News you can use
News you can use
Sorted by date Results 1 - 25 of 135
The local university was not violating the Constitution by having a prayer at its graduation ceremony, a legal counsel said in reply to a complaint. Leslie Taylor, counsel for the Montana State University system, said case law does not support the American Civil Liberty Union of Montana's complaint that having a Christian prayer at Montana State University-Northern's 2010 graduation ceremony violated the separation of church and state. "Therefore, I cannot join in your conclusion that the invocation and benediction in this...
With the levels of creeks and rivers subsiding, officials are going into full recovery mode following flooding in the last two weeks, although the complete impacts are still unknown and local residents are urged to be cautious. The costs of initial damage from an assessment at Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation have been released, with the total damage listed at $6 million and $2.3 million of that eligible for federal assistance, state Disaster and Eme r g e n c y S e r v i c e s Pu b l i c Information Officer Monique Lay said...
After several years of work, the Hill County Sheriff's Office is fully connected to the radio system that will eventually provide seamless, high-tech radio for law enforcement and emergency personnel throughout the state. "We had a large meeting with the deputies yesterday and explained a few issues and went live this morning," Hill County Sheriff Don Brostrom said. The Interoperability Montana program, funded through state and local funds and through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, will create the ability to...
Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer will request President Barack Obama to declare the flooding at Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation a federal disaster, Schweitzer's communications director said this morning. "We are in the process of drafting (the request)," Sarah Elliot said shortly after 11 a.m. A federal team assessed the damage of the flooding late last week, and turned their findings over to the governor. Montana's junior U.S. senator, Jon Tester, toured Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation Saturday to see the damage caused by...
The candidates for Hill County attorney spent some time Tuesday talking to voters, telling them why the candidates thought they should be elected in the primary election Tuesday, June 8, and answering a series of questions during a forum held at the Hill County Electric Hospitality Room. Havre Daily News Publisher Martin Cody moderated the forum, set up by the Havre Daily and the Hill County Democratic Party. The attorney candidates and Hill County commissioner candidates were invited to the forum, with all three Democratic...
Havre's local university has been taken to task by the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana, which has called for an apology for the content of the 2010 Montana State University-Northern graduation's invocation and benediction. ACLU said in a press release that it received several complaints about the benediction and invocation, which it said was sectarian and promoted a Christian faith in violation of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. "Separation of church and state is a cornerstone of the U.S. and Montana...
Part of the updates on Montana Department of Transportation projects in the area included work planned on a major highway intersection and a primary access road to Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation. Commissioner Mike Anderson said MDT officials talked about plans to improve lighting at the intersection of highways 2 and 87 just west of Havre, and improvements to Taylor Road during a meeting on local projects in Chinook Thursday. Anderson, who is running for reelection and faces fellow Democrats Jim Catt and Bert Corcoran in the...
Montana State University-Northern is looking to start a national-level testing and education center that could bring hundreds — or more — new jobs to the area, its chancellor said Thursday. "It's huge, it could be huge," Frank Trocki said. No r t h e r n i s wo r k i n g wi t h Mississippi State University, which is looking to use unmanned aircraft for weather testing, and the John C. Stennis Space Center in Mississippi to try to set up a Federal Aviation Administration Center of Excellence. The center would research usi...
After a couple of weeks of warm weather, Mother Nature brought winter back to the area with a vengeance over the weekend, with storms dropping more than 10 inches of snow in Havre and blanketing most of the eastern portion with heavy snowfall. "We've been pretty busy all weekend," Mike MacDonald, area maintenance chief fo r t h e Mo n ta n a De p a r tme n t o f Transportation said this morning. The snow fell mainly Friday afternoon through Saturday night. The Weather Service forecast for this week predicts no snow in Havre,...
Local residents will have the opportunity tonight to hear from the candidates for the top two offices in the 2010 candidate election. The Democratic candidates for Hill County attorney and Hill County commissioner will face off in a forum starting at 7 p. m. in the Hospitality Room on the east end of the Hill County Electric-Triangle Telephone cooperatives' office building west of Havre. The doors are scheduled to open at 6:30 p.m. The members of each group of candidates will have two minutes to introduce themselves, then go...
The heads of the Montana University System will hold their May meeting in Havre this week, with the first event a public forum Wednesday afternoon. Montana State University-Northern Chancellor Frank Trocki said this morning that this will be the second time the Board of Regents of Higher Education will hold a public meeting before its regular meeting, and the first time it is being held in Havre. Depending on the success of the meeting, it could become a regular event at other meetings of the board, he added. "It gives the...
Gov. Br ian Schwei t zer sai d Wednesday he is waiting for an assessment of the damages caused by flooding at Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation so he then can request President Barack Obama to declare a disaster in the region, which would allow federal money to be used to repair those damages. Raymond "Jake" Parker, chair of the Chippewa Cree Tribal council, said before Schweitzer arrived that the faster that happens, the better. "We need this declaration as soon as possible so we can get some answers," Parker said, adding, "We...
The members of Montana's congressional delegation have joined other senators and representatives in calling on the federal government to make sure Payment in Lieu of Taxes to counties go out as close to on schedule as possible. Local county officials, though, say they are not extremely concerned about a short delay. T h e U. S . I n t e r i o r Department h a s a n n o u n c e d that distribut i o n o f Payment in Lieu of Taxes, which normally are distributed by June 30, will be delayed. PILT is used to make up for lost...
