according to a press release from Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks. Before fatally attacking Leah Davis Lokan, 64, of Chico, California, on Tuesday, the bear raided a local chicken coop. About 48 hours […]
Bear responsible for fatal Ovando attack remains elusive as more details around incident emerge
Campsites are closed until Sunday in Ovando as wildlife agents continue to search for the grizzly bear responsible for a fatal attack on a bicycle camper early Tuesday morning. In a news release Wednesday, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks said the bear initially awoke the bicycle camper — identified as Leah Davis Lokan, 65, of […]
Gianforte appoints Grubich to fill Cascade County judge opening
Gov. Greg Gianforte has appointed the first judge using a new judicial selection process created by recently enacted legislation that abolished the Judicial Nominating Commission and gave the governor the wide latitude to fill judicial vacancies. David Grubich has been chosen to fill the Eighth Judicial District vacancy. He was one of two finalists selected […]
UPDATED: 15 more Montana counties designated as natural disaster areas
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has designated 15 more Montana counties as natural disaster counties as 91 percent of the state faces abnormally dry or extreme conditions, according to a pair of news releases put out by the Governor’s Office on Tuesday. As of Tuesday, the USDA had designated 31 of Montana’s 56 counties as […]
Judge blocks Legislature’s attempt to get out of subpoena lawsuit
A Lewis and Clark County District judge followed the Supreme Court’s lead in denying the Legislature’s request to dismiss a lawsuit that challenges the extent of the Legislature’s power to subpoena members of the judiciary despite the withdrawal of subpoenas at the center of the two cases. Because the Legislature failed to file a brief […]
Gianforte issues statewide drought emergency
Gov. Greg Gianforte issued an executive order Thursday declaring a statewide drought emergency and called on U.S. Department of Agriculture to identify all counties in Montana as natural disaster areas. The governor cited the economic hardships to Montana’s farmers and ranchers as well as the expected increase in wildfires brought on by the drought as […]
Gianforte ends COVID State of Emergency in Montana
Gov. Greg Gianforte ended the State of Emergency in Montana six months after it was put in place, according to a news release from the governor’s office. Gianforte cited the decline of new cases and hospitalizations and the increase in vaccinations for why he lifted the executive order that established the state of emergency, according […]
Law and Justice committee will examine prison contracts, criminal justice system data
People who are incarcerated in Montana prisons pay on average $9.24 to make a 15-minute out-of-state call to their families, according to the Prison Policy Initiative. “We know that keeping in touch with families is a key factor in reducing recidivism,” said Andrea Fenster, a staff attorney for the nonprofit that studies mass incarceration. “But […]
Judge temporarily blocks parts of new law changing the judiciary as well as political efforts on college campuses
A district judge said on Monday he plans to temporarily block two sections of a bill that prohibit some election activities on public university campuses and requires judges to recuse themselves from cases for accepting specific campaign contributions. Attorneys for Forward Montana and the State of Montana appeared before Lewis and Clark District Judge Mike […]