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Latest Montana news, sports, business and entertainment:
HUMAN REMAINS
Human remains found in Missoula identified
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) - Authorities say human remains
discovered in the Clark Fork River in Missoula over the weekend
are those of a transient man who was last seen in March 2008.
Missoula County Sheriff's Capt. Greg Hintz says the
skeletal remains of 59-year-old Jesus Garza had probably been in
the water for a year and a half until a man walking his dog found
them washed up in a log jam Sunday.
Hintz says Garza was never reported missing, but last had
contact with law enforcement two years ago.
The man's family in Washington state has been notified of
the death.
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Information from: Missoulian, http://www.missoulian.com
COCAINE TRAFFICKING
3 men convicted in Billings cocaine conspiracy
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - A cocaine conspiracy that brought
down Carbon County Attorney Robert Eddleman and Billings designer
Terri Jabs Kurth has led to the convictions of three men accused
of supplying the drug.
On Thursday, a federal jury convicted 40-year-old Billings
resident Domingo Baez and two co-defendants -- 30-year-old
Maurisio Ramirez and 32-year-old Gilberto Acevedo, both of
Wenatchee, Wash. -- of conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
The jury found that the men conspired to bring between
approximately a pound and 11 pounds of the drug to the Billings
area between January 2007 and September 2008.
They face a minimum mandatory sentence of five to 40 years
in prison and up to a $2 million fine.
Eddleman and Kurth acknowledged giving cocaine to friends
at parties in their Red Lodge and Billings homes.
Kurth is serving an eight-month sentence, and Eddleman was
sentenced to 2 1/2 years.
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Information from: Billings Gazette,
http://www.billingsgazette.com
MEDICAL MARIJUANA-BOZEMAN
Bozeman OKs interim zoning for marijuana stores
BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) - The Bozeman City Commission has ruled
that new medical marijuana businesses will not be allowed to set
up shop within 1,000 feet of a school, and such businesses
currently operating within the new boundaries can't accept any
new patients.
Commissioners voted 3-1 Thursday to adopt the interim
ordinance, which will be in effect for six months. In the
meantime, city officials say they hope to draft permanent rules
for where medical marijuana can be grown, sold and used.
The ordinance defines a "school" as any public or private
K-12 school or vocational school. Commissioners chose not to
include Montana State University in the definition.
Several cities across the state have placed a moratorium on
medical marijuana businesses while leaders decide zoning issues.
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Information from:
KBZK-TV, http://www.kbzk.com
Bozeman Daily Chronicle,
http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com
CANADIAN DRUGS
Governor wants state to get drugs from Canada
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - Gov. Brian Schweitzer says he is
seeking federal permission to import cheaper drugs from Canada
for use in the state insurance programs.
Schweitzer says the state spends about $100 million a year
on prescription drugs for Medicaid, the children's health
insurance program, state employees, and inmates at the prison.
He estimates $40 million could be saved by getting
prescription drugs from Canada.
The governor says he envisions the state setting up a deal
with a Canadian wholesaler who could mail the drugs to local
pharmacies.
The U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services says it
has not seen the request yet and couldn't comment.
The governor says he believes the agency director can
legally grant such a waiver.
MOLNAR-ETHICS
Hearings officer: PSC's Brad Molnar violated ethics law
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - A hearings officer has found that
Public Service Commissioner Brad Molnar violated state ethics
laws by accepting illegal donations and using state office
equipment for campaign purposes.
University of Montana professor William Corbett recommended
Molnar be fined $5,750 and pay for part of the proceedings
against him because Molnar refusal to acknowledge any wrongdoing,
was evasive, attacked the complainant and caused delays in the
proceedings.
The complaint was filed by Mary Jo Fox of Billings, the
campaign manager for Ron Tussing, Molnar's opponent in the 2008
election. The hearing was held in November.
Corbett found that Molnar illegally took $1,000
contributions from NorthWestern Energy and PPL Montana for pay
for brochures that were later used as campaign materials.
He also found that Molnar improperly used his state
computer and e-mail system in campaign activities.
REHBERG STAFFER-POACHING
Politics stir poaching case against Rehberg aide
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) - A top aide to Montana Republican
Rep. Denny Rehberg on Thursday insisted he was innocent of elk
poaching allegations and said they were fueled by partisan
politics -- but a newly released affidavit in the case
contradicts the aide's story.
Rehberg state director Randy Vogel is due in a Virginia
City courtroom next week for alleged hunting violations that
could land him in prison for up to six months if convicted.
Sorting out the truth could be difficult: Vogel says he has
since sold to an anonymous buyer the rifle authorities suspect
was used to shoot the young bull elk near Ennis last November.
Vogel said he didn't shoot the elk, that other hunters were
in the area and that he later cooperated with investigators.
All of those claims run counter to an affidavit state
wildlife officials submitted Thursday in state District Court in
Madison County.
ROCKIES WOLVES-COUNT
Wolf population rose last year in Northern Rockies
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - The wolf population in the Northern
Rockies rose in 2009, but at the lowest growth rate in nearly 15
years.
A U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service report released Thursday
says there were a minimum 1,706 wolves inhabiting Montana, Idaho
and Wyoming in 2009, compared to at least 1,650 wolves the year
before.
The report says population growth has slowed to less than 4
percent. That's the lowest growth rate since 1995.
The report could bolster the federal government's assertion
that wolves are doing fine since losing Endangered Species Act
protections last year.
The exception is Wyoming, where federal protections remain
in force.
Environmentalists are asking a federal court to overturn
the loss of protections for wolves in Montana and Idaho.
SAGE GROUSE-LIVESTOCK GRAZING
Court favors sage grouse in Montana grazing lawsuit
HELENA, Mont. (AP) - The U.S. Forest Service must
re-examine how livestock grazing affects sage grouse habitat in
southwestern Montana after an appeals court ruled its original
assessment was not reliable.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the Forest
Service on Tuesday to prepare a new environmental assessment for
its livestock allotments in the 48,000-acre Antelope Basin.
Tens of thousands of acres have been identified as sage
grouse habitat, but few of the chicken-sized birds can be found
there.
Michael Garrity of the Alliance for the Wild Rockies says
the ruling means the Forest Service must ensure that grazing will
not harm the sage grouse's recovery.
The Forest Service did not immediately return a call from
The Associated Press seeking comment.
(Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights
Reserved.)
AP-NY-03-12-10 0332EST
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