Supreme Court Nomination/ Amtrak Accident

Missoulian: The Latest: Obama praises Merrick Garland for high court
President Obama’s Supreme Court Nomination
“He currently serves as Chief Judge on the U.S. Court of Appeals in D.C., a court to which he was confirmed with majority support from both parties in the U.S. Senate in 1997. Now presiding as Chief Judge, Judge Garland has more federal judicial experience than any Supreme Court nominee in history.”

Missoulian: NTSB says feed truck shifted track before Amtrak accident
NTSB to Provide Update for Amtrak Derailment in Kansas
“The National Transportation Safety Board is scheduled to provide an update this afternoon about its investigation of an Amtrak train derailment near here (Cimarron, Kan) Monday.”

Genocide in Syria

Missoulian: House passes resolution condemning IS atrocities as genocide
H.Con.Res.121 - Expressing the sense of the Congress condemning the gross violations of international law amounting to war crimes and crimes against humanity by the Government of Syria, its allies, and other parties to the conflict in Syria, and asking the President to direct his Ambassador at the United Nations to promote the establishment of a war crimes tribunal where these crimes could be addressed.

Montana Campaign Finance Laws

Missoulian: Court decision puts candidate contribution limits at risk
Ninth Circuit Court Opinion on Contribution Limits
Finally, we find that the public interest is closely aligned with the irreparable harm shown by the State of Montana. The people comprising the State of Montana have a deep interest in fair elections. See United States v. Gradwell, 243 U.S. 476, 480 (1917) (“[T]he people of the United States . . . have an interest in and a right to honest and fair elections . . . .”). The Montana contribution limit statute has long stood, not only to prevent corruption, see Eddleman, 343 F.3d at 1092–93, but also to create an background of fairness to allow candidates to plan their campaigns and implement their strategies upon the foundation of well-laid and understood groundrules. Given the deep public interest in honest and fair elections and the numerous available options for the interested parties to continue to vigorously participate in the election, the balance of interests falls resoundingly in favor of the public interest. 

Montana Sex Crime Laws

Missoulian: Legislative panel looks at options to change sex-crime laws
Law and Justice Interim Committee Meeting 3/9/16 Video

Polygamous Towns/ Pedestrian Deaths

Missoulian: Jury: Polygamous towns discriminated against nonbelievers
Justice Department Wins Religious Discrimination Lawsuit Against Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah
“A federal jury in Phoenix returned a verdict today finding that the towns of Colorado City, Arizona, and Hildale, Utah, and their joint water company systematically discriminated against individuals who are not members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (FLDS) in the provision of housing, utility and policing services in violation of the Fair Housing Act.  Prior to the jury verdict, the parties reached an agreement that the defendants will pay $1.6 million to resolve the monetary claim under the Fair Housing Act.”

Missoulian: Pedestrian deaths surged in 2015, early data suggests
Pedestrian Traffic Fatalities by State: 2015 Preliminary Data
“An estimated 2,368 pedestrians were killed in the first half of 2015, an increase of 10% over the same time period the prior year. The preliminary 2015 data were provided by GHSA's member State Highway Safety Office members. All 50 states and the District of Columbia provided data.”

Craft Beer and Barley

Missoulian: Craft beer boom spurs demand for close-to-home barley malt
Boutique Brews, Barley, and the Balance Sheet: Changes in malt barley industrial use require an updated forecasting approach

Expanding Craft Beer Production Boosts Industrial Use of Barley
“Expanding production and consumption of craft beer has created a need to update the methods used to estimate barley use for malting and brewing, which are collectively called “industrial” purposes. Previous approaches have relied on the historical relationship between malt and malt products (and therefore malt barley) use for lager-style beer production. However, the production of craft-style beer typically requires proportionally more malt per barrel than the same volume of the common American light-lager or “non-craft” beer.”

Invasive Aquatic Species and Boat Inspection/ Yellowstone Grizzly Delisting/ Divide Travel Plan

Missoulian: FWP wants authority to impound boats at risk of carrying invasive mussels
Fishing
“Preventing the transport and infestation of aquatic invasive species continues to be a priority for FWP.

The proposed rule changes clarify that decontamination at AIS inspection stations may include appropriate drying time of a boat or vessel, which may mean locking the vessel to the trailer or storing it in a secure place to prevent launching.”

Notice of Public Hearings on Proposed Amendments and Adoption Pertaining to Aquatic Invasive Species 25.1 kb

Missoulian: Federal government proposes lifting Yellowstone grizzly protections
March 3, 2016 - The Service is requesting public review and input on Proposed Revisions to the Demographic Recovery Criteria for the Grizzly Bear Population in the Greater Yellowstone Area Docket No. FWS–R6–ES–2016–0042. These proposed revisions and supporting documents are listed below:

• Proposed Rule
• Press Release
• FAQs
• Supplement to 1993 Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan
• Draft 2016 Conservation Strategy for the Grizzly Bear in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
• Appendices
• Proposed Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Grizzly Delisting Rule Literature Cited
• Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem Map

MTPR: Off-Roaders Consider Lawsuit Over Forest Travel Plan

Divide Travel Plan