Bakken Crime Boom

 Map of Crimes by County or Region
 

Missoulian: Officials say ill effects of Bakken boom felt on reservations

Crime in Montana, 2012-2013 Report. (Bakken Special Crime Report Pg 89.)

Forest Service Land Purchase/ Insurance Premiums/ Earthquakes and Volcanos

                               Swan Valley Montana. (Steve Kloetzel/The Nature Conservancy)
 

Missoulian: USFS acquires nearly 27K acres of land in western Montana
Federal land purchase secures recreation and wildlife habitat in Montana’s Crown of the Continent

“The purchase lies within the Flathead and Lolo National Forests and is part of the 18 million-acre Crown of the Continent, which is a key intersection connecting vital habitats across western Montana. This acquisition will broaden the effectiveness and increase the amount of conservation work that can be accomplished across this combined landscape.”

Missoulian: 2015 health insurance premiums on Obamacare exchanges won’t increase much

Montana sees historically low rate increases in 2015
“Their analysis concluded that the average price increases for insurance sold in the individual and small group markets will be 1.35 percent, with rates for individuals going up an average of 1.6 percent.  Premium costs for some plans are actually going down next year, including average rates for plans in the Bronze tier, which were purchased by more than a quarter of Montanans who bought plans in the individual health insurance market for 2014.”

Missoulian: 5 things to know about earthquake faults

Yellowstone Supereruption Would Send Ash Across North America

Modeling ash fall distribution from a Yellowstone supereruption

USGS Yellowstone Volcano Observatory

Tuesday Midday Update on South Napa Earthquake

Ukraine/ Caucus Case/ Common Core Lawsuit

Missoulian: US: Russian directing new offensive in Ukraine
Ukraine: Press Releases

Missoulian: Ex-lawmaker pleads guilty in GOP caucuses case
Former Iowa State Senator Pleads Guilty to Concealing Federal Campaign Expenditures

“A former Iowa State Senator pleaded guilty today to concealing payments he received from a presidential campaign in exchange for switching his support and services from one candidate to another and to obstructing a subsequent investigation into his conduct.”

Missoulian: Louisiana Gov. Jindal sues feds over Common Core

Common Core Standards
“Myth: The standards will be implemented through No Child Left Behind (NCLB), signifying that the federal government will be leading them.

Fact: The Common Core is a state‐led effort that is not part of No Child Left Behind or any other federal initiative. The federal government played no role in the development of the Common Core. State adoption of the standards is in no way mandatory. States began the work to create clear, consistent standards before the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which provided funding for the Race to the Top grant program. It also began before the Elementary and Secondary Education Act blueprint was released, because this work is being driven by the needs of the states, not the federal government. Learn more about the development process here.

Myth: The Common Core State Standards were adopted by states as part of the Race to the Top grant program.

Fact: Recognizing the strength of having high standards for all students, the federal government gave competitive advantage to Race to the Top applicants that demonstrated that they had or planned to adopt college- and career-ready standards for all students. The program did not specify the Common Core or prevent states from creating their own, separate college- and career-ready standards. States and territories voluntarily chose to adopt the Common Core to prepare their students for college, career, and life. Many states that were not chosen for Race to the Top grants continue to implement the Common Core.

Myth: These standards amount to a national curriculum for our schools.

Fact: The Common Core is not a curriculum. It is a clear set of shared goals and expectations for what knowledge and skills will help our students succeed. Local teachers, principals, superintendents, and others will decide how the standards are to be met. Teachers will continue to devise lesson plans and tailor instruction to the individual needs of the students in their classrooms.

Myth: The federal government will take over ownership of the Common Core State Standards initiative.

Fact: The federal government will not govern the Common Core State Standards. The Common Core was and will remain a state-led effort. The NGA Center and CCSSO are committed to developing a long-term governance structure with leadership from governors, chief state school officers, and other state policymakers to ensure the quality of the Common Core and that teachers and principals have a strong voice in the future of the standards. States and local school districts will drive implementation of the Common Core.”