Four individuals from Poplar made not guilty pleas in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John T. Johnston on Thursday, Oct. 13. * Shane Daniel Freemont, 32, made not guilty pleas on charges of aggravated sexual abuse and sexual abuse. If convicted of the most serious crime, Freemont faces a maximum of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years to life of supervised release.

Six individuals are facing kidnapping of an individual under the age of 18, assault resulting in serious bodily injury and assault resulting in substantial bodily injury to a minor charges for alleged offenses that occurred in Wolf Point during September 2021. Facing the charges in U.S. District Court are Cheri Cruz Granbois, Elmarie Amelia Weeks, Dylan Troy Jackson, Lavanchie Patricia Goodbird,

Sentencing for Richard Lamar Rutledge has been scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 17, in district court. Rutledge made guilty pleas to two counts of incest during a hearing in district court on Monday, July 18. A pre-sentencing hearing was been ordered by District Judge David Cybulski. Penalties are not less than four years or more than 100 years in the state prison, a $50,000 fine or both.

Mada Martell Bergie was sentenced for felonies during a hearing in district court on Wednesday, Oct. 12. As part of a plea agreement, Bergie received a four-year sentence, all suspended, with the Montana Department of Corrections for the offense of assault with a weapon. For the offense of intimidation, she received a four-year deferred sentence. She was fined $500 for each offense. The sentences

The Montana Department of Agriculture is accepting applications for the Local Food Purchase Assistance Program. Funds will be sub awarded to organizations statewide to increase the distribution of local food from and to underserved constituencies, and to facilitate the establishment of business relationships between underserved farmers and food purchasers in underserved communities. The USDA

Roosevelt County reported 20 active COVID cases as of Friday, Oct. 14. There have been 3,698 total cases in the county. Roosevelt County Health Department hosts COVID-19 vaccine clinics in Wolf Point the first and third Thursdays of the month, and in Culbertson on the fourth Thursday. Clinics for children 5-11 years of age are held every three weeks on Fridays. Call 406-653-6223 for a COVID vaccine

Roosevelt County reported 29 active COVID cases as of Friday, Oct. 7. There have been 3,681 total cases in the county. Roosevelt County Health Department hosts COVID-19 vaccine clinics in Wolf Point the first and third Thursdays of the month, and in Culbertson on the fourth Thursday. Clinics for children 5-11 years of age are held every three weeks on Fridays. Call 406-653-6223 for a COVID vaccine

Republican Arlie W. Gordon is challenging incumbent Democrat Frank J. Smith for the seat in House District 31. Gordon was born in Wolf Point and raised on a ranch south of Wolf Point near Oswego. After moving to Fort Peck, he graduated from Nashua High School in 1965. He served in the U.S. Navy for eight years and then went to work for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He moved back to Fort