Montana/Region

U. of Montana is making progress on closing budget gap

MISSOULA (AP) — The University of Montana aims to bring down roughly half of its $10 million budget shortfall this fiscal year. Vice President of Administration and Finance Rosi Keller

Man accused of getting near geyser arrested in chase

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A man accused of walking dangerously close to Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park faces additional charges after a police chase in Wyoming’s capital city.

Ex-student athletes say trainer sexually abused them

BILLINGS (AP) — Former student athletes at a Montana high school say the school’s former athletic trainer sexually abused them and dozens of others under the guise of boosting their

STATE/REGION SHORTS

Upgrading voter registration HELENA (AP) — Montana plans to upgrade the hardware and software used in the state’s voter registration system using just over $2 million of a $3 million

Group looking at reducing health insurance premiums

HELENA (AP) — The state of Montana has created a bipartisan working group with the goal of finding a way to stabilize premiums for health insurance policies under the Affordable

North Dakota cuts bighorn licenses as disease persists

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota’s Game and Fish Department is issuing only three bighorn sheep hunting licenses this year because the western Badlands population is still dealing with a

Southern Idaho school district adding unarmed security aides

TWIN FALLS, Idaho (AP) — A southern Idaho school district is adding unarmed security aides to help bolster the protection of its students and faculty. Twin Falls School District trustees

REGION SHORTS

› Home lost in growing wildfire JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — Officials say one home has been burned in a growing wildfire in western Wyoming. The fire in the Bridger-Teton National

Woman who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart has been released from prison

DRAPER, Utah (AP) — A woman who helped kidnap Elizabeth Smart and stood by as the Utah girl was sexually assaulted was released from prison Wednesday amid concerns that she

Woman who saved boy from dog attack among 16 Carnegie heroes

PITTSBURGH (AP) — A receptionist who used a child’s booster seat to fight off a pit bull that was attacking a 12-year-old boy is one of 16 people being honored