For Montana’s elderly citizens, nursing home residents, and others who struggle to travel long distances for medical care, access to trusted eye care close to home is essential. Yet, outdated laws in Montana restrict highly trained doctors of optometry from performing certain in-office procedures that could safely and effectively be done in their offices. It is time to modernize these regulations

As the 69th Montana Legislature meets this winter, lawmakers are spending time thinking about policies they believe will make the state better. The Montana Transparency Project believes one straightforward option is a law standardizing fees for Right-to-Know requests. While we’ve been assisting Montanans with information requests this year, we’ve heard time and again from folks confused

or moved the mutual fund shares sooner than originally anticipated. The states found gaps in Edward Jones’s supervisory procedures in this respect. As part of the settlement, Edward Jones will pay each of the 50 states, Washington, D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico an administrative fine of approximately $320,000. Montana was a lead state in this investigation, so it received an

laundry list of concerns and challenges Montana officials say they’ve had with Yellowstone’s overall management. It also alleges that park officials intentionally tried to limit Montana’s access to information about the changes it planned, and ignored requests from state officials to meet and collaborate. In February 2022, the state claims officials started changing management plans

( Publisher’s Note: The following blotter includes the activities of the Wolf Point police and fire department Jan. 6-12. All those cited or arrested are presumed innocent.) Jan. 10 Michael, Vandall, 41, male, 600 block of U.S. Highway 2 East, theft and hindering law enforcement, tribal court. The WPPD had the following activity: aggravated assault, one; alarm/burglary, five; alarm, one;

Prisoners housed in the Roosevelt County Detention Center over the past week included: Elias Adame, 38, Billings, hold for other agency. Shanley Leonard Bighorn, 40, Wolf Point, hold for other agency. Elijah Bullcalf, 21, Browning, hold for other agency. Briar Crawford Sr., 29, Browning, hold for other agency. Catcher Cutstherope, 52, Hays, hold for other agency. Kristy Leigh