Montana/Region

Montana Governor: stay home

Published on Fri, 03/27/2020 - 3:59pm

HELENA (AP) — Montana Gov. Steve Bullock on Thursday announced that he’s ordering the state’s 1 million residents to stay in their homes in a stepped-up effort to fight the spread of the coronavirus.

The stay-at-home order goes into effect Saturday and lasts until April 10. Under it, people will be allowed to leave home to shop for necessities such as food, to seek medical care and for outdoor activities — as long as they stay 6 feet apart from one another — among other exceptions. Essential activities, services and businesses will be allowed to continue uninterrupted.

Montana sees first coronavirus-related death

Published on Fri, 03/27/2020 - 3:09pm

HELENA (AP) — A Montana resident who had COVID-19 has died, marking the state’s first death related to the disease caused by the coronavirus, Gov. Steve Bullock said. 

Bullock announced the death Thursday night, but did not release the person’s identity or where the person lived. Health officials were contacting relatives, he said.

Report forecasts significant tourism and hospitality job losses in Wyoming

Published on Fri, 03/27/2020 - 3:08pm

Wyoming could potentially experience a nearly 12% drop in employment by this summer, according to a report released Wednesday by the Economic Policy Institute, with the state’s tourism and hospitality sector disproportionately feeling the pain from those losses.

MT unemployment claims surge as result of new coronavirus

Published on Fri, 03/27/2020 - 3:07pm

HELENA (AP) — Montana’s unemployment claims are surging as some businesses have closed and others have reduced services due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Montana received just over 14,000 applications for unemployment benefits in the week ending March 21, a nearly 1,700% increase over the previous week and a 1,917% increase over the same week a year ago, officials said Thursday. The increase overwhelmed the Department of Labor and Industry’s online application system.

More than 460 Yellowstone bison killed so far this season

Published on Fri, 03/27/2020 - 3:04pm

With the season nearing its end, tribal hunters have killed more than 200 Yellowstone National Park bison this winter with another 267 shipped to slaughter, according to information gathered by the National Park Service as of March 20.

The goal for this season was to remove 600 to 900 bison. Lawsuits filed last year to halt the bison hunts were unsuccessful.

Short Takes

Published on Fri, 03/27/2020 - 3:04pm

Warm days bring early-season wildfires to Crow Reservation

BILLINGS (AP) — Crow Agency firefighting officials on Friday banned open burning on the southeastern Montana reservation following a string of small, early-season wildfires. 

Fire crews responded to 13 small fires in the last week, including at least three started by children and four sparked by a truck pulling another vehicle on a frontage road along Interstate 90, according to fire officials with the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Crow Agency.

Montana expands mail ballot, early voting for primaries

Published on Thu, 03/26/2020 - 4:30pm
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HELENA (AP) — Montana counties and school districts will be able to conduct elections by mail and expand early voting for the June 2 primary elections and school elections this spring, Gov. Steve Bullock said Wednesday. 

Bullock signed a directive that aims to allow the elections to proceed without risking the health and safety of voters and poll workers amid the coronavirus outbreak. 

Idaho Gov. Brad Little issues statewide stay-at-home order

Published on Thu, 03/26/2020 - 4:24pm

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Idaho Gov. Brad Little on Wednesday issued a statewide stay-at-home order as the coronavirus continues to spread. 

Little announced the order will remain in effect for 21 days. 

Idaho has more than 91 confirmed cases of COVID-19 spread throughout the state. 

The stay-at-home order requires Idaho’s 1.75 million residents to self-isolate at home unless they are health care workers, public safety employees or other “essential workers” such as grocery store employees. 

18 new Wyo. coronavirus cases in 24 hours, bringing state total to 47

Published on Thu, 03/26/2020 - 4:23pm

Wyoming’s known coronavirus cases jumped more than 60 percent in a little more than 24 hours as the respiratory disease spread its reach across the state.

The known number of cases here has changed sometimes by the hour, but as of 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, there have been 47 identified cases in 10 Wyoming counties. The new cases, which began to be confirmed Tuesday night, include two in Natrona County; four in Teton County; one in Sweetwater County; four in Laramie County; four in Fremont County; one in Carbon County; and one in Albany County.

Ruling: State, local officers can’t make immigration arrests

Published on Thu, 03/26/2020 - 4:23pm

HELENA (AP) — State and local law enforcement officers in Montana do not have the authority to arrest people on federal civil immigration detainers, the Montana Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.