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PLANE CRASH-HOUSE
Small plane crashes into house in Kalispell (Information in the following story is from: KCFW-TV, http://www.kcfw.com) KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) — Authorities say a small plane carrying three persons and two dogs crashed into a house in Kalispell Saturday afternoon. Fire officials tell KCFW-TV (http://bit.ly/wGXaWH ) that no one sustained serious injuries, including a resident in the house. Witnesses reported the plane flying low among trees before it crashed. TRIBAL LEADER-ASSAULT Fort Peck Tribal Council member arrested (Information in the following story is from: Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com) BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A law enforcement official says a Fort Peck Tribal Council member has been arrested on suspicion of felony assault on a law enforcement officer, DUI and resisting arrest. Fort Peck Councilman Mike Thompson was arrested Friday evening in Terry. He is one of the highest ranking people in the tribal government. Prairie County Undersheriff Gregory Huber says Thompson is being held at the Dawson County Detention Center in Glendive. Jail officials tell the Billings Gazette (http://bit.ly/zgDn2f) that a bond won't be set until Thompson's first court date, expected Monday. MEDICAL MARIJUANA-SEX CHARGES Miles City medical pot provider faces sex charges (Information in the following story is from: Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com) BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A Miles City man who pleaded guilty to federal drug charges stemming from medical marijuana raids has been charged with sexual intercourse without consent. Thirty-four-year-old Justin Lane Flor was charged Thursday in Custer County Justice Court after authorities say he had sex with a minor under the age of 16 numerous times in January. The age of consent is 16. The Billings Gazette (http://bit.ly/y3N9Gv) reports that Flor posted a $25,000 bond. His next court appearance is set for Feb. 15. Last month Flor pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute marijuana, as well as possessing the drug with intent to distribute. His father, Richard Flor, 68, also of Miles City, acknowledged conspiring to maintain a drug-involved premises. They are scheduled to be sentenced April 19 in that case. BALLPARK FALL-DEATH Deadly fall at baseball park prompts lawsuit (Information in the following story is from: Independent Record, http://www.helenair.com) HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The widow of a 78-year-old man who died after a fall from the bleachers at an American Legion baseball game in Helena is suing the city for negligence. Wayne Fisher fell over the bleachers, through a foul-ball screen and onto cement steps in the dugout at Kindrick Legion Field on June 16. He fell 8 to 10 feet and died 12 days later at a hospital. The lawsuit filed in District Court on Wednesday on behalf of Ruth Fisher says the netting was affixed to steel poles by plastic zip ties that snapped. It says "the netting provided a false sense of security," and it notes a lack of warning signs in the area. The Independent Record (http://bit.ly/300hsn ) reports a city attorney had no comment because the city hadn't yet been served with the complaint. YELLOWSTONE BISON Bison slaughter planned if migration occurs BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Yellowstone National Park plans to capture and ship to slaughter potentially hundreds of wild bison as they migrate into Montana beginning as soon as mid-February. The effort is aimed at reducing the park's burgeoning population of about 3,900 bison. It comes as neighboring Montana is proposing to let the animals roam more freely in the 70,000-acre Gardiner Basin north of the park. Although the moves appear contradictory, officials say keeping bison numbers under control is key to increasing public tolerance for the animals. A mild winter so far has slowed the bison migration. That could scuttle the slaughter plans if conditions persist. The slaughter would target female animals that test positive for exposure to the disease brucellosis. About 50 bison would be diverted to an animal contraception research program. BIGHORN SHEEP TRANSPLANT Bighorns difficult to capture on Wild Horse Island KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) — Wildlife officials in Montana added a third day in their effort to capture bighorn sheep from Wild Horse Island in Flathead Lake. Officials through Friday had captured 29 bighorns as part of their plan to transplant 50 to the Tendoy mountains, about 40 miles south of Dillon. