Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry and 11 other state attorneys general have filed to block the Biden administration’s ongoing violation of the Mineral Leasing Act and Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act. In January, President Biden issued Executive Order 14008 declaring a moratorium on future oil and gas leasing and drilling permits on federal lands.

( Publisher’s Note: The following blotter includes the activities of the Wolf Point police and fire department for March 21-28. All those cited or arrested are presumed innocent.) Citations were issued to: March 22 James Murphy, 51, male, 1100 block of Fourth Avenue North, no insurance and driving without a license, tribal court. March 24 Luke Jackson Sr., 46, male, Third Avenue South

Christian Alexander Perez and Hattie Lei Turcotte each made their initial appearances in district court on Tuesday, March 23. Perez made not guilty pleas for the charges of criminal possession of drugs, a felony, and criminal possession of drug paraphernalia, a misdemeanor. His omnibus hearing was set for April 14, and his trial was scheduled for June 17. Defense attorney Sally Kay Hickok

A California man convicted in a methamphetamine distribution ring that supplied pounds of the drug to the Sidney area was sentenced last week to 121 months in prison and five years of supervised release, Acting U.S. Attorney Leif Johnson said. Marc Buetow, 53, of San Diego, Calif., pleaded guilty on Oct. 22, 2020, to possession with intent to distribute meth. U.S. District Judge Susan P.

Christpher Michael Lee Friede, 20, of Culbertson changed his plea to guilty for the charge of witness tampering. He changed his plea in district court on Tuesday, March 23. Maximum penalties for the offense is 10 years in prison, a $50,000 fine or both. A pre-sentencing investigation has been ordered. During the hearing, Friede admitted that he attempted to have a third party talk with an

Amanda Jo Marie Gourneau changed her plea to guilty for the charge of criminal endangerment during a hearing in district court on Tuesday, March 23. Maximum penalties for the offense are 10 years in prison, a $50,000 fine or both. A pre-sentencing investigation was ordered. During the hearing, Gourneau testified that she was driving with someone who she thought was a friend but didn’t

Dear Editor: Did you and other taxpayers of Roosevelt County receive a $1,000 stipend that the county commissioners gave to themselves and all county employees on March 2? I have enclosed a copy of a request for information as to the amount the county received through the CARES Act, Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economics Security Act and other information to try and understand how the commissioners

By Bill Vander Weele Amtrak’s Empire Builder will resume daily service throughout Montana starting in early June, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., said during a press conference call last week. The funds come as part of the America Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion COVID relief package. Paul Tuss of Bear Paw Development in Havre said during the call that Amtrak’s 12 stations in Montana

Montana is the only state in the U.S. that has unisex rates for all insurance. A bill in the Legislature seeks to undo that. House Bill 379, sponsored by House Majority Leader Sue Vinton, R-Billings, would allow insurance companies to charge different rates for males and females. The bill passed the House of Representatives 70-28 last month before moving to the Senate Business, Labor and Economic