The flooding at Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation south of Havre is getting statewide and national attention. Gov. Brian Schweitzer is touring the area today and Montana's U.S. senators Max Baucus and Jon Tester are sending a letter to the Federal Emergency Management Agency urging FEMA to help assess the damage and repair it. "It is critical that the damage assessment is completed as soon as possible so that every needed resource can be made available as soon as possible," Baucus and Tester wrote to FEMA Administrator William...
Gov. Brian Schweitzer is wating for the assessment of the Federal Emergency Management Agency of the damage at Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation so he can request President Barack Obama to declare it a disaster area. Schweitzer toured the flooding damage at Rocky Boy Wednesday with Raymond "Jake" Parker, chair of the Chippewa Cree Tribal council, and Rep. Tony Belcourt, D-Box Elder, who heads the Tribal Chippewa Cree Construction Corp. After the tour, Schweitzer said the state can release $50,000 immediately to help at Rocky...
Recent rains are again raising the level of creeks in the Bear's Paw Mountains and prompting concern that more flooding is on the way. Hill County Commission Chair Mike Wendland said 4¼ inches of rain have fallen in the mountains over the last few days, and the level of Beaver Creek is again rising with large amounts of water flowing into Beaver Creek Reservoir about eight miles south of Havre. "There really is concern," he said. Wendland said the county is warning people who live near Beaver Creek between Beaver Creek Dam...
The dean of Montana Stat e University-Northern's College of Technical Sciences announced Thursday that Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway will soon begin testing use of biodiesel — testing fuel produced on the Hi-Line in its Havre station. "They have agreed to use our fuel," Dean Greg Kegel said. Northern Chancellor Frank Trocki said in an interview that the tests could bring a significant benefit to the Hi-Line, along with other work being done in the biofuels arena in the university's laboratories. "I think there's s...
If everything goes right, rebuilding the dam and intake structure that diverts much of the water flowing through the Milk River could begin within a couple of years. A Bureau of Reclamation official made the prediction Wednesday in Havre. Kelly Titensor said the bureau expects to start scoping meetings for National Environmental Policy Act requirements in August or September, with a goal to have the procedures to meet those requirements completed by Sept. 30, 2011. "It is ambitious," Titensor said in response to a question...
Montana's sole congressman, Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg, will visit Havre and Chinook on a four-city tour to hold listening sessions this weekend. "Government transparency is only useful if it's coupled with accountability," Rehberg said in a press release announcing the visits. "It's easy to sit behind a desk in Washington and wait for the phone to ring, and that's what some of my colleagues have decided to do. But I made a commitment years ago to visit each of Montana's 56 counties each Congress, to listen and learn what...
The Federal E m e r g e n c y Ma n a g eme n t Agency is setting up a disaster field office in Great Falls to house 50 workers who will help local governments deal with damage caused on Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation and in Hill County by flooding in June. "They will be just like ants crawling over that park in the next few days." Ed Gierke, Montana Disaster and Emergency Services district coordinator, said during a meeting of the county Local Emergency Planning Committee Tuesday. Heavy rains in mid-June, following high...
President Barack Obama over the weekend approved a request from Gov. Brian Schweitzer, declaring a disaster on Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation and in Hill County resulting from severe storms and flooding starting June 15. "Number one, the Tribe is very pleased that he declared a disast e r , " N e a l R o s e t t e , Chippewa Cree Tr ibal publ i c information officer, said thi s morning. "It's going to mean some sorely needed federal assistance on the damage. We couldn't be happier." Rosette said it also means the Federal...
The Hill County Commission unanimously placed a ban on new medical marijuana caregiver operations after a public hearing Thursday Commissioners grandfathered existing caregivers provided they register with the county in the next 10 days, although people at the hearing had some questions that remain yet to be answered. The Commission approved the interim zoning ordinance immediately after the close of the public hearing. "I feel good about what we're doing," Commissioner Kathy Bessette said, adding, "It's not negative." A...
Montana State University-Northern is searching for a replacement for its provost, who is ending a relationship with Havre's university that goes back to 1973. Joe Callahan, who left in 1986 and came back to Northern in a two-year interim position as provost and vice chancellor of academic affairs in 2007 — and has stayed an extra year — has announced his retirement effective June 30. He said he will return to Dickinson, N.D., where his wife, Dr. Kim Callahan, has a private practice as an audiologist. Callahan said Thu...
A 24-year-old Havre woman was killed early this morning in a one-vehicle rollover about four miles south of town on Beaver Creek Road. The name of the victim is being withheld pending notification of her family. The Montana Highway Patrol crash report says the woman was driving a 2001 GMC Sierra pickup north on Montana Highway 234 at 2:30 a.m. when she went off the road on a curve. The vehicle went into the ditch and hit an approach, flipping at least three times and landed on its wheels. The driver, who was alone in the...
Wind was roaring through the state Tuesday with the Havre-area getting its fair share, uprooting trees, taking out power and even closing schools in north-central Montana. Darin Hannum, vice principal of Box Elder High School and assistant superintendent for the Box Elder District, said the schools there were closed shortly after the day started. "About 9 a.m. we lost power, and we did not get it back till about 8:10 last night," he said. That closed the school, with no electricity and no water. Students were back in class...
