Montana
Renowned food safety lawyer discusses E. coli outbreak in Flathead County
KALISPELL — We’re following up on the E. coli outbreak in Flathead County that has left one person dead and at least 12 others infected.
The Flathead City-County Health Department (FCCHD) and Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) are investigating the outbreak with preliminary investigations showing ground beef as the potential source.
Public health officials told MTN News that the investigation is ongoing and the names of the beef distributor and restaurants where the beef was sold will not be released at this time.
Renowned food safety lawyer Bill Marler represented families sickened from ground beef linked E. coli during the historic 1993 Jack-in-the-Box outbreak, which left nearly 700 people sick and caused the death of four children.
Marler says those infected through this E. coli outbreak have a right to seek compensation.
“Both from the restaurant for under-cooking but from my perspective also from the meat supplier and the slaughterhouse that put the contaminated food into the marketplace, in 2024 after you know 30-plus years, post Jack-in-the-Box, that shouldn’t happen,” said Marler.
Marler said full transparency between public health officials investigating the ground beef E. coli outbreak and the Flathead community is key as the investigation continues.
“The only reason that we have ill people at those restaurants with E. coli O157 from hamburger is that those hamburgers were not cooked properly,” said Marler.
“If you cook it to the standards that every state you know follows, which is 155 degrees, that kills E. coli, and so it’s a little odd that they haven’t named the restaurants, it’s frankly really bothersome that they haven’t named the supplier.”
Marler and his firm Marler-Clark have represented thousands of food poisoning victims over the last three decades.
He said cases linked to ground beef E. coli outbreaks are usually under-reported in the community, as symptoms vary from person to person.
“Every one person counted, there’s usually about 5-10 other people that go uncounted,” added Marler.
Jossolyn Becker with the Flathead City-County Health Department said the ground beef linked to E. coli has been removed with no threat of further contamination in the community.
She said the last known date of consumption of the product was on July 14.
“Any of the lot that was affected by this beef distributor has been isolated and it is no longer a concern at this point,” said Becker.
In a joint response to MTN News FCCHD and DPHHS – released the following:
“The investigation is ongoing and at this point in time we are unable to provide the name of the distributor or the names of the restaurants. We are planning to release a joint statement with DPHHS tomorrow to provide the most updated information available regarding this outbreak.”
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Winning Powerball numbers from May 13 drawing
22-31-52-56-67, Powerball: 15, Power Play: 2
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Winning Lotto America numbers from May 13 drawing
17-18-28-37-42, Star Ball: 04, ASB: 02
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Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 13 drawing
02-06-10-16, Bonus: 16
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Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from May 13 drawing
08-13-39-63-66, Powerball: 02
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Winning Montana Cash numbers from May 13 drawing
02-04-13-17-32
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Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 13 drawing
21-24-29-42-49, Bonus: 01
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Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
Montana
Public Meeting at Hub on Smith Concerning Montana Water Call Prompting Priority Administration in Tongue Basin
Wyoming State Engineer Brandon Gebhart announced that on May 5, 2026, the State of Montana placed a call under Article V(A) of the Yellowstone River Compact to fill Tongue River Reservoir in Montana. As a result, priority administration is in effect on post-1950 water rights in Wyoming that divert water from the Tongue River and its tributaries and are not excluded from the compact.
A public meeting will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Monday, May 18, in the dining room of The Hub on Smith. Attendees are asked to enter on the north side of the building.
The Tongue River Basin has been experiencing drought conditions over the past year with historically low winter snowpack and streamflow conditions. According to the release, those conditions led to Montana’s interstate call and prompted the administration of the Tongue River Basin in Wyoming.
The priority administration will affect post-1950 water rights within the Tongue River Basin, including reservoir storage, stream diversions and groundwater withdrawals, all of which affect river flows. Post-1950 water rights will be regulated off or prevented from turning on. Wyoming hydrographer-commissioners will continue to administer reservoir storage and post-1950 diversions throughout the spring and work with affected water users until the administration is lifted.
As provided in the compact, domestic uses less than one-half acre in area and livestock uses, including stock reservoirs less than 20 acre-feet in capacity, are excluded from this administration. The release noted these excluded rights could be subject to future regulation to satisfy priority calls by senior Wyoming water rights.
Beginning May 5, 2026, Wyoming hydrographer-commissioners have worked to record the current storage levels of reservoirs with post-1950 water rights. Going forward, those reservoirs can continue to accrue storage so long as post-1950 storage gained after the interstate call on May 5 remains in storage until either the water is released to satisfy the Montana call or Montana lifts the call because Tongue River Reservoir will fill.
Reservoirs with unfulfilled pre-1950 water rights can continue to store water and that storage will not be subject to release to satisfy Montana’s call. However, that storage and other direct flow rights could be subject to regulation to satisfy priority calls by senior Wyoming water rights.
The priority administration will be carried out pursuant to state law by hydrographer-commissioners assigned to various portions of the Tongue River Basin, working under the direction of Division II Superintendent David Schroeder.
The Wyoming State Engineer’s Office can be contacted at:
Jack Morey, deputy state engineer, 307-777-5032, jack.morey2@wyo.gov
David Schroeder, Division II superintendent, 307-674-7012, d.schroeder@wyo.gov
Jeff Cowley, interstate streams administrator, 307-777-1942, jeff.cowley@wyo.gov
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 12, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 12 drawing
17-32-35-40-47, Mega Ball: 17
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 12 drawing
04-12-17-24, Bonus: 11
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Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 12 drawing
19-21-35-38-53, Bonus: 01
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
- Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
- Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
- Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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