Montana
National parks, military dispute Sheehy's claim that he parachuted into Glacier • Daily Montanan
![National parks, military dispute Sheehy's claim that he parachuted into Glacier • Daily Montanan National parks, military dispute Sheehy's claim that he parachuted into Glacier • Daily Montanan](https://dailymontanan.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Sheehy-in-helicopter-scaled.jpg)
U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy recently said he parachuted into Glacier National Park as part of his military training in Montana — an activity a national park spokesperson said is not permitted.
Sheehy, a Republican and a former U.S. Navy SEAL, made the comment at a campaign event last month, according to a video posted on Facebook and shared multiple times. He used the story to tell the group about how he grew up in Minnesota, but got to know the Treasure State.
Sheehy did not respond to questions sent this week to two campaign staff members asking for details about the claim.
However, a Glacier National Park official said parachuting, hang gliding and base jumping are not allowed in the park.
Public Information Officer Gina Icenoggle said the park does not grant special permission for the U.S. military, and if the activity is taking place, it is illegal.
“There is no way to get permission,” Icenoggle said.
Sheehy is a decorated veteran. His awards include a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and other commendations.
He was commissioned into the military in 2008 and was on active duty until September 2014, according to records from the U.S. Navy. He was in the reserves until 2019.
The businessman based in Bozeman is campaigning to unseat incumbent Democrat and U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a farmer seeking his fourth term in office.
Tester is the only Democrat elected to statewide office in Montana.
Republicans have put a target on his back, and Democrats are pouring money into the race to keep him in office. Political control of the U.S. Senate could hinge on the outcome of the race in Montana.
The Daily Montanan requested information from, the U.S. Navy about any parachute training it conducted in Glacier National Park. A Naval Special Warfare spokesperson said it trains in Montana but did not have any record of parachute training in the park.
In the video of Sheehy’s recent campaign stop, he talked about first coming to Montana after growing up in Minnesota and entering the military. He said he trained in the Limestone Hills.
Fort Harrison provides military training facilities at different sites in Montana including the Limestone Hills southeast of Helena. All branches of the military have access to the facilities overseen by the Montana National Guard.
Master Sgt. Michael Touchette said he is not aware of any arrangements with Glacier. However, he said the Guard does not have much visibility on the training Special Forces soldiers undertake.
“They’ll travel 20 miles through the mountains in the winter in the middle of the snow,” Touchette said.
A Naval Special Warfare spokesperson said its Special Forces conduct cold weather training in many states, including Montana. He said the following in response to the Daily Montanan’s questions about any parachute training in Glacier National Park or in any other parks:
“Naval Special Warfare utilizes many states across the country, including Montana, to conduct cold-weather research and development,” said the spokesperson. “Several years ago, we had service members attend a non-DOD (Department of Defense) hosted conference on the topic of emergency medicine at Glacier National Park.”
Sheehy earlier said he lied about a different Glacier National Park incident, according to reporting this spring from The Washington Post.
In 2015, Sheehy received a citation for illegally discharging a weapon in the park, and he paid a $525 fine for it, according to records from The Washington Post; the Daily Montanan cited the Post’s reporting in an earlier story.
However, Sheehy told The Post he had lied about the illegal discharge.
He said he fell while on a hike; feared the injury had dislodged an old, unreported bullet in his arm; and manufactured the story about the illegal discharge to dissuade any investigation into whether he had been shot by friendly fire while on duty overseas.
Sheehy did not release medical records from the incident.
Sheehy and Tester are running a close race. It is listed as a toss-up by the Cook Political Report.
Tester, however, has far outraised Sheehy. In the most recent reporting period, Tester pulled in $6.4 million, and Sheehy raised $3.1 million, including a $400,000 loan he gave his campaign.
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Montana
For NorthWestern Energy, trust is a one-way street • Daily Montanan
![For NorthWestern Energy, trust is a one-way street • Daily Montanan For NorthWestern Energy, trust is a one-way street • Daily Montanan](https://dailymontanan.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/IMG-0022-scaled.jpg)
Trust us, says the state’s largest public utility company, NorthWestern Energy, as it made a historic rate increase request two years ago, only to have another large rate request wallop its Montana customers this year.
Trust us, says the same company which can’t even tell the truth in a pleading to the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court when it says that a coal plant in southern Montana is the largest plant west of the Mississippi, even though it doesn’t appear to be in the top 3. And don’t even get me started on NorthWestern’s crocodile tears about having to update Colstrip when it has literally been planning to spool it down because of exorbitant pollution control costs, known decades ago.
Trust us, says NorthWestern as it rushes headlong into more fossil fuels, even while most other utilities invest in renewables, some building multi-million dollar projects in Montana to ship energy several states away.
So it’s probably not surprising that NorthWestern is asking to trust it again, as it wants to shut the public out of meetings where members of (*checks notes again) the public are supposed to help put together a plan for the utility company’s future in Montana.
The public, as it turns out, is a burden and inconvenience, but not so much that the utility company can’t turn around and squeeze a healthy rate of return out of us.
