5 things to know about Montana today

Your daily look at news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today.

AGREEMENTS SIGNED TO SET UP LAND BUY-BACK PROGRAM IN MONTANA:

The U.S. government has signed agreements to extend a $1.9 billion land buy-back program to three Montana reservations. The agreements between the Interior Department and leaders from the Crow, Fort Belknap and Fort Peck reservations pave the way for the government to buy fractionated land parcels from their multiple owners and give them to the tribes.

SAGE GROUSE HUNT UP FOR APPROVAL:

The Fish and Wildlife Commission votes Thursday on a proposal to ban sage grouse hunting in all or parts of 32 counties across northern, eastern and southern Montana. This spring's count of birds on sage-grouse breeding grounds was the lowest since 1980. The federal government is considering listing the bird as a threatened or endangered species next year.

NO CITIZENS INITIATIVES IN NOVEMBER:

There won't be a citizen ballot initiative in Montana's general election this year for the first time in more than 40 years. Billings businessman Steve Zabawa said this week he didn't gather enough signatures to place his proposal to ban marijuana on the Nov. 4 ballot. Other ballot proposals also failed to get enough signatures.

PROBATION OFFICER PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO RAPE:

A former juvenile probation officer in Havre has pleaded not guilty to raping the mother of a juvenile he was supervising. Stephen Mills entered his plea Monday in District Court and posted a $20,000 bond. District Judge Katherine Bidegaray of Sidney scheduled a Dec. 8 trial date.

COACH IN COMA:

Bozeman High girls basketball coach Brad Rustan was hospitalized in a medically induced coma after suffering a head injury in a fall while on a fishing trip with his brother at Fort Peck Reservoir. Rustan was injured on June 29.

(Details in today's Havre Daily News.)