BILLINGS — The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has implemented new regulations for all incinerator permit holders in Yellowstone County following a September incinerator malfunction at the Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter facility.

Billings Animal Control was burning methamphetamine, and YVAS workers reported meth-laced smoke filled their building during the incident.

Under the new regulations, all incinerator permit holders must now request approval for alternative burns directly from the DEQ. Previously, RiverStone Health was responsible for approving alternative burns.

The DEQ said an agreement renewal reflecting this change will be sent to all permit holders in the next few months.

The City of Billings faces additional scrutiny as the DEQ has referred the September methamphetamine burn to their enforcement program. The program is reviewing alleged violations of the Montana Clean Air Act for formal enforcement consideration.

Drug incineration mishap sickens Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter employees
City planning restoration of Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter building
Yellowstone Valley Animal Shelter searching for homes for strays following meth malfunction

LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A medication traditionally used in cancer treatment has received FDA fast-track approval as a new therapy for children with autism, offering hope to Nevada families seeking treatment options.

Leucovorin, a generic drug typically used with cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy, was fast-tracked for FDA approval in September 2025 for autism treatment. The medication works as a folic acid supplement for children who have a folic acid deficit.

“It’s a new medication in the sense of treating children with autism. It’s not a new drug, though. It’s been around. It’s typically been used with cancer patients undergoing chemo,” said FOX5 reporter Talia Kirkland. “So new, but not so new, if that makes sense.”

Las Vegas family tries new treatment

Seven-year-old Christopher Wilson, who has autism and is nonverbal, is among the first Nevada children to try the new treatment. His father, Sean Wilson, said the family was desperate for answers after Christopher was diagnosed as an infant.

“Even getting a diagnosis can be difficult,” Kirkland said, describing the Wilson family’s experience. “So there’s already some type of hardship that these families go through from the beginning.”

Christopher experienced what doctors initially thought was blindness at birth before receiving his autism diagnosis. The family has been using leucovorin for about 30 days under the care of a local pediatric neurologist.

“Little bottle of hope”

The autism community has embraced leucovorin with cautious optimism, with some calling it “the little bottle of hope.”

Shawn Wilson, Christopher’s father, told FOX5 he had read stories online about dramatic improvements.

“I’ve read stories where sometimes when they begin using leucovorin, he’s seen that one, two, three day and then the child is talking,” Kirkland said, describing Wilson’s research.

However, the Wilson family has not yet seen major improvements after 30 days of treatment.

Doctor emphasizes realistic expectations

Dr. Devraj Chavda, one of the few pediatric neurologists in Las Vegas, is prescribing the medication but emphasizes realistic expectations for families.

“We shouldn’t look at autism as something that is curable. He kept saying that, you know, it’s treatable,” Kirkland said, describing the doctor’s approach. “And even he told Shawn with trying this medication with Christopher, that this is a treatment [not a cure].”

The doctor explained that even if the medication helps children begin speaking, medical professionals still need to determine the root cause of speech delays.

“Even if we get those amazing results where he does begin to speak, we still have to figure out what was the root cause, what was blocking that speech,” Kirkland said.

Limited specialists create challenges

Finding medical experts for the story proved challenging due to Nevada’s shortage of pediatric specialists. The reporting process, which began in November 2025, took months to complete because of the limited number of pediatric neurologists in the Las Vegas area.

“That even just from a journalistic point of view, to find experts is difficult,” Kirkland said. “There are so few pediatric neurologists in this area.”

Federal study planned for 2026

While Christopher Wilson is not part of an official study, the federal government plans to conduct a major trial of leucovorin for autism treatment in 2026. Currently, children like Christopher are receiving the medication anecdotally through their doctors.

“His doctor, I’m sure, is with every patient that he’s prescribing this. I’m sure he’s watching and keeping very detailed notes just to see how this works,” Kirkland said.

Concerns about generic medication quality

Because leucovorin is a generic drug, doctors have concerns about quality.

“One of the big concerns is that because it’s a generic, generics can vary a little,” Kirkland said. “So doctors do have that concern that if we’re using this medication in this capacity, that the quality is all going to be standard across the board.”

Parent’s perspective

Despite not seeing immediate results, Shawn Wilson remains committed to trying the treatment for his son.

“You just want to do the best thing you can do for your kid. You want to help them out, and you want them to have as normal of a life as you would expect,” Shawn said.

Copyright 2026 KVVU. All rights reserved.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. –  As the House of Representatives voted to end the partial government shutdown Tuesday, one government agency is still in trouble. The Department of Homeland Security only has funding that will last for another two weeks.

The temporary funding bill for DHS comes from Democrats refusing to fund Immigration and Customs Enforcement as a show of support for Minnesota. New Mexico’s delegation has been very outspoken about funding DHS unless ICE is cut out of the deal.

“Obviously, we don’t want another prolonged shutdown, but when it comes to Homeland Security and the violence that is being unleashed in our communities, we cannot provide any more funding right now for that,” said Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D).

Congressman Gabe Vasquez sent KOB 4 a statement about the bill passing, stating:

“In just the last two weeks, nearly 2,000 New Mexicans have contacted my office to share their anger and frustration over the violence that is playing out across the nation. They are justifiably terrified that they or their loved ones will be detained, arrested, or jailed for exercising their First Amendment rights or profiled because of the color of their skin. They, and thousands more New Mexicans, are demanding DHS accountability and reform, and so am I.”

“I will not vote to give DHS any more funds so long as Congressional Republicans and the Administration continue to violate our Constitution and until they enter into good-faith negotiations for transparency, accountability around use of force, and commitments to comply with the law. As I’ve said before, the first step is relieving Secretary Noem of her duties. We’ve all seen the brutality masked agents acting with impunity have brought upon Americans with our own eyes, and it’s got to stop.”

“Additionally, DHS was granted a $150 billion dollar blank check under Congressional Republicans’ ‘One Big Beautiful Bill.’ That money is better spent helping Americans afford their health care, lowering the cost of groceries, funding critical food assistance programs, and bringing economic relief to working New Mexicans. New Mexicans’ tax money must be used to bring safety and security to our communities, not to detain and kill American citizens.”

KOB 4 also reached out to the New Mexico GOP to hear the Republican perspective on the matter. Chairwoman Amy Barela says Democrats are forgetting that there are more agencies under DHS, not just ICE.

“Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs, the TSA for our airports to the Coast Guard. There are so many agencies that are out there protecting us that are on hold because of a politically driven decision,” said Barela.

Stansbury did say that if the next proposal is packaged by the Senate in a way that would strictly fund TSA and FEMA, she would vote yes on that deal. However, anything that includes funding for ICE is a deal she’s not willing to support.

Funding for DHS will expire on Friday, Feb. 13. That gives Congress two weeks to come up with a plan and make a deal.