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Suspicious Powder Harmless

Powder in envelope sent to state office no threat

HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Authorities say powder released when an
envelope burst while being handled by state workers posed no
threat.
Police in Butte were also looking for a suspect who could be
behind the suspicious letter mailed to the Montana Department of
Labor from a Butte address.
Three state workers and a Helena city police officer were
isolated for several hours Tuesday while emergency response workers
performed an initial test on the substance that ruled it out as a
threat to safety. The state lab will conduct more tests to verify
the finding.
Other workers on the third floor of the Walt Sullivan building
were relocated elsewhere for most of the day, and processing of
unemployment insurance filings was slowed.
The state says the envelope burst, as if there were a triggering
device to distribute the powder.

 

Town Pump Pump Wrong

HELENA (KBLL) -- Town Pump officials say "approximately 15 to 20" customers are having their cars repaired by a truck line, after after what was supposed to be an underground tank of premium gas was accidentally filled with diesel fuel last Wednesday.

Spokeswoman Maureen Kenneally says a delivery driver for Red Mountain Truck Lines, the company that delivered the fuel, accidentally put 330 gallons of diesel fuel into the Town Pump premium unleaded tank at the company's store at the corner of North Montana and Prospect avenues.

The regular unleaded tank was not effected, according to Kenneally.

Town Pump is replacing their fuel and covering all auto repair costs, and throwing in a gift card and car wash.

Red Lion is reimbursing Town Pump.

The premium tank was back in service by Saturday, after being emptied and re-filled

Because it is heavier then regular gasoline, diesel fuel will clog the fuel filter of a conventional engine, shutting off the fuel flow and stalling the engine.

JOHNSON FILES FOR PSC

HELENA-(KBLL)—Today former Secretary of State Brad Johnson filed to be a candidate for the Montana Public Service Commission in District 5.

Johnson declared that his campaign would be about protecting the rate payers of Montana.

He said, “The Public Service Commission is responsible for protecting the interests of the people of Montana. The people come first every time. We have an obligation to be fair as well. We must keep the interests of the rate payer at the forefront and at the same time preserve an environment in which utility providers can function effectively.”

Johnson added that the principle of fairness should apply to the commission as well. “I believe the people of Montana deserve balance. A Public service commission heavily dominated by ideological partisans is not good for Montana. I offer balance for the commission, and balance is a good thing.”

He concluded, “Low rates for the rate payers, reasonable profits for the providers and balance for the people of Montana. That's a good public service commission, and those are the goals I will work tirelessly to achieve as a member of the PSC.”

IMPERSONATING FBI AGENT
Man charged with impersonating FBI agent

GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) - A 19-year-old Washington, D.C. man has
made an appearance in federal court on a complaint alleging he told
officials at Great Falls International Airport that he had a
firearm in his carry-on bag and was an employee of the FBI.
Malik Hannabal Shabazz made an initial appearance Monday before
U.S. Magistrate Robert Holter on a complaint alleging false
impersonation of an officer and making false statements. He is
detained.
FBI Agent Francis J. Donato II says Shabazz told him he
pretended to be an FBI agent and claimed he had a gun to observe
the response of airport personnel.

LAND USE LAWSUIT
Flathead commissioners approve lawsuit settlement

KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) - Flathead County commissioners have
approved the settlement of a lawsuit filed after the commission
rejected a subdivision.
The settlement supported Monday would pay the developers $1
million, require the county to pave some roads and approve a
revised subdivision plan. But it also gives conservation groups 30
days to raise enough money to buy the property from Kleinhans Farm
Estates.
The 364-acre property borders the Flathead Waterfowl Production
Area along the north shore of Flathead Lake near Somers.
Developers Keith Simon and Sean Averill initially proposed a
286-lot subdivision. The settlement scales down the number of
houses and includes a $600,000 payment in exchange for keeping 150
acres open for public access.

