Weekly News Roundup
Week ended July 21, 2024
Extreme Heat Returns This Week
By Denise Rivette The Billings office of the National Weather Service predicts extreme heat will impact the region this week. The hottest days will be Wednesday & Thursday, when temperatures over 100° are expected. There is also potential for a cold front to produce thunderstorms along with gusty winds late Thursday.
President Biden Bows Out of Reelection Campaign, Endorses Vice President Harris
By Jacob Fischler and Ashley Murray for States Newsroom WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden dropped out of the 2024 presidential race Sunday, he said in a letter posted to social media, creating an unprecedented vacancy atop the Democratic ticket one month before he was scheduled to officially accept his party’s nomination.
Wildfire Smoke Increasing Over Next 24 Hours
By Denise Rivette According to the Billings office of the National Weather Service smoke will be on the increase over the next 24 hours from wildfires over the western US and Canada. Limit your time outdoors if you are sensitive to smoke.Montana Independent News is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Carbon County Sheriff Releases Name of Hiker Missing in East Rosebud Creek
By Denise Rivette In a press release issued by Red Lodge Fire Rescue Friday night, Carbon County Sheriff Josh McQuillan identified the hiker that fell into the East Rosebud Creek on Friday, July 12, as Dylan Honnoll of Minnesota. The release went on to state, “Dylan is believed to have suffered fatal injuries after falling into the rapids at the outlet of Rimrock Lake in the East Rosebud drainage” as he was attempting to cross the creek near the outlet of Rimrock Lake. Honnoll fell while hiking the well-known Beaten Path trail from East Rosebud Lake to Cooke City with a friend. He had just completed his sophomore year at Montana State University, was active in sports, and had spent a lifetime in the outdoors with his family and friends.
Hunter Peffers Escapes from Great Falls Pre-Release Center
By Denise Rivette Hunter Peffers, 26, is wanted by law enforcement for escaping from a Montana Department of Corrections Pre-Release Center. His absence was noticed when he failed to return from his place of work on July 14, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. He is 6 feet tall and weighs 200 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black polo shirt, tan pants and using a walking stick. He was most noticeable around Carbon County before his incarceration for wearing “mountain man” style clothing. If you see or know where Peffers is, please call 911.
Commentary: Litigating Your Right to Know in Montana
Jacob Linfesty for the Daily Montanan In our prior columns, we’ve written about your fundamental right to know and how it provides all Montanans with an important way to interact with our state and local governments: You have a right to know how your government makes decisions, spends money and conducts its business, and you can get that information by simply asking the most relevant state or local agency (and we’d love to help you do so). Much of the time, Montanans can make requests and receive information with no personal cost.
Study: Dollar Stores Entry Into Rural Communities Often Adds to Rural Grocery Challenges
By Liz Carey for the Daily Yonder The influx of dollar stores into the rural landscape can have a devastating effect on grocery stores and other small businesses in rural areas, research has found. When dollar stores move into a rural area, independent grocery stores are more likely to close, says a new study released by the
‘Lady Justice’ Stolen in Montana Supreme Court Clerk Campaign
By Keila Szpaller for the Daily Montanan Justice hasn’t just been delayed. It hasn’t just been denied. “Lady Justice” has been stolen. From the back of a Toyota minivan. Parked near downtown Missoula. A costume of the popular symbol of American justice, complete with blindfold, scales and toga, was unjustly taken from Erin Farris-Olsen’s minivan earlier this week as she was campaigning for clerk of the Montana Supreme Court.
Despite What Some Politicians Say, Crime Rates are Decreasing
By Amanda Hernandez for States Newsroom Violent crime in the United States dropped significantly in the first quarter of 2024 compared with the same period last year, according to the FBI’s Quarterly Uniform Crime Report released earlier this month.
Three Ballot Measures Cross Signature Threshold to be Included in Montana’s November Election
By Darrell Ehrlick for the Daily Montanan Three ballot initiatives, two that could change the way candidates are selected in primary elections, as well as one to enshrine reproductive rights in the Montana Constitution, crossed an initial threshold, signaling that all three measures will likely be before voters in the 2024 general election in November.
Political Practices Commissioner Says He Won’t Take Action on ‘The Worst Kept Secret’ in Montana
By Darrell Ehrlick for the Daily Montanan Calling it the worst-kept secret in Montana politics, Montana Commissioner of Political Practices Chris Gallus said that a dispute between the executive director of Montana Democratic Party and Republican Attorney General Austin Knudsen was the first time either party challenged what has been a 30-year legal “loophole,” exploited by both parties.
Montana Secretary of State Asks State Supreme Court to Take Over Initiative Case
By Keila Szpaller for the Daily Montanan Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen and Attorney General Austin Knudsen are asking the state Supreme Court to throw out a district court’s order that restored the way signatures are counted for three Constitutional ballot initiatives that will likely be before voters in 2024.
