State And Regional
Child killed in fall from farm tractor
STEVENSVILLE - Authorities in Ravalli County say a 5-year-old boy died after falling from a moving farm tractor near Stevensville.
Nov 20, 2009 | 12:55 pm | (0) Comments
Regents debate tuition hikes, furloughs
BOZEMAN - One-time federal stimulus money is going to leave a big hole in education budgets when it expires, according to state university presidents who said tuition hikes may be needed to make up the difference.
Nov 20, 2009 | 12:55 pm | (1) Comments
State unemployment rate drops
HELENA - Montana's Labor Department says the state unemployment rate dropped to 6.4 percent in October, down from 6.7 percent a month earlier.
Nov 20, 2009 | 12:55 pm | (0) Comments
Veterans first to get new technology
ANACONDA — The slim, white cartridges fit easily into the compact black machine. With the push of a button, text becomes voice and reading becomes possible again.
Nov 20, 2009 | 12:00 am | (0) Comments
Appeals court upholds judge’s decision in legal defense case
BILLINGS — A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that Yellowstone County should not be held responsible for the legal defense provided to a former Billings man who spent 15 years in prison for a crime he did not commit.
Nov 20, 2009 | 12:00 am
Woman sentenced for role in toddler’s death
BILLINGS — The last of three people charged in the death of a 3-year-old Billings boy was given a 10-year suspended prison sentence Thursday for criminal endangerment and must pay about $10,000 in restitution.
Nov 20, 2009 | 12:00 am
Measure to give rural vets benefits passes Senate
A bill written by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., passed the Senate on 98-0 vote Thursday, locking in benefits for rural veterans including those living across Montana.
Nov 19, 2009 | 3:05 pm | (0) Comments
$161M loan for Montana transmission line approved
BILLINGS - Federal regulators have signed off on a $161 million loan to a Canadian company that's building a 214-mile power transmission line between Alberta and Montana.
Nov 19, 2009 | 12:45 pm | (0) Comments
Judge: Keep grizzlies on threatened list
BILLINGS - A judge says the government must keep Yellowstone-area grizzly bears on the list of threatened and endangered species, denying an attempt by federal officials to reverse an earlier court ruling.
Nov 19, 2009 | 12:45 pm | (1) Comments
Schweitzer cuts four commerce jobs to save money
Trying to find ways to save money as revenues drop, Gov. Brian Schweitzer on Wednesday announced the elimination of four regional economic development officer jobs in the Commerce Department for a $380,000 savings over the next two years.
Nov 19, 2009 | 12:00 am | (4) Comments
Bigfork lawmaker swamped with local property-tax complaints
KALISPELL (AP) — A western Montana lawmaker is planning to hold a town meeting because he’s been swamped with complaints about property tax increases.
Nov 19, 2009 | 12:00 am
Alcohol sales penalty proposal contested
Citizens and industry groups squared off Wednesday over a proposal to temporarily weaken penalties for bars, casinos and stores caught illegally selling alcohol to minors — if they voluntarily train employees in a responsible alcohol sales and service course.
Nov 19, 2009 | 12:00 am | (4) Comments
Little Shell Tribe’s money on hold after state audit
BILLINGS — State agencies have withheld $867,000 in grants and stimulus money from a Montana Indian tribe since auditors revealed lax accounting practices had opened the door to potential financial abuse.
Nov 19, 2009 | 12:00 am
Tester unsure of health bill stance
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester said a lot of good things Wednesday night about the sweeping Senate health care bill — but stopped short of promising to vote for it.
Nov 18, 2009 | 11:50 pm | (4) Comments
Billings man says ‘guaranteed’ tags for outfitters commercializes wildlife
If you are a nonresident hunter and you want your shot at Montana’s big game, you’ve got two options: You can hire an outfitter and pay $1,500, and you’re guaranteed a hunting license.
Nov 18, 2009 | 11:40 pm | (5) Comments
Olivares-Coster pleads guilty to all three counts
As he struggled to hold back tears, Sebastian Olivares-Coster publicly acknowledged Wednesday that he intentionally shot and tried to kill three teenage boys on a Helena hillside last June.
Nov 18, 2009 | 6:00 pm | (8) Comments
Poll shows Montanans unhappy with Obama
Montanans give President Barack Obama poor marks on job performance, don’t approve of the federal stimulus spending and think that health care will get worse under the federal health care bill, according to poll results released Tuesday.
Nov 18, 2009 | 12:00 am
Helena hosts first summit on prescription drug abuse
It’s been more than three years since Lee Ann Logan’s addicted, beloved son fell to his death off a sheer sandstone cliff overlooking Billings.
Nov 18, 2009 | 12:00 am | (4) Comments
State sues BNSF to cover some Montana rail costs
BILLINGS (AP) — Attorneys for Montana have filed a lawsuit against Burlington Northern Santa Fe Corp., accusing it of failing to live up to an agreement that requires the company to pay some grain shipping costs in central Montana.
Nov 18, 2009 | 12:00 am
