The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services and the Montana Department of Justice, in conjunction with local law enforcement, have identified a sharp increase in fatal overdoses across the state over the last two weeks. From Jan. 11-23, a total of 28 non-fatal and eight fatal overdoses, likely due to opioids, have occurred in 13 different counties affecting individuals
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The city has been in litigation over its expanded drug policy since 2019. The city’s outside counsel handled the matter and they were notified Jan. 10 and City Manager Greg Doyon was notified Jan. 11 of a court order that was issued in May 2022. Doyon said the court had not notified the city of the decision until last week.
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City Commissioners are honing their proposed public safety levy. They discussed the proposal again with city officials during their Jan. 17 work session. City Manager Greg Doyon gave commissioners a condensed version of everything discussed over the last few months to help them “start to narrowly focus” on what they wanted to present to the community. He said his goal
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Avian influenza was detected in Montana last spring and is continuing to affect domestic and wild birds, according to Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks. A number of dead geese have been spotted in the Missouri River in and around Great Falls and they’re suspected to have died from the disease, according to FWP. “Cold weather is helping to preserve the
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After settling a lawsuit and investigating a complaint related to smoking and the Montana Clean Indoor Air Act, the Cascade County health board is reviewing their own regulations pertaining to smoking shelters and enforcement. The Montana Legislature amended the Montana Clean Indoor Air Act in 2005 related to smoking. The law prohibits the use of tobacco products in all public
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A Spokane, Wash., man admitted to trafficking charges Jan. 11 after law enforcement found hundreds of fentanyl pills in a vehicle in which he was a passenger in Great Falls, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said. Yevgeniy Rudnitskiy, 34, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances in federal district court last week. Rudnitskiy faces a maximum of 20
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A Montana man was arraigned Jan. 12 on misdemeanor charges, including disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Patrick William O’Brien, 54, of Great Falls, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with entering and remaining in a
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Great Falls Fire Rescue set a record in December with ambulance transports. In December, GFFR transported patients 33 times when private ambulances weren’t available. During the Jan. 3 commission meeting, City Manager Greg Doyon said that number exceeds some prior year totals. The city contracts with GFES for ambulance transport services of 911 medical calls for those in the city
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Housed Great Falls, a recently formed local nonprofit, has launched a fundraising campaign to create a Pallet shelter community. The group is raising funds to acquire at least a third of an acre of land, 20 single occupancy shelters, service office, bathroom, shower, laundry and a community center. The group is hoping to raise $1.5 million in project start up
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A North Dakota man admitted to trafficking charges today after law enforcement found hundreds of fentanyl pills and a loaded firearm in a vehicle he was driving in Great Falls, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said in a release. Kelly Sterling Wait, 45, of Williston, N.D., pleaded guilty in federal court to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Wait faces
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