Montana/Region

COVID spikes exacerbate health worker shortages

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COVID-19 cases are surging in rural places across the Mountain States and Midwest, and when it hits health care workers, ready reinforcements aren’t easy to find.

Trumpeter swan cygnets released in Yellowstone National Park

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BILLINGS (AP) — Yellowstone National Park may be well-known for its role in rebuilding populations of large mammals like grizzly bears, wolves and bison, yet trumpeter swans have a similar story of dogged recovery that is not as well known.

Man’s motorcycle, stolen 4 years ago, anonymously returned

MISSOULA (AP) — Miles McCarvel didn’t think he was ever going to get his 1972 Harley-Davidson motorcycle back after it was stolen four years ago.

Montana sues businesses not complying with mask mandate

HELENA (AP) — Montana Gov. Steve Bullock said Thursday that the state health department is pursuing legal action against several businesses in northwestern Montana after they failed to follow restrictions meant to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Oct. 21 Montana News Briefs

Yellowstone proposes earlier opening date for East Entrance

Judge denies tribes’ bid to halt Keystone oil pipeline work

BILLINGS (AP) — A federal judge has denied a request by Native American tribes to halt construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada over worries about potential spills and damage to cultural sites. Work started this spring on the long-stalled pipeline that would carry oil sands crude from Hardisty, Alberta to Steele City, Nebraska.

Student lawsuit demands tuition refunds from Montana State

BOZEMAN (AP) — Students at Montana State University have sued the university claiming it broke a contractual agreement with its students when it canceled in-person classes without offering to refund or reduce tuition and fees.

Political cop: Cooney accepted excess campaign donation

HELENA (AP) — Lt. Gov. Mike Cooney accepted overthe-limit donations from the Democratic Governors Association, including the disputed cost of creating a website that neither the DGA nor Cooney reported as an in-kind donation to his campaign, Montana’s commissioner of political practices found.

Montana lawmakers reject power grab by majority Republicans

HELENA (AP) — Montana lawmakers have rejected legislative rule changes that would have authorized majority leaders of the House and Senate to break tie votes in legislative interim committees, which are usually comprised of Democrats and Republicans in equal numbers.

Helena man struck and killed while helping son at crash site

HELENA (AP) — A Helena man who responded to his son’s call for help after he lost control of his pickup truck on icy roads was struck and killed when another vehicle spun out on a bridge near East Helena, the Montana Highway Patrol reported.