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokesman John Fraley says officials would try to capture more on Saturday. This is the third year of the sheep capture operation and officials surmise the bighorns might have learned to hide in the trees. Officials say the 2,160-acre island has about 230 bighorns, well above the objective of 125 recommended by wildlife officials. The sheep face no predators on the island. HORSE BARN Judge rules horse barn must be torn down (Information in the following story is from: Bozeman Daily Chronicle, http://www.bozemandailychronicle.com) BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — A Gallatin County judge has ruled that a partially finished horse barn in Bridger Canyon must be torn down. Judge Mike Salvagni earlier this week confirmed the opinion of the Gallatin County Planning and Zoning Commission that the barn was built illegally near Bridger Canyon Road. The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports (http://bit.ly/xbly8H) that county officials say the barn's contractor hadn't applied for a permit to build the 2,524-square-foot structure. Compliance specialist Amy Waring also says the barn is being built too far away from the house on the same 20-acre property. HISTORIC MANSION-FIRE Historic Helena mansion damaged by fire (Information in the following story is from: Independent Record, http://www.helenair.com) HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A historic mansion built in 1889 in Helena and on the National Register of Historic Places sustained about $75,000 in damage when a fire damaged part of the third floor and attic. Firefighters say a nanny and dog in the house at the time of the fire on Friday morning escaped unharmed. Fire Marshal Craig Trapp tells the Independent Record (http://bit.ly/w27hAl ) that the family that owns the house is out of state. He says the fire appears to have started in some old wiring in the attic. The three-story brick house was built by Francis Pope, a successful wholesale and retail druggist. BEAR HIBERNATION-CABIN Bear finds Mont. cabin hibernation spot just right (Information in the following story is from: The Montana Standard, http://www.mtstandard.com) BUTTE, Mont. (AP) — A cabin owner at Georgetown Lake says a 200-pound black bear found the crawl space below the cabin a perfect hibernation spot and snatched some blankets and pillows from the cabin's bedroom to make it even more comfy. Cabin owner Judy Wing of Missoula tells the Montana Standard (http://bit.ly/z3rBxa) in a story published Saturday that the family discovered the bear on a Jan. 1 visit to the seasonal cabin in western Montana. The family nailed shut the hatch in the floor and covered the outside opening with brush to keep the bear warm and hidden until it leaves in the spring. Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks spokesman Jamie Jonkel says bears sometimes hibernate in seasonal cabins, perhaps viewing them as a big rock or hollow log. MONTANA-MONTANA ST Montana beats in-state rival Montana State 67-58 BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — Kareem Jamar scored 21 points and Derek Selvig added 15 to lead Montana to a 67-58 win over Montana State on Saturday night. Jamar scored 10 points in a 12-2 Grizzlies run that ballooned a 37-34 advantage to 49-36 with under 13 minutes to play. The Bobcats (11-11, 6-5 Big Sky) got within 56-53 on a 3-pointer by Christian Moon with 4:31 to play. Selvig answered by sandwiching two 3-pointers around a basket by Montana State's Mohammed Fall to make it 62-55 and end the Bobcats' run. Will Cherry added 11 points for the Grizzlies (16-6, 9-1), who took a 5-4 lead on an early 3-pointer by Jamar and never trailed the rest of the way. Jourdain Allou led Montana State with 15 points and Tre Johnson added 11. The Bobcats shot just 38 percent from the field, including 2 of 16 from 3-point range. BKW-MONTANA-MONTANA ST Montana women get 61-54 victory over Montana State BOZEMAN, Mont. (AP) — Alyssa Smith nailed three 3-pointers in the final 3½ minutes, and Katie Baker scored 19 points to lead Montana to a 61-54 win over Montana State on Saturday afternoon. With the Lady Grizzlies (13-9, 6-3 Big Sky) leading 45-44, Smith hit her first trey to make it a four-point game. After MSU's Ashley Albert scored inside, Smith hit another 3-pointer to make it 51-46 with 2:52 to play. Rachel Semansky's back-to-back buckets for Montana State (15-8, 7-4) cut it to 51-50, but Smith knocked down another 3-pointer with 1:45 left to ice the game. It was Montana's fourth straight win in Bozeman. Smith finished with 11 points and Torry Hill added 10 for Montana, which held MSU to 31 percent shooting. Albert paced the Bobcats with 19 points and a game-high 11 rebounds, while Semansky added 13 points.
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