Briefs
Former state health department employee admitted stealing nearly $90,000 in federal assistance
A former employee with the state health department admitted to stealing nearly $90,000 from federal assistance programs by submitting false information on applications. According to a U.S. Attorney’s Office press release, Heather Marie Bugni, 34, of Butte, was a client services coordinator for six years and processed applications and approved benefits for multiple programs including […]
Illegal possession of gun sends Billings felon to prison for 30 months
A Billings felon who was on probation when officers found him wearing a bandana over his face and a carrying semi-automatic rifle wrapped in a blanket as he walked down a residential street was sentenced today to 30 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said […]
Yellowstone: Park busy in 2023 after historic 2022 flooding
Yellowstone National Park saw a 45% increase in visitors this August compared to the same month in 2022, the year the park saw historic flooding, Yellowstone said Thursday in a news release. The park counted 846,389 recreation visits in August 2023 compared to 582,211 in August 2022. The August 2023 total is also a 3% […]
Grizzly that killed woman near West Yellowstone euthanized after breaking into home
The grizzly bear that killed a woman near West Yellowstone earlier this summer was killed over the weekend after it broke through the kitchen window of a house and took dog food from inside. The 10-year-old female grizzly was captured Saturday evening after it and its cub broke into the home near West Yellowstone that […]
Department of Labor and Industry report: ‘Record job growth,’ housing still a challenge
Montana Department of Labor & Industry Commissioner Sarah Swanson said Thursday the annual Labor Day Report shows the state enters the winter of 2023 with an economy poised for future growth “and prosperity for Montana families.” “Montana enjoyed a historic year of record job growth, low unemployment and rising wages for middle-income families,” said Commissioner Swanson […]
Yellowstone National Park warns to stay away from bull elk during fall mating season
Yellowstone National Park is warning visitors to stay away from bull elk during the fall mating season, called the rut, which has already started. In a press release Wednesday, the park said bull elk are unpredictable during this time of year and people have been severely injured. Elk run quickly and may change direction without […]
Rosendale more popular than Sheehy, per recent report
Montanans like U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale for the U.S. Senate on the GOP ticket over newcomer and establishment pick Tim Sheehy in 2024, according to an update from the Montana State News Bureau citing an August poll. Rosendale hasn’t announced yet, but the conservative hardliner has been expected to do so. The States News Bureau […]
Final oil and gas lease released in Badger-Two Medicine area, sacred to the Blackfeet Tribe
After a decades-long fight, the final federal oil and gas lease in the Badger-Two Medicine area was released last week, with no potential for new leases. The area is sacred to the Blackfeet Tribe. “The settlement agreement rights a fundamental wrong by removing industry’s hold on one of our Nation’s most significant areas,” a press […]
Governor appoints Thomas Lee Bruner to Montana Workers’ Compensation Court
Gov. Greg Gianforte appointed Helena lawyer and Deputy Clerk of the Montana Supreme Court Thomas Lee Bruner to serve as judge on the Montana Workers’ Compensation Court. Thomas was born in Butte and worked as a civil litigation attorney there for 19 years after graduating from the University of Montana law school in 1995, according […]
Florida man pleads guilty to wire fraud, stealing $150,000 from elderly Montanan after FBI sting
A Florida man pleaded guilty to wire fraud after participating in a hacking scheme that stole $150,000 from an elderly Montana woman and being caught by authorities in a sting operation. According to a Montana U.S. Attorney’s Office press release, Eddly Joseph, 43, of Gainesville, Fla., pleaded guilty to wire fraud in federal court last […]
Glacier: Remains of climber found on Reynolds Mountain
The body of climber Adam Fuselier, a 32-year-old man from Castle Pines, Colo., was found by National Park Service ground searchers at approximately 11 a.m. Friday after being reported missing Wednesday, according to a news release from Glacier National Park. The cause of death is still under investigation, the park said. The park and Fuselier’s […]
Kalispell felon admits illegal possession of gun used in shooting
A Kalispell man with a felony conviction admitted to a firearms crime after he gave a gun to another person who used it in a fatal shooting, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said in a news release this week. Kyle Kenneth Smith, 33, pleaded guilty to prohibited person in possession of a firearm, according to the […]