Big Sky News

BILLINGS - A Billings woman is accused of passing counterfeit checks in Miles City, Billings and Bozeman using stolen identities.

As a burgeoning landscape artist, East Glacier's Roger Rink found the perfect complement to his artistic ambitions: construction work.

Organizers of a tribal youth summit are looking for participants. The Montana Wyoming Tribal Youth Summit will be held July 28-31 at Luccock Park Camp, 9 miles south of Livingston.The summit's purpose is to eliminate the Native American graduation gap by 2018.

WORDEN - Voters in the Huntley Project school district will be asked to approve a $9.75 million bond to build a new junior and senior high school.

BILLINGS - After competing for the title four times, Billings livestock auctioneer Ty Thompson has been crowned world champion by the Livestock Marketing Association.

BILLINGS - A young black bear that took up residence in a tree on the west end of Billings has been tranquilized and relocated to the Pryor Mountains.

Saturday marked the second day of the inaugural Under the Big Sky Arts and Crafts Festival, which has brought artists to the Western Montana Fair Grounds in Missoula.

RED LODGE - The Montana State Historic Preservation Review Board recently nominated four properties for the national register.

WEST GLACIER - The entire Going-to-the-Sun Road is open for vehicle access Glacier National Park officials have announced.

They say the best way to shrink a fish is by ruler, but the best way to grow a fish is with a beer.

HELENA - The Montana Highway Patrol said two people riding a motorcycle were killed in a collision with a pickup truck east of East Helena .

MISSOULA - Missoula police say a 67-year-old woman who was struck by a pickup truck while walking her bike through a crosswalk has died of her injuries at a Seattle hospital.

MISSOULA - Missoula police are investigating the death of a 31-year-old woman who died while in custody at the Missoula County jail.

GLENDIVE - Brittany Wiser of Bozeman is the new Miss Montana. Wiser claimed the 60th annual crown Saturday night.

LEWISTOWN - A Maiden Canyon -area resident faces a felony charge for allowing his 18 "aggressive and vicious" dogs to run loose in the Judith Mountains.

WOLF POINT - A dozen people were arrested in connection with a methamphetamine lab discovered in Wolf Point .

BILLINGS - In getting one final shot at more high school glory, Joslyn Tinkle seldom missed.

Montana. For most out-of -towners, the word conjures up images of vast landscapes dotted with old homestead cabins and cowboys.

On a recent day in June, Lou Loader leaned over a sluice box full of gravel. Wearing rubberized gloves, tweezers in hand, Loader's quarry revealed itself amongst the dull stone as sparkles of deep blue - sapphires.

CHINOOK - The St. Mary Rehabilitation Working Group will hold its scheduled monthly meeting Tuesday at the Chinook Motor Inn in Chinook.