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FLATHEADBEACON.COM NEWS JANUARY 15, 2014 | 19
a
The Roundup
ke 2014
Ma
From Beacon wire and news services
ear
righter Y
ern states, Montana has done very well B
FLATHEAD
snowfall wise this water year, while
states to our west are well below normal
STATE COMMISSION NIXES for snowpack,” said Brian Domonkos,
LAKE TROUT SLOT LIMIT ON NRCS water supply specialist for Mon-
FLATHEAD’S SOUTHERN HALF
tana.
The state’s ive-member Fish and Winter came with force in Montana
Wildlife Commission unanimously vot- as snowfall began as early as the last
with
NEW ed to remove the slot limit for large lake week in September with continuing fa-
trout on the south half of Flathead Lake.
vorable storm patterns dropping snow
Following the Jan. 9 vote, anglers during the late fall and into the begin-
can now keep lake trout that stretch ning of the winter. The abundance of au-
LIGHTING
more than 30 inches, a size that was pro- tumn snowfall and cooler than normal
hibited since 1992 to protect the limited temperatures experienced in October,
supply of trophy ish. The Confederated November and December has helped to
Salish-Kootenai Tribes have long sup- retain the snowpack in the mountains,
ported eliminating the slot limit as part which often melts of at low and mid el-
from
of their continued eforts to reduce the evations, Domonkos said.
nonnative lake trout population.
Typically by this time of year, Mon-
Oicials from Montana Fish, Wild- tana has accumulated around 50 per-
!
life and Parks acknowledged the tribes’ cent of its annual snowpack.
authority to manage ish within the res-
MASTERPIECEervation’s portion of Flathead Lake and SENTENCING SET IN
recommended the removal of the slot BLACKFEET EMBEZZLEMENT
limit regulations.
SCHEME
Prosecutors are recommending
MONTANA
no prison time for a Blackfeet woman
who pleaded guilty to participating in a
scheme to defraud and embezzle from a
101 HOSPITALIZATIONS, 1 federally funded program for troubled
DEATH DUE TO FLU IN youth on the northwestern Montana In-
MONTANA
dian reservation.
State health oicials say a Hill Coun- Charlotte New Breast is scheduled
ty resident has died of complications to be sentenced Jan. 16 by U.S. District
from the lu. The Department of Public Judge Brian Morris on a charge of aid-
Health and Human Services said last ing and abetting theft from an organiza-
week that 101 people had been hospital- tion receiving federal grant funds. New
ized due to the lu through Jan. 4, with Breast, 53, was the administrative assis-
over half in the past two weeks. The Hill tant for the now-defunct Po’Ka Project,
County resident died two weeks ago.
which collected $9.3 million in federal
Through the week ending Dec. 28, support from 2005 to 2011.
Montana had nearly 860 conirmed Project leaders and consultants
cases of lu and 65 hospitalizations. are accused of stealing an estimated
Flathead County has had 67 conirmed $195,000 from the program and making
cases since October and eight hospital- up or embellishing the tribe’s in-kind
izations, including one child, according contributions to ensure the federal mon-
to the city-county health department. ey kept lowing.
Health oicials have seen a gradual in- Five other defendants, including
crease in recent weeks. Flu season typi- project leaders Francis Onstad and De- p
cally peaks in January and February.
lyle “Shanny” Augare, have pleaded not we’ll hel
guilty to a total of 37 criminal counts.
EARLY SEASON SNOW BOOSTS The defendants engaged in “wanton spread the light
MONTANA SNOWPACK NEAR pillaging” of the program for troubled
NORMAL
youth paid for with a grant from the De-
Water levels across the state are near partment of Health and Human Servic- in your life
or slightly above normal, according to es’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health
snow survey data collected by the USDA Services Administration, Assistant U.S.
Natural Resources Conservation Ser- Attorney Car Rostad wrote in a court il-
MASTERPIECE
vice (NRCS). The southern and central ing.
mountains in the greater Missouri Riv- But because New Breast was a small
er Basin have the highest percentage of player in the scheme and provided “sub-
normal snowpacks, with the Smith Ju- stantial assistance” to prosecutors, Ros-
dith Musselshell Basin leading the way tad is recommending a sentence of three
at 146 percent of normal. Statewide the years’ probation, including six months of
snowpack is 111 percent of normal and home or community coninement.
109 percent of last year. The Flathead New Breast’s attorney, Jefry Foster,
Basin is 114 percent of average. The Koo- said New Breast agrees with the sen-
2541 US Highway 2 E • Kalispell tenai Basin is 98 percent of average.
tencing recommendation.
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“Compared to many of the West-
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(406) 752-0924 • www.masterpiecel1.com
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