Jury acquits ex-Griz Wilson in second murder trial
Former Grizzly cornerback James Leon Wilson was acquitted of murder charges Thursday in Los Angeles County Superior Court, a full two years after police arrested him for the shooting death of his aunt's boyfriend - and eight months after a previous trial ended in a hung jury.

Lincoln County sheriff recall petitions approved
EUREKA - A petition to recall Lincoln County's sheriff has been approved by election officials here, opening a 90-day window during which advocates must collect nearly 2,000 signatures.

Warrants suggest evidence tampering in Seeley Lake hit-and-run
Search warrants filed this week in Missoula District Court provide details about the investigation into a fatal hit-and-run accident near Seeley Lake, but charges have not yet been filed.

Defendant pleads guilty to embezzling $800,000 from Missoula bank
A 45-year-old Missoula woman admitted stealing more than $800,000 in cash from the First National Bank of Montana, where she worked for the better part of a decade.

Pearly white fight - Burtello Salon owner, state board face off over teeth-whitening procedure
The Montana Board of Dentistry has issued a cease and desist order to a Missoula salon that offers customers a teeth-whitening product.

BNSF comes clean in Whitefish, but residents skeptical about contamination
WHITEFISH - Four months ago, railroad officials began offering to buy homes in a trendy Whitefish neighborhood, discreetly suggesting the ground beneath might be contaminated.

Wilderness bill: Tester criticized for being secretive
HELENA - A group of environmentalists and former supporters of Sen. Jon Tester are criticizing his office's decision to keep quiet about legislative plans for a new Montana wilderness bill.

Judge says Bush-era bull trout plan ‘illogical'
A Bush administration plan to protect endangered bull trout was too “illogical” to withstand legal review, a U.S. District Court judge has ruled.

UM's Main Hall undergoes upgrades
Summers are often quiet on the University of Montana campus, but this summer is a wee bit quieter.

‘Faux hawk' all the talk: Ward 1 candidate Morton drawing buzz with his hair
Some days, the hairdo really does trump the political platform. There's no getting around it.

Wagon's wheels keep turning: Retired Missoula principal refurbishes relic
Old, dilapidated wooden barns and wagons are a staple of the Montana countryside.

Missoula man accused of drugging, raping teenager
A Missoula man was arrested Thursday for allegedly drugging and raping a 15-year-old girl at his home.

Whitefish emergency center funds cause a fuss in Senate
A border war of sorts broke out on the floor of the U.S. Senate on Thursday.

Shepherd soldier Lynch laid to rest
SHEPHERD - Yellow ribbons flapped against the blue sky all along the route to the little cemetery in Shepherd, where Sgt. Terry Lynch's remains were laid to rest Thursday in a poignant burial that brought most of the small farming town out of doors to wave flags and lay roses on his casket.

Police on search for Holiday robbers
Missoula police are searching for two men who robbed a Holiday Station convenience store early Thursday morning, brandishing a tire iron and running off with cash and merchandise.

Montana gains back brucellosis-free status
HELENA - Montana has regained its brucellosis-free status, the state's livestock agency announced Thursday.

Yurt workshop on slate in Polebridge
POLEBRIDGE - As if there weren't enough excuses for taking the road less traveled to Polebridge - tasty pastries, river rafts and Glacier National Park, to name a few - now you can trek to the tiny town to learn about living in the round.

Program pairing federal, local agencies to enforce gun laws sees results
HELENA - Seven years ago, when Montana U.S. Attorney Bill Mercer approached a group of police chiefs about pairing up to better enforce federal gun laws, he was met with outright skepticism.

Ex-mayor of Great Falls linked to prostitution
GREAT FALLS - Cascade County officials say former Great Falls Mayor Gayle Morris has been arrested on suspicion of promoting prostitution at a bar he owns.

Bearcreek man killed in rollover accident
BILLINGS - Authorities say an 18-year-old Bearcreek man is dead after a one-vehicle rollover accident east of Red Lodge.

2 waive extradition in exhumation case
HAVRE - A couple charged in Oklahoma with unlawful removal of a dead body have agreed to be returned to that state from Montana, where they were arrested.

East Missoula: Curiosity shop - Family puts father's antique collection on auction block
EAST MISSOULA - When the late Burt Nelson rode horseback from Lavina to East Missoula in 1926, he was not a person of many accessories, and even ate “cow mash” for sustenance.

Wolf hunt coming in September
Montana and Idaho are moving to host the first open gray wolf hunts in the continental United States after the animal's removal from the endangered list across much of the Northern Rockies.

Hamilton: Mack speech draws crowd - Former sheriff spreads constitutional message
HAMILTON - The Founding Fathers, and one founding mother, were conjured Tuesday night by a conservative crusader hoping to inspire the citizens of Ravalli County to take the country back from a federal government run amok.

Brothers accept plea bargains in poaching case
HAMILTON - State wildlife authorities and Ravalli County prosecutors closed the case on the major players in a long-running family poaching ring in the Bitterroot Valley on Wednesday.

Controversial building project axed
HELENA - The state has terminated a contract to build a contested, privately owned office building here that would have cost an estimated $80 million in rent over the 30-year lease.

Ronan man charged with burning store
KALISPELL - A Ronan man accused of burglaries in three western Montana counties now faces arson charges in Flathead County.

Helena teen pleads not guilty to shooting
HELENA - The Helena teen charged in a shooting that killed one and injured two others has pleaded not guilty.

Bear reported near Big Creek Lake
HAMILTON - The Bitterroot National Forest says backpackers reported run-ins with a black bear near Big Creek Lake over the weekend.