With hands tied, Montana officials issue public health plea

HELENA (AP) — Health officials in both Missoula and Bozeman are begging Montana residents to wear masks indoors and get vaccinated as hospitals face increasing strain and the state remains without any statewide health mandates.

Officials in Bozeman and Missoula lamented their inability to implement public health restrictions to limit the spread of the virus after the state Legislature passed several laws earlier this year curtailing the power of local health officers to implement rules such as mask requirements and limiting gathering sizes...