LATEST NEWS
Jury: BNSF Railway contributed to 2 deaths in Montana town where asbestos sickened thousands
A federal jury on Monday said Warren Buffett’s BNSF Railway contributed to the deaths of two people who were exposed to asbestos decades ago when tainted mining material was shipped through a Montana town where thousands have been sickened.The jury awarded $4 million each in compensatory damages to the estates of the two plaintiffs, who died in 2020. The jury did not find that BNSF acted intentionally or with indifference so there will be no punitive damages awarded.Attorneys for the estates of the two victims had argued that the railroad, owned by Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway conglomerate, knew the asbestos-tainted...
Noxon-Thompson Falls baseball co-op posts 13-2 win over Troy
Move over win column number, you’ve got company.The Noxon-Thompson Falls co-op Red Devils baseball team went crooked number in the victory column last week with a 13-2 win over the visiting Troy Trojans, giving them their second win of the year in their first season of varsity baseball.Sophomore center fielder Payton Chambers went two for three at the plate for the Red Devils, driving in a team and game high four runs in the contest, which was played at Noxon’s Pilgrim Park. The win lifted Noxon-T Falls to 2-3 on the year.Troy got on the scoreboard in the top of...
Deferred sentence for Yaak man accused of kidnapping, assault with weapon
A Yaak resident accused of kidnapping and assault with a weapon after two incidents outside of Troy last year was sentenced in Lincoln County District Court on Monday, April 15.Jeremy B. O’Day, 46, was initially accused of the aforementioned crime and a third felony count of criminal mischief after the alleged incidents on July 10, 2023.O'Day was in court on Feb. 26 for a change of plea hearing where he pleaded guilty to an amended charge of criminal endangerment. The other charges were dismissed. Lincoln County Judge Matt Cuffe sentenced O'Day to a 5-year deferred term. Citing his college degree in...
Asbestos victim’s dying words aired in wrongful death case against Buffet’s railroad
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Thomas Wells ran a half-marathon at age 60 and played recreational volleyball until he was 63. At 65 years old, doctors diagnosed him with mesothelioma, a rare and aggressive lung cancer linked to asbestos exposure.“I’m in great pain and alls I see is this getting worse,” the retired middle school teacher from Oregon said in a video deposition recorded in March 2020, four months after his cancer diagnosis. He died a day later.Portions of Wells’ deposition were replayed Monday in a federal courtroom for a jury hearing a wrongful death case against Warren Buffett’s BNSF Railway.The...
Legals for April, 19 2024
PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO PROTEST ISSUANCE OF ONE NEW Montana Retail On-Premises Consumption Restaurant Beer and Wine with Catering Endorsement License IRON CREEK CAFE AND CANTINA LLC (Kelly Lister and Terry Lister, Owner(s)) has applied for one new Montana Retail On-Premises Consumption Restaurant Beer and Wine with Catering Endorsement License No. 56-935-4340-402 to be operated at IRON CREEK CAFE AND CANTINA, 1410 E Missoula Ave, Troy, Lincoln County. The public may protest this license transfer in accordance with the law. Who can protest this transfer? Protests will be accepted from residents of the county of the proposed location Lincoln...
Construction company owner charged with defrauding Libby firm enters plea
The owner of a Butte construction company facing multiple felony charges for allegedly defrauding a local business during the construction of the new Town Pump in Troy pleaded not guilty to the offenses.Joseph Anthony Tobiness, 52, is accused of four counts of forgery exceeding $5,000. He appeared for the arraignment on Monday, April 15. His attorney, Michael T. Trosper, appeared via Zoom video.Tobiness' next court hearing is set for May 20.Lincoln County authorities allege Tobiness failed to pay a local contractor more than $200,000 in invoices for work it had done through the end of October 2023.The county’s investigation began...
City officials back down on water, sewer rate increase
In a somewhat predictable move, Libby City Council decided to walk back its proposal to raise water and sewer rates at its April 15 meeting.City Administrator Sam Sikes, Mayor Peggy Williams and city councilors have caught a lot of flak for the rate increase plan it put forth at a March 4 council meeting.At Monday’s meeting, city council chambers were standing-room only as residents and business owners reiterated their concerns with increases that many say would inhibit further business growth and potentially put people out on the street.The council will take up the issue at a work session at 6...
Sheriff's Office blotter
The law roundup is compiled from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office incident log from March 25 to April 1. It is not meant to serve as an exhaustive account.A man was cited for trespassing in the 1800 block of Airport Road, Libby.Two deputies responded to a disturbance on Farm to Market Road, Libby.A theft was reported in the 3800 block of Kilbrennan Lake Road, Troy.A woman living on Reserve Road, Libby, called about child custody issues.A deputy responded to the 35100 block of U.S. 2 after someone called about minor children throwing rocks at each other. One child was hit...
Kootenai Valley Rotarians return to Guatemala
The Rotary Club of Kootenai Valley took another successful trip to Guatemala in March. The purpose of the voyage was to look at some of the projects that have been completed and celebrate with the villages. Besides that they heard from some places about needs that they have and asked for assistance.Those on the trip were George and Linda Gerard and Eileen Carney from Libby and Sandy Carlson and Lucy Smith from Kalispell. The first stop was at a village that makes hand washing stations and clean water stations.These are small projects that at the moment are mostly in schools but...
Noxon-Thompson Falls co-op baseball home opener
This was a scene worthy of an advertisement for America.A bright sunny day, with a hint of a chill in the air.Baseball players warming up on a field worthy of a Norman Rockwell painting.Que the bald eagles for the fly by. There they are.Play ball.With that, the Noxon-Thompson Falls co-op baseball team took to the field for the first high school baseball game in Noxon. It was held at the mountain and forest encircling Pilgrim Creek Park. Where else?Polson, the defending state champions who came to town with a 7-1 season record, their only loss to Columbia Falls, a class...
Public comment opens for proposed conservation easement in the Flathead
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP) is proposing that nearly 33,000 acres of private timberland in the Flathead be placed under a conservation easement. The agency announced Tuesday it’s seeking public comment on a draft environmental assessment for the project. The land is located in the Salish and Cabinet...
City resident seeks more info on water, sewer rate plan
Honorable Mayor and City Council Members:This letter is presented in regard to my April 9 email request to the City of Libby. I asked if it would be possible to meet with the Mayor, Mr. Sikes and Mr. Zimmerman to discuss some alternative options for resolving the critical issues raised last evening by Libby residents concerning the “proposed” significant rate increases in the water and sewer rates.I attended the meeting via Zoom. Unfortunately, the transmission, both visual and audio, were of poor quality. Nor were any of the graphs or presentation notes provided by the City Administrator attached to the...
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