Warm Springs administrators put on leave

The interim administrator at the Montana State Hospital has been put on administrative leave, a new development in the yearslong struggle to stabilize the beleaguered adult psychiatric facility.

Budget bill clears House debate with GOP support

The Montana House’s Republican supermajority voted in near-lockstep Wednesday to rebuff Democratic efforts to amend Montana’s primary two-year budget bill, clearing the way for the bill to advance to the state Senate after a final vote in the coming days.

Prosecutors: Third boy alleges rape by youth hockey coach jailed in Butte

Prosecutors say a third young boy has come forward with allegations that a youth hockey coach from Flathead County raped him by inserting an unknown object in his rectum, an incident they believe occurred at a Butte hotel in January 2021.

Arts and Entertainment News

Arts and entertainment happenings

Flathead Songwriter Festival releases lineup for fall event

The festival recently announced its lineup for the event set for Sept. 14-16.

Legals for March, 23 2023

WTC holds auditions

The Whitefish Theatre Company is holding auditions for “Suite Surrender”, their final show of the 2022-2023 season.

Gallatin County attorney reviewing more than 100 unprosecuted cases

The Gallatin County attorney is creating a task force to look at more than 100 cases — the majority alleging sexual violence — that her predecessor's office apparently did not review to see if charges could still be brought.

Browning man sentenced for child sex abuse

A Browning man was sentenced Monday to 18 years and nine months behind bars for sexually abusing two girls on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation about 20 years ago.

Marion man receives deferred sentence for misdemeanor charge

A Marion man brought up on a felony charge for allegedly pointing a handgun at his then girlfriend’s father in June 2022 received a deferred sentence after striking a plea deal late last year.

Case dismissed against man accused of threatening another with skid steer

A Flathead County District judge in January dismissed a criminal negligence charge against a man previously accused of menacing another individual with a skid steer.

‘Intoxicated,’ ‘uncooperative’ woman allegedly admits to attack

Confronted by Kalispell Police officers, a woman allegedly admitted to attacking a man with a baseball bat at a motel in the city during the early morning hours of March 12.

Man sentenced for box cutter attack

Brockton Lorn Ferguson, 36, received 14 years behind bars with the remainder suspended at his March 20 sentencing on a felony aggravated assault charge in Flathead County District Court.

Legislature moves to name highway after Blackfeet chief

Though it took some work, the Legislature passed a bill to rename a section of Montana Highway 89 on the Blackfeet Reservation after the late Blackfeet chief. The bill is currently on Gov. Greg Gianforte’s desk awaiting his signature, which would make the name change legally official.

Gender-affirming care ban for transgender minors has second hearing

A bill to ban gender-affirming care for transgender minors received nearly three hours of testimony Monday in its designated House committee, the first major action on the legislation since it passed out of the Senate in early February.

Law roundup: Fresh paint job vandalized with razor blade

An employee reportedly found the handiwork of some scallywag who took a razor blade to a freshly painted truck and called the Kalispell Police Department.

Moore, Moy are All-State; Moore top offensive player

The Flathead Bravettes’ sterling basketball season netted them more hardware this week — as in two All-State picks and the Western AA’s offensive player and coach of the year.

Montana senator wants to block mandatory diversity training

A Republican lawmaker in Montana wants to prohibit mandatory diversity training for state employees with a bill whose language matches a Florida law that is temporarily blocked by the courts.

Bill seeking to cut unemployment eligibility to 20 weeks clears committee

Great Falls Republican Rep. Steven Galloway’s bill to cut Montana unemployment eligibility from 28 weeks to 20, which he says will allow business owners to pay their employees more rather than paying into the unemployment insurance trust fund, saw one of the shortest Appropriations hearings of the session Thursday.

Kalispell City Council poised to vote on panhandling proposal

Kalispell City Council is expected to vote on a proposal to ban panhandling and other transactions in municipal roadways at its Monday meeting.