Montana/Region

Interstate crash in Montana claims 2 lives

Published on Wed, 06/14/2017 - 12:00pm

MISSOULA, Mont. — The Montana Highway Patrol says two people have died in a crash involving a truck and a car on Interstate 90 near Missoula.
Trooper Tyler Swartz says the crash occurred shortly after 10 a.m. Tuesday.
Swartz tells the Missoulian (http://bit.ly/2s8gAl1 ) that the initial investigation indicates a passenger car heading east on the interstate lost control, crossed the median and collided with a semitrailer.
The driver and passenger in the car were both killed.

Yellowstone sees drop in visitation partly because of storms

Published on Wed, 06/14/2017 - 11:54am

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. — Partly because of late spring snowstorms, fewer people visited Yellowstone National Park in May when compared with a year ago.

But it was still the second busiest May on record at the world's first national park.

Yellowstone hosted more than 419,600 visits during May, down 5.6 percent from May 2016's 444,600 visits.

Jury convicts Montana man of killing wife and 2 others

Published on Tue, 06/13/2017 - 3:33pm

RED LODGE (AP) — A Montana jury has found a 40-year-old man guilty of the 2016 shooting deaths of his wife, her sister and his brother-in-law.

After less than two hours of deliberation and six days of testimony, the jury on Monday convicted Robert James LeCou of three counts of deliberate homicide.

LeCou did not testify during the trial, the Billings Gazette reported.

Georgia fisherman drowns after falling in Montana creek

Published on Tue, 06/13/2017 - 3:31pm

BILLINGS (AP) — A 60-year-old fisherman from Georgia has drowned after falling in a creek in south-central Montana.

Carbon County Sheriff Josh McQuillan tells The Billings Gazette that Brent Bennett of Marietta, Georgia, was fishing with two friends on Monday afternoon when he fell while trying to cross Rock Creek south of Roberts and was swept away.

One of the friends found him about a half-mile downstream about 30 minutes later, but efforts to resuscitate him were unsuccessful.

Baby sitter charged with stealing prescription drugs

Published on Tue, 06/13/2017 - 3:29pm

GREAT FALLS (AP) — A woman has been charged with allegedly stealing prescription drugs from her family while babysitting their children.

The Great Falls Tribune reported Monday that Sandy Michelle Dennis is charged with criminal possession of dangerous drugs and misdemeanor theft. If convicted, Dennis faces a possible five-year prison sentence and could be fined more than $50,000.

Montana's Gianforte avoids jail time for reporter assault

Published on Mon, 06/12/2017 - 2:04pm

BOZEMAN (AP) — Montana's next congressman, Greg Gianforte, avoided jail time Monday after pleading guilty to assaulting a reporter the day before he was elected.

Gallatin County Justice of the Peace Rick West sentenced the Republican technology entrepreneur to 40 hours of community service, 20 hours of anger management counseling and ordered him to pay a $385 fine for the misdemeanor. If he remains law abiding for 180 days, he can petition for the conviction to be removed from his record.

88-year-old hospice patient takes to the skies

Published on Mon, 06/12/2017 - 10:24am
Article Image Alt Text

MISSOULA (AP) — When she was 8, Dorothy “Pat” McConnaha held an umbrella over her head and jumped off her roof, hoping to fly. She fell to the ground, breaking only her umbrella, which earned her a scolding from her mother.

McConnaha loved to watch the planes that occasionally flew over her home in Anaconda, and wished she could pilot one.

Her umbrella jump marked her first attempt at flying.

Gianforte to plead guilty to assault charge

Published on Mon, 06/12/2017 - 10:21am

HELENA (AP) — U.S. Rep.-elect Greg Gianforte of Montana will plead guilty to assaulting a reporter the day before being elected the state's only congressman last month, a prosecutor said Friday.

The Republican technology entrepreneur will enter his plea in court on Monday, when he is scheduled to be arraigned and sentenced on the misdemeanor charge, Gallatin County Attorney Marty Lambert told The Associated Press.

Gianforte requested the court hearing after reaching a civil settlement this week.

Glacier National Park maintenance backlog drops

Published on Mon, 06/12/2017 - 10:18am

KALISPELL AP) — Glacier National Park’s maintenance backlog has dropped by $31 million over the last year, according to a report by the National Park Service.

The various maintenance projects in Glacier that have been put off or delayed — collectively known as a park’s “deferred maintenance” — dropped to $148.2 million in 2016, down from $179.8 million in 2015.

The ongoing rehabilitation of the 50-mile Going-to-the-Sun Road, expected to wrap up early next year, helped knock out a substantial chunk of the existing backlog last year, the Daily Inter Lake reported  Thursday.

Law enforcement agencies prepare for Marsy’s Law in July

Published on Mon, 06/12/2017 - 10:15am

BOZEMAN (AP) — Law enforcement agencies across Montana are looking to add staff and equipment in preparation for a crime victims’ rights law that goes into effect next month.

Voters passed Marsy’s Law as an amendment to the Montana Constitution last November. It is essentially a victims’ bill of rights, such as their right to participate criminal proceedings and to be notified of an offender’s release from jail.

The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports the Gallatin County attorney’s office is asking for $179,000 for three positions to deal with the extra work.

Special Sections