West
Tester, Sheehy weigh in after parental consent abortion law struck down by Montana Supreme Court
The abortion issue has taken center stage this week in Montana in the midst of a closely watched U.S. Senate race.
On Wednesday, the state’s supreme court invalidated as unconstitutional a law restricting abortion access for minors to those who obtained parental consent.
“No politician should be in the business of making health care decisions for women,” a spokesperson for Sen. Jon Tester replied to Fox News Digital’s request for comment, adding that the Democratic incumbent “will continue to fight for Montana women to have the freedom and privacy to make their own personal health care decisions.”
The farmer-turned-lawmaker faces a tough bid in the otherwise red state, and along with senators up for reelection in Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia is seen as vulnerable in this cycle. Abortion, at the same time, remains likely the top social issue.
A spokesperson for Tim Sheehy, Tester’s Republican opponent, said the military veteran is dismayed by the court’s decision.
“As the father of four young children, including two young daughters, Tim is troubled by this decision that weakens parental rights and puts young girls at risk,” the Sheehy For Montana spokesperson told Fox News Digital.
“This move by the Montana Supreme Court should concern every Montanan — parents absolutely should be a part of their child’s health care.”
TRUMP CAMPAIGN SLAMS JON TESTER AS RADICALLY OUT OF TOUCH AFTER ABORTION AD ROLLOUT
An abortion-rights demonstrator holds a sign during a rally, May 14, 2022, in Chattanooga, Tenn. (AP)
Montana’s Republican governor, meanwhile, delivered a strong response, tearing into the high court for striking down the state law requiring parental consent for minors to have abortions, while the state’s vulnerable Democratic senator hailed the decision, saying women should be able to make their own health care decisions.
“I’m deeply concerned and disappointed by today’s ruling from the Montana Supreme Court, which states parents do not have a fundamental right to oversee the medical care of their young daughters,” Gov. Greg Gianforte, a Republican, said in response. “In its ruling, the Court has wielded its gavel like a hammer against one of the fundamental rights in our history: the right of parents to consent to the medical care of their minor children,” he added.
The ruling backed-up one from a lower court that ruled the law unconstitutional, as it pertains to the state-level founding document in particular.
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U.S. Highway 89 is shown near Gardiner, Mont., on July 15, 2020. (Brett French/Billings Gazette via AP)
Associate Justice Laurie McKinnon, elected to the nonpartisan bench in 2012, wrote that minors enjoy a “fundamental right to privacy” the same way adults do.
“[That] includes procreative autonomy and making medical decisions affecting his or her bodily integrity and health in partnership with a chosen health care provider free from governmental interest.”
The ruling was unanimous, with Chief Justice Mike McGrath recusing himself from the case.
President Biden gestures while speaking to Montana Democratic Sen. Jon Tester (Getty images)
Following the effective overturning of Roe v. Wade via the 2022 Dobbs decision before the U.S. Supreme Court, Tester had warned that ruling “means women and doctors will be put in jail when exercising this long-held right in states across the country.”
“For nearly 50 years, women have been able to make their own healthcare decisions without interference from the government… No judge or politician should be telling women how to live their lives or undermining their fundamental right to privacy,” Tester said.
The abortion issue has also caused political strife for moderates in key states, as well as in campaign politics – as former President Trump sought to distance himself from deep-red Alabama’s ruling in favor of the personhood of embryos.
Trump said in February he fully supports in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and urged Yellowhammer State lawmakers to protect the practice despite the ruling.
The Montana law, passed in 2013, was promptly challenged by Planned Parenthood and had been subject to a court injunction preventing its implementation.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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West
Las Vegas first responders conduct seven-hour rescue of injured climber stranded 600 feet up rock face
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First responders in Nevada carried out a dramatic seven-hour rescue after a climber was seriously injured while stranded roughly 600 feet up a steep rock face near Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) said search and rescue teams were notified around noon Saturday about an injured climber on the “Dream Safari” route along Dark Shadows Wall in Pine Creek.
Authorities said the climber had fallen an estimated 40 to 50 feet, suffering severe head and back injuries.
The victim’s climbing partner and a guide from another climbing party reached the injured climber and controlled the bleeding while awaiting rescue crews.
Rescuers secured the climber in a titanium litter and lowered the patient in stages down the rock face. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
Four search and rescue officers and a lead climb volunteer were inserted by the department’s AIR3 helicopter several hundred feet above the victim at the top of the route.
Rescuers then rappelled down the rock face, provided medical treatment while suspended mid-face, and secured the patient in a titanium litter.
Crews constructed a lowering system and brought the climber several hundred feet down to the ground through three separate lowering stations, with a rescuer attending to the patient during the descent.
