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Articles from the April 25, 2014 edition


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  • Prosecutors: Crow defendants to keep most proceeds

    MATTHEW BROWN|Updated Apr 26, 2014

    BILLINGS (AP) — Defendants in a corruption case on a Montana American Indian reservation won't have to repay most of the money they received through a fraudulent billing scheme, federal prosecutors said Friday. Seven defendants pleaded guilty or were convicted at trial after authorities said they diverted roughly $500,000 from tribal accounts while doing cultural monitoring work for the Crow Indian Tribe. Prosecutors pursued the case only on behalf of the tribe — not the outside companies that sought the monitoring work. As... Full story

  • Oil train shipments in Montana raise concern

    Updated Apr 26, 2014

    Rob Chaney, Missoulian MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — With scrutiny growing about the safety of moving crude oil by rail, western Montana residents wonder how increased shipments will be kept safe along sensitive places like the border of Glacier National Park. The Canadian government on Wednesday ordered the removal of 5,000 oil tank cars believed unsafe for duty, along with a demand to upgrade or remove another 65,000 similar tankers. Transport Canada also imposed speed limits of 50 mph or less in developed areas and near d...

  • Montana Supreme Court candidate struck from ballot

    Updated Apr 26, 2014

    HELENA (AP) — A district judge ruled Friday that a candidate for the Montana Supreme Court does not meet the qualifications to run for the justice post and ordered Lawrence VanDyke's name removed from the ballot. District Judge Mike Menahan of Helena issued an opinion that was expedited to allow either side time to appeal. He ruled that VanDyke had not been admitted to active practice of law for at least five years in Montana as required. (Details in Monday's Havre Daily News.)... Full story

  • LaFromboise gets 13 years

    Tim Leeds|Updated Apr 26, 2014
    6

    Garret “Kirby” LaFromboise was sentenced to more than 13 years in prison for his role in the death of his 11-month-old son Kaidynce Small on Oct. 21. The sentence was handed down by Judge Brian Morris in federal district court in Great Falls late this morning after a hearing in which sobbing members of the victim’s family asked Morris to send LaFromboise away for life. During the emotional hearing, LaFromboise choked up as he apologized for the death. Before imposing sentence, Morris told LaFromboise he had to accept respo... Full story

  • Beach 'shocked' by governor's letter of support

    Updated Apr 26, 2014

    HELENA (AP) — Barry Beach said he was shocked to learn about Gov. Steve Bullock's letter asking the state parole board to consider commuting his sentence for the 1979 beating death of a Poplar high-school classmate. Beach, who is serving a 100-year prison sentence for the killing of 17-year-old Kim Nees, has applied for clemency with the Montana Board of Pardons and Parole. A review of the application is scheduled for Tuesday in Deer Lodge. Last week, Bullock took the unusual step of writing the parole board to ask that t... Full story

  • Cruzado oversees fundraising records at MSU

    GAIL SCHONTZLER Bozeman Daily Chronicle|Updated Apr 25, 2014

    BOZEMAN (AP) — As Waded Cruzado came to Bozeman four years ago to become Montana State University's president, she sent out copies of a business management book she found inspiring. Entitled "Good to Great," the book could describe what Cruzado is trying to achieve at MSU. MSU's first woman and first minority president has racked up a list of record-breaking accomplishments and fans. After this month's Equal Pay Summit at MSU, national activist Lilly Ledbetter called Cruzado "this fireball." Montana Gov. Steve Bullock had s... Full story

  • Judge: Highway Patrol discrimination case should go ahead

    Updated Apr 25, 2014
    1

    HELENA . (AP) — Most of the claims by four Hispanic men who accuse the Montana Highway Patrol of engaging in systematic racial profiling during traffic stops should be allowed to proceed, a federal magistrate judge ruled. U.S. Magistrate Judge Carolyn Ostby recommended striking two allegations that the discrimination violated the Montana Constitution, saying the state claims can't be sued in federal court. Ostby recommended against dismissing the three other allegations of U.S. Constitution and federal civil rights v... Full story

  • 2 bodies found in car in Billings irrigation ditch

    Updated Apr 25, 2014

    BILLINGS (AP) — Firefighters in Billings have removed the bodies of two women from a car that was found submerged in an irrigation ditch. Sgt. Shane Winden says an employee with the city's parks department spotted the vehicle on its top in the ditch at about 6:30 a.m. Friday. Firefighters used an engine to pull the vehicle out of the water just enough to determine if someone was inside. Winden says after officers spotted a body, police called for investigators and are treating the location as a crime scene. The coroner's o... Full story