IT Glitch Causing Delays in Flights, Business Operations Globally
By Paige Gross for States Newsroom Air travel, banking, media and hospital systems are just some of the industries affected by a bug in a software update that has scrambled business operations for many globally Friday morning. Many of those who use Microsoft Windows are likely experiencing a “blue screen of death” or an error page. The issue is due to a single bug in a software update from cybersecurity company CrowdStrike, which provides antivirus software for Microsoft users.
Bozeman-Based Technology Company at the Center of a Massive Data Breach
By Darrell Ehrlick for the Daily Montanan A Bozeman-based technology company is at the center of a class-action lawsuit, a Congressional investigation and a massive data breach that could affect more than a half billion customers. Snowflake, Inc., is a cloud-based data hosting company used by some of the biggest and most recognized companies in America and abroad. Those companies, including Ticketmaster, AT&T and Advanced Auto Parts, have housed customers’ personally identifying information with Snowflake, but according to the class-action lawsuit filed in federal court in Butte, the company didn’t take measures to secure the data, which may have been compromised as early as 2020 through June 2024.
Medicaid ‘Unwinding’ Complete in Montana, Nearly 24,000 People Still Pending
By Keila Szpaller for the Daily Montanan Medicaid redetermination is officially done, but more than 23,000 people are still waiting to find out whether they qualify, according to a final report discussed Wednesday in a legislative committee. And the head of the Montana Health Care Association said its members are still waiting on $8.8 million in
Imagination Library Expands Across Montana, Governor’s Office announces
By Keila Szpaller for the Daily Montanan Imagination Library of Montana celebrated the statewide expansion earlier this summer of the program providing free books to children. An initiative of First Lady Susan Gianforte, Imagination Library of Montana is a partner of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. The Governor’s Office announced in June the growth of the nonprofit that boosts early childhood literacy.
Senator Tester Calls on Biden Not to Seek Another Term
By Darrell Ehrlick for the Daily Montanan U.S. Sen. Jon Tester talks with President Joe Biden at the White House in 2022 (Photo via Getty Images). Montana’s senior U.S. senator and only Democratic member of the Congressional delegation is calling on President Joe Biden, also a Democrat, to not seek re-election in November.
Kansas Man Admits Defrauding Montana Rancher in Hay Scam During Drought
Press Release from U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Montana BILLINGS — A Kansas man accused of devising a scheme to steal from Montana and Wyoming ranchers who were trying to find hay to feed their livestock during a drought admitted to a fraud charge today, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said.
Montana’s Plan to Curb Opioid Overdoses Includes Vending Machines
By Mara Silvers for Montana Free Press Before she stopped using drugs for good, Cierra Coon estimates that she overdosed eight times in a span of two weeks in the fall of 2022. One of those times, the opioid overdose reversal drug naloxone helped save her life.
Tribal nations, Urban Indian Health Organizations, to Receive $6.5M for Behavioral Health Support
By Keila Szpaller for the Daily Montanan Tribal nations and Urban Indian Health Organizations will receive $6.5 million in one-time grants for behavioral health services in Native American communities, the Governor’s Office announced Wednesday. The Behavioral Health System for Future Generations Commission recommended the investment, the latest allocation of the $300 million in funding to support behavioral health and developmental disabilities systems in Montana.
Judge Blasts DEQ for Lack of Public Notice in Permitting West Yellowstone Wastewater System
By Darrell Ehrlick for the Daily Montanan Gallatin County District Court Judge Andrew Breuner had two unenviable choices: Hurt the water or hurt the economy. He chose neither in a decision regarding permitting a private wastewater system that sits near one of the greatest tourist destinations on earth, Yellowstone National Park.
Heritage Foundation Touts Controversial Project 2025 Plan on RNC Outskirts
By Ashley Murray for States Newsroom MILWAUKEE — Despite former President Donald Trump’s denial of any connection to the conservative presidential transition plan known as Project 2025, the initiative’s driver, the Heritage Foundation, promoted the platform mere blocks from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, attracting officials and personalities from the party’s most conservative wing.
California Representative Schiff Latest Democrat to Call on Biden to Drop Out
By Shauneen Miranda and Jennifer Shutt for States Newsroom WASHINGTON — The intraparty effort to convince President Joe Biden to end his reelection bid resurfaced Wednesday, when prominent U.S. Representative Adam Schiff of California became the latest Democratic member of Congress to go public with his concerns.
RNC Talks About Crime, Violence Against Women
By Shaun Griswold for States Newsroom MILWAUKEE — The public safety theme on the second evening at the Republican National Convention included a message from Forest County Potawatomi Chairman James Crawford. His introductory remarks had a land acknowledgement tone for the host city, despite it not being explicit on the evening speech program.
