Thomas Plank News Today : Breaking News, Live Updates & Top Stories | Vimarsana

Here's a roundup of local stories that ran this week.

Negotiations between the Montana State Prison and employees' union wrapped Thursday without a resolution, although the spectre of a strike appears to have subsided for now.

Former East Helena Police Chief William Daly Harrington made an initial court appearance Tuesday on a criminal complaint accusing him of distributing child pornography, according to a press release from the U.S. Attorney's office. Harrington is also under criminal investigation over a separate allegation of sexual assault, according to a press release from the city of East Helena.  His attorney Scott Albers declined to comment on Tuesday. A criminal complaint filed in the child pornography case and unsealed Tuesday alleges that Harrington, 42, of Helena, distributed child pornography, Acti...

A courtyard near the entrance to the Montana State Prison.  Meagan Thompson, The Montana Standard The state of Montana has reached a $250,000 settlement with a former Department of Corrections employee who said he had faced discrimination and retaliation in 2016 for his post-traumatic stress disorder while working at Montana State Prison in Deer Lodge. The settlement is the highest amount listed on the State Employee Settlement Data site, a transparency feature, since it started nearly two years ago. It’s nearly 443% more than the next-highest listed payment of $46,990 pai...

The BLM announces avoidance areas to protect raptors in Indian Creek The BLM thanks the climbing community for their cooperation MONTICELLO, Utah – Each spring raptors return to the Indian Creek area for nesting. Eagles, falcons, and other migratory birds use shallow depressions on ledges, cliffs and rock walls, and often return to the same site year after year to raise their young. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) requests that climbers and hikers avoid nest areas during critical nesting periods, typically in early March through late August. Avoiding climbing and hiking in the vicini...