  • Pony track teams ramp up in Belgrade

    Daniel Horton|Updated Apr 25, 2014

    To start the season, the Havre High track and field program was focused on conditioning and getting kids into the right events for them, as well as the Blue Pony team. But heading into another competition filled weekend on the road, the Ponies are ready to put their focus and attention on beating that competition. Coming off a home dual with the Great Falls High junior varsity Bison Tuesday, the Central A Ponies will get back on the road. Saturday HHS will compete at the Belgr... Full story

  • Michael J. Mariani

    Updated Apr 25, 2014
    1

    Michael J. Mariani, 85, of Havre, passed away on Wednesday, April 23, 2014, at his residence, of natural causes. Cremation has taken place, and memorial Mass will be held at 1 p.m. on Monday, April 28, 2014, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church with Father Daniel Wathen officiating. Interment will be in Highland Cemetery. The family has suggested that memorials be made in Mike's name to the St. Jude Education Trust Fund or a charity of the donor's choice. Holland & Bonine... Full story

  • TekNoXpo brings high schools to Havre

    John Paul Schmidt|Updated Apr 25, 2014

    TekNoXpo brought high school students to take part in some hands-on experience in possible career choices or college pathways at Montana State University-Northern. Holly Haas, the Big Sky Pathways coordinator at MSU-Northern, said this was her first year organizing the event. "(TekNoXpo) was started six years ago to give students hand-on experience and to relate students from high school to college and the to careers," Haas said. Haas said the event also gives high school...

  • Tree-planting honors retired library director

    John Kelleher|Updated Apr 25, 2014

    A crowd gathered Thursday evening around a recently planted tree in front of the Havre-Hill County Library and gave a round of applause to former library Director Bonnie Williamson. The tree was planted in her honor and as a tribute to her more than three decades as head of the library. "I thought you had to be dead to get a tree," she said, eliciting laughter from the crowd. But, she said, she liked praising people while they are alive. "I always send flowers to people still...

  • School board candidates go head to head at forum

    John Paul Schmidt|Updated Apr 25, 2014
    1

    Havre school board candidates met Thursday night to answer questions at a forum at the Havre Middle School auditorium. Ericka Everly, Timothy Scheele, Bobbi Teasley and incumbents Curtis Smeby and Cindy Erickson answered 11 questions presented by the moderator, Havre Daily News Tim Leeds, and those presented by the audience. The first question given to the candidates was to do with why they decided to run for the school board. Everly said she wanted to run because she has children and has a vested interest in how the school... Full story

  • Our View: Hi-Line darts and laurels

    Updated Apr 25, 2014

    Laurel — At Montana State University-Northern, students took an active role in an effort to clean up the campus for Earth Day. Lots of students took part. They celebrated the day with a T-shirt and a barbecue. Among other things, the students picked up 15 pounds of cigarette butts from campus grounds. By next Earth Day, there may be way fewer butts on campus. A proposal is before Chancellor Jim Limbaugh that would prohibit smoking on campus. Dart — It seems that fewer people took part in Earth Day activities this year. Ear... Full story

  • HHS netters face Central A rivals

    Daniel Horton|Updated Apr 25, 2014

    Rain, rain go away. That’s what the Havre Blue Ponies are hoping for when it comes to Saturday. The HHS tennis teams are scheduled to travel to Lewistown Saturday for an all-important day of duals against Central A rivals Livingston, Anaconda and Lewistown. Rain is in the forecast however, and head coach George Ferguson said it would be tough on his team if the event doesn’t get played, for a number of a reasons. “These are very important matches,” Ferguson said. “First,... Full story

  • Blue Ponies thump Browning yet again

    Daniel Horton|Updated Apr 25, 2014

    For the second consecutive outing, the Havre High softball team made short work of the conference rival Browning Indians. Last weekend the Central A Blue Ponies defeated the Indians 21-0 in Havre. Thursday the Ponies took down the Indians 16-0 in Browning, improving their conference and overall records to 2-2. The Ponies are not done playing this weekend, as they will remain on the road today, hopefully playing two nonconference games at the Conrad Invitational, weather...

  • The world has come to this

    Pam Burke|Updated Apr 25, 2014

    It is, perhaps, true that the world is going collectively crazy. Or maybe it’s just something about North America. ——— Canadians, they always seem like the nicest, most level-headed people in the world, like the United State’s corny, eccentric, responsibly booze-loving, country-bumpkin cousins. Until now. Now they're just us. In May 2013, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford admitted to spending his days drunk in public, smoking crack and being an all-around, um, low-down no-good-nik. This... Full story