UNION ORGANIZING-COMPLAINT
NLRB: Hospital violated law before union election

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - The National Labor Relations Board has
issued a complaint against St. Vincent Healthcare, arguing a
manager at the Billings hospital threatened to discipline nurses
who supported efforts to organize a union.
The complaint also alleges the hospital improperly tried to
prevent a former employee from communicating with workers who were
eligible to vote in the union election.
The nurses voted 263-161 last month against joining the Montana
Nurses Association.
The union reported to the NLRB in October that hospital managers
were threatening to discipline nurses who actively supported
organizing efforts.
A hearing before an administrative law judge has been set for
April 20 in Billings.
A St. Vincent spokeswoman on Monday said the hospital had no
comment on the complaint.
---
Information from: Billings Gazette,
http://www.billingsgazette.com

JANITOR DEATH
Janitor found dead in Butte school

BUTTE, Mont. (AP) - Butte-Silver Bow County officials say no
foul play is suspected in the death of a janitor whose body was
found in a Butte elementary school over the weekend.
Coroner Lee LaBreche says the death of 51-year-old Doug
Weisenberger appeared to have been caused by a medical condition.
He says an autopsy was planned.
A teacher discovered Weisenberger's body at the school Saturday
morning and contacted authorities. No children were at the school.
---
Information from: The Montana Standard,
http://www.mtstandard.com

FATAL LOVE TRIANGLE
New charge filed in fatal shooting

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - Yellowstone County prosecutors have filed
another charge against a Florida man accused of shooting a romantic
rival to death last August.
Amasa Niles IV appeared in District Court by video Monday to be
served with an amended charging document that adds a felony count
of tampering with evidence for allegedly trying to hide the
revolver used in the shooting.
Niles is charged with deliberate homicide in the Aug. 26
shooting of Troy Holland in an alley behind a Billings motel. Court
records say both men were involved with the same woman and that
Holland had arrived at the motel with a baseball bat after seeing
Niles and the woman at the motel the night before.
An attorney has said Niles will claim self defense. Niles
remains jailed on $250,000 bond and his trial is scheduled to start
on March 30.

REAL ESTATE AGENT-DRUGS
Real estate agent charged with stealing drugs

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - A 59-year-old Billings real estate agent
has acknowledged taking prescription drugs from a house that had
been listed for sale.
Brian D. Skinn pleaded guilty to felony burglary Monday before
District Judge Gregory Todd. A plea agreement calls for Skinn to be
given an 18-month deferred sentence and pay a $2,000 fine when he
is sentenced on May 11.
Court records say that on May 20, Skinn used his position as a
real estate agent to enter a house that had been listed for sale.
A video camera the homeowners had installed captured Skinn
rummaging in drawers and closets. Audio from the camera captured
the sound of someone in the kitchen emptying a pill bottle. The
homeowners found an empty pill bottle and reported another bottle
missing. Skinn had been the only real estate agent in the house
that day.
---
Information from: Billings Gazette,
http://www.billingsgazette.com

FAILING WATER TANK
Montana town hurries to replace failing water tank

BELT, Mont. (AP) - The tank that supplies water to the roughly
600 residents of the tiny Montana town of Belt is failing, and city
leaders are scrambling for a fix.
Belt water and wastewater operator Robin Franzen says the
180,000 gallon tank is leaking so badly that huge ice formations
are visible on its outer walls, and steel reinforcement bars once
inside the concrete are now exposed.
An engineer with NCI Engineering of Great Falls says the tank is
going to fail, perhaps catastrophically. Lyle Meeks says a
replacement could cost $1.2 million, but says the price may be
trimmed to make it more affordable for residents.
Belt missed out on $38 million in federal stimulus funding
earmarked for water and sewer projects in Montana.
---
Information from: Great Falls Tribune,
http://www.greatfallstribune.com

FLATHEAD LAKE-TROUT
Tribes up the ante in Montana trout tournament

POLSON, Mont. (AP) - The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes
are increasing the payouts for this year's Flathead Lake trout
fishing tournament in an effort to entice more anglers and reduce
the lake trout population.
The state and tribal co-management plan for the lake expires
this year, and the tribes want to reduce the number of lake trout
by 80,000 in 2011. They're considering a controversial gill-netting
plan to reach the goal.
But first, they want to give anglers a chance. The most
dedicated anglers could reel in $3,000 or more apiece during the
33-day tourney. People who catch 20 lake trout will get $35. An
angler who catches the limit of 50 a day, every day of the
tournament would win more than $4,800.
The tournament starts Friday.