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Las Vegas police search and rescue teams spent seven hours lowering an injured climber 600 feet to safety. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
Once at the base, additional volunteers carried the litter to an extraction point where the helicopter returned to airlift the victim to a Bureau of Land Management helipad.
The climber was then transferred to a ground ambulance and taken to a local hospital.
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The climber’s helmet was destroyed in the fall but likely saved the person’s life, officials said. (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
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LVMPD wrote on Facebook that the entire operation lasted about seven hours from initial insertion to final extraction.
“Although the victim’s helmet was destroyed during the fall, it likely saved their life,” police said.
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SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — ABC7 Eyewitness News got a sneak peak as crews put the finishing touches on the floats you’ll see at Saturday’s San Francisco Chinese New Year Festival and Parade.
Since it’s the year of the fire horse, you’ll see a lot of horses and fire symbolism on the floats, housed at Pier 19.
“So Year of the Horse, it’s energy, it’s passion, it’s momentum so a lot of things that we’re really hoping to embody in the new year,” said Stephanie Mufson, owner of San Francisco-based The Parade Guys, which designs and constructs the floats.
She said they’ve been building them for about three months, with the designs starting in November.
MORE: Bay Area artist brings Year of the Horse statue to life for Golden State Warriors
“We’re in the home stretch,” she said. “We’ve got a couple of days left and we’ve got a nice little team that’s cranking out all the finishing work that needs to go into it.”
Derrick Shavers was sanding some wood that will be painted and become cherry blossom trees on a float.
“It’s exciting,” Shavers said. “I look forward to coming every year and just creating and making things shine and sparkle.”
Bon was painting mountains for a float, making sure everything is perfect in time for the parade.
MORE: Meet the 2026 San Francisco Chinese New Year Parade mascot, Maverick
“It’s one of the few parades that actually happens at night still,” Bon said. “So we got to make sure all the lighting is in check, and people are safe on the float. It’s all in the details, just for it to walk by you for 10 seconds.”
Ten seconds that bring so much joy to those watching the parade.
Here’s how you can watch the parade on ABC7 Eyewitness News on Saturday, March 7.
Coverage starts at 5 p.m. wherever you stream ABC7.
SF Chinese New Year Parade 2026: How to watch ABC7 Eyewitness News live coverage
If you’re on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live
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GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) — The Class 5A Sweet 16 has arrived, and both Grand Junction and Palisade are still standing with trips to the Great Eight in Denver on the line.
At The Jungle, the No. 2 seed Grand Junction Tigers set the tone early against No. 18 Golden. Defense carried the Tigers from the opening tip as they held the Demons to nine first quarter points while scoring 16 of their own.
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Grand Junction added eight points in the second quarter while Golden managed six, sending the Tigers into halftime with a nine point lead.
Golden responded in the third quarter, outscoring Grand Junction 16 to 11 to cut the deficit to five entering the fourth. The Tigers answered in the final period, attacking the rim and converting key shots to win the quarter 19 to 10. Grand Junction secured a 54 to 41 victory to protect its home court and advance to the Great Eight in Denver.
Top seeded Palisade also defended its home floor with a trip to Denver at stake. The Bulldogs opened with nine straight points to energize a packed gym, but Frederick settled in and closed the first quarter on a run to tie the game at nine.
Frederick continued to respond in the second quarter and took an eight point lead into halftime.
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Palisade shifted momentum after the break. The Bulldogs tightened defensively, holding Frederick to 21 points in the second half while scoring 39 of their own. Palisade completed the comeback to advance to the Great Eight.
Colorado Mesa University Women Deliver Historic RMAC Tournament Win
In collegiate action, the top seeded Colorado Mesa University women’s basketball team defeated Colorado School of Mines 96 to 51 in the RMAC Tournament, marking the largest margin of victory in the tournament this century.
Olivia Reed-Thyne led the Mavericks with 34 points on 11 of 15 shooting, her third 30 point performance this season. Mason Rowland added 22 points and Hallie Clark contributed 10 as Colorado Mesa matched a program record with its 31st win. The Mavericks will host the semifinals Friday with a berth in the championship game at stake.
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Colorado Mesa University Men Survive Overtime Thriller
The Colorado Mesa University men’s basketball team faced New Mexico Highlands University for the third time this season. The Mavericks scored 36 first half points and led by four at the break.
New Mexico Highlands shot 50 percent in the second half, received 21 bench points and outscored Colorado Mesa 43 to 39 to force a late push. With the season in the balance, Ty Allred hit a game tying 3 pointer to make it 75 and send the game to overtime. Allred scored seven points in the extra period as Colorado Mesa earned a 91 to 90 victory to advance to the next round.
Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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