August 2016

GUEST COLUMN: On river closures and irrigation use

As a fishing guide on the Yellowstone River I quite suddenly have a lot of idle time on my hands. Instead of working today I went for a drive down Paradise Valley and almost immediately made two interesting observations. First, Carter’s Bridge, probably the most heavily used access point on the Yellowstone River, was, on a beautiful weekend day in August, completely, eerily, devoid of life.

Italy honors quake victims as bishop warns of reconstruction

AMATRICE, Italy (AP) — An Italian bishop issued a veiled critique of the suspected shoddy construction behind the high death toll of Italy's earthquake and warned during a state funeral Tuesday that the rebuilding effort must not become a "looting" of state coffers.

"Earthquakes don't kill. What kills the most is the work of man," Rieti Bishop Domenico Pompili told the weeping crowds gathered in the shadow of Amatrice's ruins for the funeral for some of the 292 victims.

Crossbow suspect alleged to have killed mother, brothers

TORONTO (AP) — A man who allegedly used a crossbow in a triple homicide in Toronto last week killed his mother and two brothers, according to police.

A judge lifted a publication ban on the identities of the victims Tuesday and court records show the people killed in last Thursday's attack were Susan Ryan, 66, Alexander Ryan, 29, and Christopher Ryan, 42. Toronto police spokesman Mark Pugash confirmed the victims were Brett Ryan's mother and brothers.

Ryan, 35, is charged with three counts of first-degree murder.

Islamic State group says spokesman killed in Syria

BEIRUT (AP) — The Islamic State group's spokesman and chief strategist, who laid out the blueprint for the extremist group's attacks against the West, has been killed while overseeing operations in northern Syria, the group announced Tuesday.

The IS-run Aamaq news agency said Abu Muhammed al-Adnani was "martyred while surveying the operations to repel the military campaigns in Aleppo," and vowed to avenge his death. It did not provide any further details on when or how he died.

Prosecution presents case to oust Brazil President Rousseff

BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — The lead prosecutor in the trial to oust Brazil's first female president said Tuesday that Dilma Rousseff had committed "fraud" in her accounting practices, then came to tears saying she hopes the leader forgives her for causing her to suffer.

Speaking on the fifth day of a trial to decide Rousseff's fate, Janaina Paschoal said the leader had broken fiscal responsibility laws in managing the federal budget. "We are not dealing with a little accounting problem, we are dealing with fraud," she said.

LePage: Reports of my political demise 'greatly exaggerated'

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Amid political pressure and calls for his resignation, Republican Gov. Paul LePage said Tuesday that he wants to make amends with the Democratic legislator he targeted in an obscene voicemail message, but he tweeted that any reports of his "political demise are greatly exaggerated."

Speaking on WVOM-FM radio, LePage apologized for his tirade last week toward Rep. Drew Gattine and said it was "unacceptable and totally my fault."

Politics, shootings undercut criminal justice overhaul

WASHINGTON (AP) — Hopes for overhauling the nation's criminal justice system have faded in Congress this year, undercut by a rash of summer shootings involving police and the pressure of election-year politics.

North Carolina beaches thin out ahead of tropical weather

RODANTHE, N.C. (AP) — Crowds thinned Tuesday on the beaches of North Carolina's Outer Banks ahead of a tropical weather system that threatened to bring strong winds and heavy rains that could flood low-lying areas.

Elsewhere, a powerful hurricane threatened to pass "dangerously close" to Hawaii and another tropical depression churned in Gulf of Mexico waters with the potential to bring rain and wind to Florida.

Seattle weighs new rules for businesses with hourly workers

SEATTLE (AP) — Seattle leaders have proposed new rules for retail and food-service businesses with hourly employees, including requiring them to schedule shifts two weeks in advance and compensate workers for some last-minute changes.

It's the latest push by a city that has led the nation in mandating worker benefits.

Seattle was among the first to phase in a $15 hourly minimum wage, mandate sick leave for many companies and offer paid parental leave for city workers.

Governor declares state of emergency over fish kill

Following Montana Gov. Steve Bullock’s executive order proclaiming an “invasive species emergency,” representatives from state and federal agencies offered assistance Monday to Livingston area employees who have lost jobs and businesses that have lost income due to the Yellowstone River closure.