In fact, the public is held in such little regard by NorthWestern Energy that they’ve told the Montana Public Service Commission it’s “essential” to keep the public out of its meetings where the future of Montana’s energy landscape is being discussed. In fact, officials with the utility hold the public in such contempt that they won’t even disclose the members of their company who serve on the Electrical Technical Advisory Committee, mandated by law to be, well, public.
The Montana Public Service Commission has shown a renewed sense of independence lately and has both demanded answers about this clandestine committee, as well as publicly rebuked NorthWestern for its shoddy rate case proposal — twice.
Like all publicly regulated utilities, NorthWestern is guaranteed a reasonable rate of return (read: profit margin) in exchange for having the public involved in its business. There are likely many businesses which would take that deal — a guarantee of financial success, for a bit of public scrutiny.
The trouble is two-fold: NorthWestern has been historically used to getting whatever it wants at the Public Service Commission, by bluster or legal threat. And, the company is recoiling at the indignity of having to answer why it would rather close out the public.
But NorthWestern is learning the most basic rule of public participation. True, involving the public in commenting and participation guarantees a lengthier, messier process. It’s not as easy for companies or leaders to insist on their way. And, involving the public, even dissenting voices, means compromise, and sometimes consideration of inconvenient questions, like, for example, the role of burning fossil fuels in the sometimes catastrophic climate change taking place beneath the “Big Sky.”
I would suggest NorthWestern wants it both ways, though. It wants to dictate how and what it builds in the future, as well as demand the price it wants to extract from the captive customers who have no choice but to pony up. That, though, disregards the public part of public utilities, which is customers should have a say in what kind of power we want.
By intentionally not releasing information, even the basic kind which includes who sits on the committee and what are the topics discussed, NorthWestern creates its own public relations nightmare in which ratepayers, residents, and nosy columnists assume the worst because the utility company admits it’s purposefully hiding information that everyone else believes should be public.
It’s excellent that the groups which have brought this issue to the forefront continue to demand action. If we have to be held captive by a company whose future plans include taking us back to the days of coal, then transparency would be welcome. And, we’re encouraged that the Public Service Commission has embraced a more critical and even confrontational posture, literally putting the “public service” part back into the equation.
So when NorthWestern energy asks us to trust them, I’d suggest it’s time to turn the tables on them: When will it begin to start trusting the public?
Montana
Montana FWP explains decision to euthanize black bear sow in Butte
![Montana FWP explains decision to euthanize black bear sow in Butte Montana FWP explains decision to euthanize black bear sow in Butte](https://ewscripps.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/b485486/2147483647/strip/true/crop/1168x613+0+0/resize/1200x630!/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fewscripps-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F15%2Fc5%2F06f45f2b40b98ccc54eec97da2aa%2Ffwp-black-bear-killed.jpg)
Around 2:40 a.m. on Wednesday, officials with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) shot and killed a female black bear that had been on the loose with her two cubs in Uptown Butte since early Tuesday morning.
MTN’s Chet Layman spoke with Morgan Jacobsen, information and education manager for Montana FWP Region 3, about the factors that led to putting down the food-conditioned bear and what’s next for her two cubs:
Montana FWP explains decision to euthanize black bear sow in Butte
Montana
Managing noxious weeds in Montana
Montana law states that “it is unlawful for any person to permit any noxious weed to propagate or go to seed on the person’s land.” It further states that “…any person who adheres to the noxious weed management program of the person’s weed management district or has entered into and is in compliance with a noxious weed management agreement” is considered to be in compliance. (Montana Code 7-22-2116 (2023)).
Legally, a noxious weed is any plant designated by a Federal, State or county government as injurious to public health, agriculture, recreation, wildlife or property. Montana Noxious Weed List includes 36 plant species ranging in priority from 1A and 1B to 2B, and five regulated plant species.
The first step in any well executed project is to identify the goals and create a plan that is both realistic and effective. Managing noxious weeds begins with plant species identification, includes taking an inventory of the level of infestation, and involves creating an action plan that is viable.
Invasive plants thrive on disturbed soil and seeds are distributed by many vectors including birds, wind, wildlife, livestock, humans and all sorts of vehicles. Some invasives also have aggressive root systems that spread long distances, often from a single plant. Noxious weeds and other non-native invasives left untreated become established, quickly reproduce and spread and cause harm to the environment as well as the economy. Invasive species compete directly with native and desirable species for moisture, sunlight, nutrients and space. Populations unchecked cause major change faster than native ecosystems can accommodate.
The most effective approach to controlling noxious weeds is the implementation of integrated weed management (IWM), the integration of effective, dependable and workable weed management practices such as cultural (e.g. pulling weeds), mechanical (e.g. mowing), chemical and biological that can be used economically.
Powell County Weed District and Missoula County Department of Ecology and Extension work with land owners and managers to promote IWM practices including site visits and vegetation management plan development, loaner equipment programs, cost-share grants, revegetation tools, biological control with insects, organized weed pull events, outreach and education events and no-cost materials such as weed ID books. We offer plant identification and also provide contact information for licensed spray contractors and other resources that promote healthy land use practices.
I would encourage anyone seeking advice on noxious weed management to contact their local county weed board coordinator or Ag Extension Agent. County coordinators and Ag Extension agents are trained and licensed and provide the most accurate and up to date options and resources for managing noxious weeds.
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