TheRepublic.com - Billings News

Calif. couple face contempt charges for jail call

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:06:13 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - A California couple convicted in a Bakken oil investment scam has been arraigned on contempt of court charges in Montana.

Obama nominates 2 to open Montana judgeships

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:02:41 -0400

HELENA, Montana - President Barack Obama on Thursday nominated a state Supreme Court justice and a Billings district judge to fill two open Montana judgeships, and U.S. Sen. Max Baucus pledged to quickly shepherd their confirmations through his chamber.

Oil leasing dispute heads to federal court

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:52:59 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - A dispute over greenhouse gases from oil and gas drilling will head to federal court in Montana as attorneys for the government and the industry face off against environmentalists who say too little is being done to reduce emissions that contribute to climate change.

MSU Billings removes interim tag for soccer coach

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:27:51 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - Montana State Billings athletics director Krista Montague has removed the interim tag for men's soccer coach Alex Balog.

Black bear spotted in Forsyth shot by rancher

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:05:43 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - State wildlife officials say no charges will be filed against a Forsyth-area rancher who shot a black bear he believed was threatening his livestock.

Chain saw carver decorates Billings

Wed, 22 May 2013 15:29:13 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - Roy Pilcher used to just do everything with a chain saw, creating rough-hewn carvings of animals, people or whatever else his clients wanted using just the one tool.

Comment period extended on grizzly plan

Wed, 22 May 2013 09:23:05 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - Federal wildlife officials are extending the comment period on proposed changes to a recovery plan for threatened grizzly bears in and around Yellowstone National Park.

Intoxicated transient stabs self in Billings

Tue, 21 May 2013 10:41:37 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - Police in Billings say an intoxicated transient stabbed himself in the chest several times in front of law enforcement officers trying to take him into custody after officers with the U.S. Marshals Service removed him from the federal courthouse.

Schweitzer elected chairman of Stillwater board

Mon, 20 May 2013 17:40:19 -0400

HELENA, Montana - Former Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer said Monday that he is "focused like a laser" on improving the Stillwater Mining Co. after being elected chairman of the board - but he also isn't ruling out a potential U.S. Senate run.

Circle woman dies in crash near Glendive

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:17:21 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - A car crashed into a semi-trailer about 10 miles north of Glendive, killing a Circle woman and injuring four others.

Wyoming man dies when motorcycle hits car in Mont.

Mon, 20 May 2013 09:16:45 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - A Sheridan, Wyoming, man died and two other Sheridan residents were injured when a motorcycle collided with a car in southeastern Montana.

AP NewsBreak: Judge laments man's return to prison

Fri, 17 May 2013 19:28:40 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - A Montana judge said he fears he's done a "soul-wrenching injustice" to a man he freed from prison after more than 27 years, only to see him ordered back behind bars by a higher court.

Judge orders Forest Service into lynx consultation

Fri, 17 May 2013 17:22:33 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Forest Service to consult with wildlife officials to ensure the agency takes adequate measures to protect Canada lynx in portions of Montana, Wyoming and Idaho.

Circle man killed in crash near Jordan

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:25:23 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - Officials in Garfield County have released the name of a 19-year-old man who died in a rollover crash near Jordan.

Lame Deer man pleads guilty for fatal crash

Fri, 17 May 2013 09:59:12 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - A 23-year-old Lame Deer man has pleaded guilty to federal charges for the drunken driving death of a passenger last fall.

Defendant to plead guilty in Crow corruption case

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:45:58 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - The youngest defendant in a corruption case on Montana's Crow Indian Reservation has reached a deal with prosecutors and says he will plead guilty on an alternate set of charges.

Wyoming man dies in Montana crash

Thu, 16 May 2013 17:35:50 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - An 86-year-old Wyoming man died in a one-vehicle crash on Interstate 90 near Park City, west of Billings.

Man sentenced for having sex with 14-year-old

Thu, 16 May 2013 14:01:09 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - A 28-year-old Billings man who admitted to having sex with a 14-year-old girl in the summer of 2011 has been sentenced to four years in the custody of the Department of Corrections.

Man dies in crash near Jordan

Thu, 16 May 2013 13:04:26 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - A man died in a rollover crash on Montana Highway 200 near Jordan.

Billings teacher on leave, FBI investigating

Thu, 16 May 2013 10:16:06 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - A teacher and girls' basketball coach at Billings West High was placed on paid administrative leave after school officials learned he was being investigated by the FBI and the Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.

Coroner's jury finds inmate death was suicide

Wed, 15 May 2013 11:12:25 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - A Yellowstone County coroner's jury has determined a jail inmate who was found hanging in his cell in January committed suicide and there was no criminal involvement.

Billings man charged with stabbing girlfriend

Tue, 14 May 2013 13:10:09 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - A 20-year-old Billings man is charged with two counts of assault with a weapon after his girlfriend was stabbed in what prosecutors called a one-sided suicide pact.

Montana emissions rose 11 percent last decade

Tue, 14 May 2013 06:49:13 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - Carbon dioxide emissions rose by more than 11 percent in Montana last decade as the state continued to have one of the highest per-capita greenhouse gas emission rates in the country.

Exxon challenges $1.7M Yellowstone spill penalty

Mon, 13 May 2013 18:14:11 -0400

BILLINGS, Montana - Exxon Mobil Corp. is challenging $1.7 million in penalties proposed by federal safety regulators who faulted the oil company over a 63,000-gallon crude oil spill into the Yellowstone River, according to documents released Monday by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Bullock tasks business leaders with jobs project

Mon, 13 May 2013 17:46:10 -0400

HELENA, Montana - Gov. Steve Bullock said Monday that two business leaders will scour the state for ways the government can improve the job creation environment for the private sector.