Several homes had to be evacuated amid a wildfire in Helena

According to officials, several homes had to be evacuated amid a wildfire near Birdseye road in Helena Sunday afternoon. Officials estimate the fire burned a few acres, forcing residents to clear out in the area of Sunset Road and Sun Hill Drive. All roadblocks and evacuations have been lifted, and fire crews continured clean-up efforts … Read more

East Helena brothers accused of participating in Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection remained jailed

A Thursday court appearance seeking bond for an East Helena man accused of participating in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was continued, his attorney said. Jerod Hughes request has been consolidated with his brother, Joshua, and will be heard next week. In mid-February a District of Columbia grand jury returned nine counts … Read more

Sentencing date set for suspect in fatal 2020 shooting of Helena veteran

Corey Michael Kelly was found guilty of mitigated deliberate homicide in the killing of 37-year-old Helena-area veteran Mark “Markie” Anthony Luther last year. A Helena jury returned the verdict after deliberating for approximately five hours Thursday. Kelly was initially charged with deliberate homicide following Luther’s death on Nov. 20, but the jury determined he was … Read more

Plans to move Montana Highway Patrol headquarters from Helena to Boulder moving ahead

Plans to move the Montana Highway Patrol headquarters from Helena to Boulder moved forward this week. A legislative panel passed a bill Tuesday that would have the Department of Public Health and Human Services turn over the campus of the Montana Developmental Center to the Department of Justice. The proposal would transfer the Boulder campus … Read more

Lewis and Clark County Commission could be next to join Big Sky Rail Authority

The Lewis and Clark County Commission is set to decide whether to join the Big Sky Rail Authority during Thursday Zoom meeting. The rail authority, currently comprised of 12 Montana counties, could potentially bring passenger trains and economic gains to Lewis and Clark County. Many of the details regarding the train line itself have yet … Read more

‘Commonense’ gun law reform rally held at Capitol in Helena

A few dozen people gathered in front of the Montana Capitol Tuesday afternoon to call for “commonsense” gun law reform. Moms Demand Action, the organization said the impromptu rally was prompted by Monday’s fatal mass shooting at a Colorado grocery store by a gunman who purchased the assault rifle used to kill 10 people, just … Read more

Protestors rally for justice in missing Native American woman’s disappearacnce

At a demonstration Friday protestors rallied for justice for Jermain Charlo. About 20 of Charlo’s friends and family gathered outside the Missoula Police Department asking police to name the ex-boyfriend, Michael Defrance, as a suspect in her missing person’s case. Charlo went missing on June 16, 2018. According to a search warrant filed in Missoula … Read more

Livingston police deem fatal shooting a murder-suicide

Preliminary information from an ongoing investigation launched Sunday in Livingston suggests that a person who fatally shot themselves is connected to the fatal shooting of another person. The incident, which Livingston Police Department Chief Dale Johnson is calling a homicide-suicide, was at a residence on South Ninth Street, according to a press release issued Sunday … Read more

Rate hike lawsuit against Montana PSC dropped

A district court judge has dismissed a lawsuit North Star Development filed against the Montana Public Service Commission, which had ordered the company to reduce water and sewer rates for 270 Helena Valley homeowners. The lawsuit filed last year in Lewis and Clark County District Court stemmed from a contested rate case before the PSC. … Read more