April 2016

Protesters get rowdy at California hotel before Trump speech

BURLINGAME, Calif. — Several hundred protesters opposing Donald Trump gathered Friday outside the hotel where he was scheduled to speak to Republicans, and some broke through a steel barricade and approached the venue's entrance.

Police in riot gear stood shoulder-to-shoulder to keep demonstrators back as they were pelted with eggs. The crowd chanted anti-Trump slogans in a rowdy scene reminiscent of protests that grew out of hand following a Trump rally in Southern California the night before.

Ex-Montana Sen. Conrad Burns dies

HELENA, Mont. — Former Montana Sen. Conrad Burns, a former cattle auctioneer whose folksy demeanor and political acumen earned him three terms and the bitter disdain of his opponents, died Thursday. He was 81.

Burns died of natural causes at his home in Billings, Montana Republican Party Executive Director Jeff Essmann said.

"He was a colorful figure who loved people, politics and to serve," Essmann said. "He brought a common-man, common-sense approach to his work in the Senate and returned to his home in Billings when his work was done."

Deputy rescues 2-year-old child from Yellowstone River

BILLINGS, Mont. — A Yellowstone County sheriff's deputy rescued a 2-year-old boy who fell into the Yellowstone River.

Capt. Bill Michaelis says the deputy had responded to a report at 9:20 a.m. Friday that a 2-year-old and 5-year-old were missing. The boys' father had driven their mother to work and when he returned home the children weren't there.

Deputy Adam Lauwers spotted the boys along the river bank at 9:43 a.m.

Montana Crow Tribe game warden convicted of poaching elk

SHERIDAN, Wyo.  — A jury has convicted a Montana tribal game warden of poaching in northern Wyoming.

After the jury in Sheridan returned its verdict Friday, Circuit Court Judge Shelley A. Cundiff sentenced Clayvin Herrera to one year of unsupervised probation and fined him $7,500.

San Francisco chief releases racist texts, orders training

SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco's police chief said Friday that he has ordered that all officers finish an anti-harassment class within the next month amid a racist texting scandal that has rocked the department already dogged by fatal shootings of unarmed minority suspects.

Police criticize BYU investigations into sex assault victims

SALT LAKE CITY — Several Utah police officials are joining in calls to change Brigham Young University's practice of opening honor code investigations into students after they report being sexually assaulted, as more sexual assault victims reach out to police to say they have felt silenced by the policy.

The decision by three Provo police leaders to call for changes at the Mormon-owned school marks a significant development in the insular, predominantly Mormon community.

Study: US oil field source of global uptick in air pollution

WASHINGTON — An oil and natural gas field in the western United States is largely responsible for a global uptick of the air pollutant ethane, according to a new study.

The team led by researchers at the University of Michigan found that fossil fuel production at the Bakken Formation in North Dakota and Montana is emitting roughly 2 percent of the ethane detected in the Earth's atmosphere.

Friend of Charleston church massacre suspect pleads guilty

CHARLESTON, S.C. — A friend of the white man accused of killing nine black parishioners during a Bible study at a Charleston church last year pleaded guilty Friday to lying to federal authorities. He also revealed the suspect told him he had intended to kill himself after the slayings, which he had planned for months.

Police: Mother arrested after child exposed to meth, dies

GREAT FALLS, Mont. — Police arrested a Great Falls woman on suspicion of felony endangerment in the death of her 10-month-old daughter, who prosecutors say had been exposed to methamphetamine and whose body was found in a "freezing cold" room in January.

Misty Marie Cutburth was arrested Thursday, the Great Falls Tribune reported.

Court documents say the state Division of Child and Family Services received two reports in October 2015 from people concerned about drug use by the mother.

Famous paleontologist celebrated at Museum of the Rockies

BOZEMAN, Mont. — A $3 million endowment has been set up at the Museum of the Rockies in honor of renowned paleontologist Jack Horner, who is retiring after 34 years as the museum's curator of paleontology.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports the announcement came Thursday as 100 people gathered at the Montana State University-affiliated museum to honor Horner.

Whitney and Betty MacMillan of the museum's national advisory board donated the money to create the endowed position, the John R. Horner curator of paleontology.