HELENA — One thing is clear, regardless of what people think about former president Donald Trump: They know his return to Montana is likely to bring a lot of attention.

Trump, now again the Republican presidential nominee, will be back in the Treasure State next week, for a campaign rally Friday, Aug. 9, in the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse at Montana State University in Bozeman. It will be his sixth rally in Montana, and the first since 2018.

Trump campaigned in Billings in 2016, during the Republican presidential primaries. He then traveled to the state four times in 2018 – holding events in Great Falls, Billings, Missoula and Bozeman – as Republicans sought to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Jon Tester. Tester is on the ballot again this year, and Trump has endorsed his GOP challenger, Gallatin County businessman Tim Sheehy.

Paul Bellamy was living in north-central Montana in 2018 and says he wasn’t able to attend any of Trump’s rallies, but he knows people who did.

“It drew a lot of people in,” he said. “They were pretty upfront about it – they thought it was a pretty good thing.”

Bellamy says he likes Trump’s business experience, and he hopes he’ll have a localized message at this event.

“I don’t think he needs to boast on his record as much as he does,” he said. “I want to hear more about what he’s going to do for Montana. I believe that a rural state like we have, we get forgotten about a lot, especially back East.”

The Trump campaign allowed people to start requesting tickets for the rally on Thursday. Joan Haubein, of Helena, says she would love to attend, but her family is dealing with some health problems at the moment. She says she wants to hear Trump talk about issues like border security and about what she calls “ridiculous” policies coming out of the federal government.

“We should be able to say, in this country, what we believe without being put down or called racist or anything else,” she said.

Haubein believes Trump’s visit will be a good thing for Montana.

“People need to speak out and they need to vote – whether they’re Democrat or Republican, we need votes,” she said.

Of course, many Montanans aren’t as supportive of Trump’s visit. MTN spoke to a number of them who didn’t want to go on-camera for this story, but who had concerns about things like the tone of the campaign.

August 1, 2024

By JOSH FRIEDMAN

The suspect who engaged in a multi-hour standoff with law enforcement at Montana de Oro State Park on Wednesday allegedly stole a transport vehicle that was procured by the United States military and is designed to carry M1 Abrams tanks.

On Wednesday, a witness reported a suspicious vehicle in a parking lot off Los Osos Valley Road in Los Osos. Deputies arrived and the driver, later identified as 63-year-old Patrick Kevin VanNess of Los Angeles, then fled to Montana de Oro State Park, broke through a gate and ended up in the Sandspit Beach area. 

Deputies tried to contact VanNess, but he refused commands to exit the truck. After VanNess refused to leave the truck, detail members sprayed tear gas inside the vehicle, and the suspect got out of the truck.

Deputies booked VanNess in San Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of obstructing or resisting a public officer, fleeing a peace officer while reckless driving with disregard, no evidence of current vehicle registration, vandalism, driving without a license, obstructing or resisting an executive officer and burglary.

On Thursday, the sheriff’s office announced that its detectives confirmed the vehicle involved in the incident is a M1070 Heavy Equipment Transport vehicle that was designed for the United States military. The vehicle was manufactured earlier this year and was then stolen in transit prior to being delivered to the military in Southern California, according to the sheriff’s office. 

Valued at more than $500,000, the M1070 is specifically used to transport M1 Abrams tanks. 

The M1070 that VanNess allegedly stole became stuck in the sand at Montana de Oro several times due to its weight and size. On Thursday, sheriff’s deputies managed to remove the vehicle from the beach at Montana de Oro with assistance from California State Parks and California Army National Guard personnel. 

Sheriff’s officials say VanNess will be charged with theft of the vehicle. An investigation into the incident remains ongoing.

VanNess is currently being held in SLO County Jail with his bail set at $80,000.

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