Pollution Knows No Borders
Kylie Mohr for High Country News When coal miners north of Fernie, British Columbia, blast into the mountains, the piles of rocks left behind leach selenium into the Elk River, which flows south into the Kootenai River. In small quantities, selenium is an essential nutrient, but larger amounts are toxic to humans and other species. The Kootenai’s levels are so high that some local tribal members are wary of fishing in Lake Koocanusa, a reservoir on the U.S.-Canada border. “People are very cautious about what they put in their bellies up there,” said Rich Janssen (Qlispe), head of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes’ Natural Resources Department. Any selenium that doesn’t settle in the lake flows into Montana, then Idaho, then back into British Columbia.
Three Inmates Die in Cascade County Detention Center in Two Weeks
By Matt Hudson for Montana Free Press Three inmates have died in custody at the Cascade County Detention Center since June 29. Leon Laverdure, 51, died on June 29. Julius Lowe, 28, died on July 5. Andrew Swager, 58, died on July 10. Lewis and Clark Sheriff’s Office, which provided the coroner in the cases, confirmed the names of the deceased.
Iowa State University Research Identifies Possible Point of Entry for Avian Flu in Cattle
By Brooklyn Draisey for States Newsroom As avian influenza is being detected in more and more dairy herds across the U.S., Iowa State University (ISU) researchers have found a possible “why” connection to the virus being found in raw milk. A study published this month by a team in ISU’s College of Veterinary Medicine found that bovine mammary gland tissue held receptors for the avian influenza virus, offering a potential explanation for how cattle are being infected.
Three Large Wildfires Burning in Montana as Weather Stubbornly Hovers Around Triple Digits
By Darrell Ehrlick for the Daily Montanan As of Tuesday, three large active fires in Montana had spread across more than 46,000 acres, or a combined area of more than 70 square miles. The three fires — Deadman (which includes four different fires), Horse Gulch, and Miller Peak, also span the state as forecasters call for very high temperatures coupled with wind — dangerous fire conditions that may continue into next week.
Montana Judge Tells Secretary of State Not to Change Rules Midstream for Counting Signatures
By Keila Szpaller for the Daily Montanan The Montana Secretary of State can’t automatically reject signatures of “inactive” voters who signed petitions to place Constitutional initiatives on the ballot, a Lewis and Clark County District Court judge ruled Tuesday, as he granted a temporary restraining order.
Hecla Says ‘Bad Actor’ Lawsuit Dismissed, Coalition Vows to Keep Fighting Mine
By Keila Szpaller for the Daily Montanan With the dismissal of a “bad actor” lawsuit following the retirement of former CEO Phillips Baker Jr., mining company Hecla said it is ramping up exploration in the Cabinet Mountains area south of Libby. But a coalition of Indian tribes and environmental groups said it will keep fighting to enforce Montana laws that prevent “irresponsible mining” and leave Montanans to pick up the tab.
Pintler Commercial Timber Sales Can Continue, Noncommercial Work Must Stop, Judge Says
By Keila Szpaller for the Daily Montanan Commercial timber sales that are part of the Pintler Face Project in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest can continue, but all non-commercial activities must stop for the time being, a federal judge ruled Friday.
Trump pick of J.D. Vance as running mate opens new battlefront in presidential race
By Jennifer Shutt and Ashley Murray for States Newsroom MILWAUKEE — Republicans on the floor of the Republican National Convention (RNC) cheered Ohio Senator J.D. Vance becoming their vice presidential nominee Monday, as Democrats slammed his opposition to abortion rights and called him inexperienced and a “clone” of Donald Trump.
Democrat and Republican Party Platforms
By Denise Rivette The draft Democrat and Republican party platforms have been released. Links to them can be found below: The Republican Party Platform is not on their website but was found elsewhere on line. The Democrat Party Platform was found on their website.
Tester Calls for Investigation, Daines Mourns with Families
By Keila Szpaller for the Daily Montanan U.S. Senator Jon Tester called on the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs to investigate the attack Saturday against former President Donald Trump. Trump was wounded and is recovering from the assassination attempt at a political rally in Pennsylvania. Two people are dead including
Biden Asks the Nation for Unity, Promises Security Review After Trump Shooting
By Ariana Figueroa for States Newsroom WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden Sunday called for unity and pledged an independent review following the campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday where former President Donald J. Trump was shot and injured.
Commentary: Don’t forget the everyday goodness that still exists in America
By Darrell Ehrlick for the Daily Montanan Of all the questions I asked my grandparents who lived through the tumultuous 1960s, a time of political strife, immense change and social turmoil, I never asked if they were frightened for their children – my parents, aunts and uncles.