Mont. lawsuit challenges corporate political ban

MATT GOURAS,Associated Press Writer

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A conservative group has filed a lawsuit in Montana seeking to overturn the state's ban on corporate political advocacy.

The challenge from a group called the Western Tradition Partnership comes in the wake of a U.S. Supreme Court decision paving the way for more corporate financing in elections.

The Denver-based group says that it is joined by Champion Painting of Bozeman in the lawsuit, a corporation that would like to get involved politically.

Montana state law bans corporate political contributions or expenditures.

The lawsuit only challenges the ban on expenditures, such as by running an independent television advertisement. It does not challenge the ban on direct contributions to candidates.

Group challenges sage grouse finding

MEAD GRUVER,Associated Press Writer

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — An environmental group is challenging Interior Department plans to classify sage grouse as a candidate for protection and not as threatened or endangered.

The department announced Friday that protection is warranted but precluded by higher priorities — species more in need of protection right now.

Western Watersheds questions that finding in a supplemental complaint filed Monday in U.S. District Court in Boise, Idaho.

Group attorney Laird Lucas says the notion that sage grouse aren't a high priority for protection seems unlikely after the government spent considerable time and money studying whether sage grouse deserve protection.

Western Watersheds sued in 2006 over a previous decision not to list sage grouse.

Regents approve deferred compensation for MSU prez

DILLON, Mont. (AP) — The state Board of Regents has approved a $500,000 deferred compensation package for Montana State University's new president.

In a 5-2 vote Friday, the regents approved a plan in which the MSU Foundation would purchase a life insurance policy on President Waded Cruzado (WAH'-ded cru-SAH'-doh). The policy would pay $50,000 a year in retirement benefits for 10 years, beginning when Cruzado turns 65, if she works at MSU for at least five years.

Regents Chairman Stephen Barrett praised the deferred compensation plan as a way to help Montana compete with higher paying states in hiring top administrative talent. No taxpayer money will be used to purchase the policy. Cruzado's salary is $280,000 a year.

Regent Todd Buchanan and student Regent Rob Barnosky of Billings voted against the plan.

 

UM PRESIDENT SEARCH

Committee named for UM president search

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A 20-member committee has been named to begin the search for a new president for the University of Montana.

Board of Regents Vice President Clayton Christian is chairman of the search committee, which also includes Montana Commissioner of Higher Education Sheila Stearns. The committee also includes leadership, professors and students from the University of Montana, its colleges of technology along with Montana Tech and Montana Western.

The committee is charged with finding the successor of UM President George Dennison, who is retiring on Aug. 15 after 20 years with the school.

RAPTOR CENTER-LEAD

Montana raptor center says birds harmed by lead

BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — Officials at the Montana Raptor Conservation Center near Bozeman say they have treated four raptors with lead poisoning since December.

Center Director Becky Kean says two of the birds, both bald eagles, died from the poisoning. Another bald eagle and a gold eagle are still being treated with chelation therapy.

Lead poisoning can cause birds to involuntarily clench their talons and make it impossible for them to stand. The birds can ingest lead when they eat carrion or gut piles left behind by hunters who killed animals with lead shot or lead bullets.

CRASH-FOUR KILLED

4 dead in head-on crash near Libby

LIBBY, Mont. (AP) — Four people including two young children were killed in a head-on crash on U.S. Highway 2 near Libby.

The Montana Highway Patrol says Saturday night's crash occurred after a car driven by a 17-year-old male drifted off the road and he overcorrected, causing it to flip and enter the oncoming lane.

The car struck a 1996 Ford Aerostar driven by 59-year-old Ramona Bauer.

Trooper Bryce Ford says Bauer and her two passengers, a 13-year-old boy and a 12-year-old girl, were killed. All were from Columbia Falls.

Ford says the 17-year-old driver of Libby was also killed.

Ford says neither alcohol nor speed were factors in the crash, which occurred at mile marker 72 around 6 p.m. The highway was dry.

 

 

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