Montana/Region

Former US Sen. John Melcher of Montana dies at 93

Published by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 04/13/2018 - 12:00am

HELENA (AP) — Former U.S. Sen. John Melcher, a Montana Democrat who narrowly lost a bid for a third term in 1988 just days after a wilderness bill he championed was vetoed, has died. He was 93.

Daughter Joan Melcher said Melcher died peacefully in his home in Missoula on Thursday afternoon.

Melcher’s 35-year political career included seven years in the U.S. House and then two terms in the U.S. Senate.

Canadian pharmacy to be fined millions for illegal imports

Published by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri, 04/13/2018 - 12:00am

HELENA (AP) — An online pharmacy that bills itself as Canada’s largest is expected to be fined $34 million Friday for importing counterfeit cancer drugs and other unapproved pharmaceuticals into the United States, a sentence that one advocacy group called too light for such a heinous crime.

Canada Drugs has filled millions of prescriptions by offering itself as a safe alternative for patients to save money on expensive drugs, and its founder, Kristian Thorkelson, has been hailed as an industry pioneer for starting the company in 2001.

April 12 Montana News Briefs

Published by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/12/2018 - 12:00am

Autopsy identifies body as missing Montana man

Missoula sues to expand background checks on gun buyers

Published by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/12/2018 - 12:00am

HELENA — The city of Missoula sued Montana's attorney general Wednesday in an attempt to move ahead with plans to expand background checks to include private gun sales in the city.

The lawsuit, filed in Missoula County District Court, asks a judge to overrule Attorney General Tim Fox's opinion that Missoula's background check ordinance is prohibited by state law.

Fox's opinion has the power of law unless a court overturns it, meaning the city has not had the ability to enforce the ordinance.

Man shot by Billings officer identified

Published by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/12/2018 - 12:00am

BILLINGS (AP) — Authorities have identified a man killed by a Montana police officer after allegedly threatening patrons at a casino with a pellet gun thought to be a semiautomatic pistol.

The Yellowstone County coroner’s office said Wednesday that Shawn Michael Hubbard, 44, of Billings was killed by two gunshot wounds to the chest. Hubbard was shot by an officer who reportedly believed the pellet gun was a firearm. It was Billings’ second fatal police shooting in two days.

Idaho wildlife officials pondering grizzly bear hunt

Published by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/12/2018 - 12:00am

BOISE, Idaho — Idaho officials have scheduled two public meetings as part of a process to potentially open a grizzly bear hunting season this fall that would allow the killing of one male.

The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is gathering comments to draft regulations that the Fish and Game Commission will consider in May.

The first meeting is set for Tuesday at the College of Eastern Idaho in Idaho Falls, and the second on April 19 at the Riverside Hotel in Boise.

Wyoming counts at least 347 timberwolves in state

Published by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/12/2018 - 12:00am

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Wyoming is estimated to have at least 347 wolves roaming within its borders after the state regained management of the animals and allowed limited hunting of wolves, according to an annual report issued by Wyoming state wildlife managers this week.

The number of wolves counted by state game managers at the end of 2017 is down from about 380 estimated the year before.

Wyoming State Game and Fish Department officials say the wolf population level continues to be healthy and exceeds all criteria established to show that the species is recovered.

Report: Economy strong, but trade risk looms for Northwest producers

Published by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/12/2018 - 12:00am

SPOKANE, Wash. — Northwest Farm Credit Services, the Northwest’s leading agricultural lending cooperative, has released its quarterly Market Snapshot reports that look at the state of major agricultural commodities in the region. Northwest FCS industry teams working throughout Idaho, Montana, Oregon and Washington monitor conditions and report outlooks for commodities financed by the co-op, according to a news release.

Cattle

Reassigned Interior staff blame politics, climate work

Published by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 04/12/2018 - 12:00am

BILLINGS — Sixteen senior employees at the U.S. Department of Interior reassigned to new duties under President Donald Trump's administration viewed their moves as political retribution or punishment for their work on climate change, energy or conservation, according to the results of an internal investigation released Wednesday.

However, investigators said they were unable to determine if anything illegal occurred because the agency leaders did not document their rationale for the reassignments.

EPA gives North Dakota power to regulate CO2 wells

Published by admin on Wed, 04/11/2018 - 12:00am

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The Trump administration on Tuesday gave North Dakota the power to regulate underground wells used for longterm storage of waste carbon dioxide captured from industrial sources such as coal-fired power plants.