The homicide trial for Dorattelo “DJ” Fischer has been postponed until October in Great Falls. Fischer was charged by a federal grand jury for first degree murder and use of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Fischer is accused of killing Cody Weeks-Combs in Wolf Point on Nov. 27, 2020. Chief District Judge Brian Morris granted the unopposed motion to continue

A Poplar woman suspected of being a long-time distributor of oxycodone pills on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation admitted drug trafficking and money laundering crimes last week, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif M. Johnson said. Kaycee Lynn Menz, 31, pleaded guilty to an indictment charging her with possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and with money laundering. Menz faces a maximum 20 years

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte said that he will not mandate COVID vaccination shots during a press conference last week. Gianforte, a Republican, urged Montanans to get vaccinated and is pleased that the state has gone over 50 percent as far as residents getting vaccinated. He noted that both former president Donald Trump and current president Joe Biden are telling people to get vaccinated.

Roosevelt County Health Department received the first positive Delta variant report for a Roosevelt County COVID-19 case on Aug. 26. Delta is highly transmissible and is currently the most common COVID-19 variant circulating in the United States. The three COVID-19 vaccines available are known to provide significant protection against the Delta variant, especially against hospitalization and

The Interior Department will make significant steps toward restarting its leasing programs for onshore and offshore oil and gas development in the coming months, the Biden administration said in a court filing last week. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management anticipates holding a sale for offshore leases in October or November, the administration said. The Bureau of Land Management, which

Roosevelt County is the most diversified county in Montana, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The county has a score of 56 percent to top the 2020 rankings. Blaine County is second at 55.9 percent. The diversity index measures the probability that two people chosen at random will be from different race and ethnicity groups. The score is bounded between 0 and 1 with 0 meaning that everyone

CONTINUED REVIEW OF ALL PROCEDURES AND POLICIES WITH STATE AND LOCAL AUTHORITIES A letter from a former legislator and member of Montana’s Public Service Commission urging either the governor or the state’s attorney general to take action against the commission in light of a troubling audit report appears to have gone nowhere, including not even garnering a response. Greg Jergeson, the

Amid disastrous drought and a catastrophic wildfire season, U.S. Sens. Jon Tester, D-Mont., and John Hoeven, R-N.D., this month introduced their bipartisan Livestock Disaster Relief Act to ensure that Montana’s ranchers receive the necessary relief to recover from future disasters. “We are experiencing a devastating drought that has touched every corner of Montana and put a real hurt on

The 55th annual Go-Getters youth rodeo is scheduled for Sunday, Sept. 12, starting at 9 a.m. at the Go-Getters Arena located south of Wolf Point. Order of events are goat tying, barrel racing, flag race, pole bending, key hole race, steer undecorating, breakaway roping, team roping, sheep riding and wild calf race. Age divisions are 8 and under, 9-13 and 14-18. There will be prizes for all-around

The Montana Farm Bureau Federation is applauding the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks for its decision notice and final environmental assessment that supports proceeding with emergency haying and grazing leases on select wildlife management areas. The primary purpose of these leases is to enhance wildlife habitat and to benefit local producers. MFBF had submitted comments supporting opening up