Montana Issues Partial SNAP benefits

SNAP food assistance clients in Montana should be seeing a partial November payment on their EBT cards, and are being advised to check their balances.

The news today comes after a chaotic week that saw several court developments and a threatening letter from the USDA rebuking states that had issued full November benefits.

In Montana, that wasn't the case, and the Department of Public Health and Human Services says partial payments should have shown up on those EBT cards on the 9th. The agency is advising SNAP clients to check their balances by calling the EBT Cardholder Helpdesk at 1-866-850-1556, or the website at mybnft.com, rather than the Public Assistance Helpline to check.

We should find out more soon about whether additional benefits are coming as Congress attempts to restart federal government operations in the wake of a deal reached Sunday evening.

Childcare scramble in Missoula after building evacuation

Childcare providers in Missoula have been thrown a curveball with a recommendation to vacate a former school because of structural problems with the building.

United Way of Missoula County CEO Susan Hay Patrick says the collaborative programs operated in leased space at the old Cold Springs Elementary School were advised to move out Friday, when Missoula County Public Schools found problems in an inspection.

"Even though the damage is not in the spaces where we occupy, out of an abundance of caution, we decided to cease operations there immediately." -United Way of Missoula Co CEO Susan Hay Patrick

She says that the childcare providers that are part of Missoula Childcare Advantage are scrambling to make other arrangements for their programs, even moving some smaller providers back into homes. She says that's causing a "terrible disruption", but the collaborative will continue to provide support services until a long-term plan is worked out.

"I think it's important to emphasize that childcare providers who are part of Missoula Childcare Advantage still have access to the free services that are at the heart of MCCA."

     Missoula County Public Schools says only tenants in the West Wing of the school are affected.

Man killed when motorcycle goes airborne

A 42-year-old Billings man is dead after losing control of his motorcycle while trying to round a curve on 1st Avenue North early Monday morning.

Montana Highway Patrol says the victim was merging onto Highway 87 at a "high rate of speed" when he lost control on the corner and struck the center cement divider, sending the Harley airborne, killing him at the scene.

READ MORE: Report Claims Montana Leads in Motorcycle Safety

Alberta trucker identified as victim of weekend semi crash

Montana Highway Patrol reports it was a 55-year-old Alberta truck driver who was killed in that wreck on I-15 north of Dillon Saturday night.

Troopers say the driver was heading southbound when he couldn't make it around those sharp corners near Divide. The Kenworth went off the right side of the road, with the passenger side hitting a guardrail. That flipped the tractor over, and it slid 1-hundred feet on its top, with the truck and trailer coming to a rest on the shoulder and guardrail. The driver was dead when emergency responders arrived. It's not known if he was wearing a seat belt.

Polson woman to face murder charges

A 33-year-old Lake County woman will face homicide charges for the fatal shooting of a Polson man last week. Polson Police announced over the weekend that 31-year-old Ashley Whitmore is being named as the shooter, charged with deliberate Homicide.

Police identified the victim in Thursday morning's incident as 39-year-old Adam Mowatt.

Miles City, where no one gets away

Miles City Police are thanking people for another moment of "community can do" for jumping in to help chase down a forgery suspect a few days ago.

Police were investigating a forgery complaint at Lucky Lil's Casino when the suspect ran off. Two men, Bryce Downs and Matt Cutler, "quickly intervened", tackling the suspect so the officer could arrest him. Police are praising their "alertness, swift action, and cooperation".

It's been that kind of fall in Miles City, a few weeks ag,o the community rallied to help with roundups after two different cattle trucks were involved in accidents. So if you're a "four flusher", or on four hooves, you can't get away in that Montana town.