WESTERN MONTANA — Here's a look at Western Montana's top news stories for Friday.
A collaborative project is removing dangerous trees along power lines in Ravalli County's East Fork area — building a fuel break to protect hundreds of homes and prevent power outages. The partnership between the Forest Service, Ravalli Electric Co-op, state agencies and local contractors hopes to strengthen protections in one of Montana's highest-rated fire danger zones. (Read the full story)
Missoula resident Cory Spurlock was convicted by a federal jury in Nevada last month for killing two people and trafficking marijuana in a large-scale operation. Spurlock was found guilty of murdering Jered Stefansky in June 2020 and Will and Yesenia Larsen in November 2020 — along with charges for robbery, stalking and firearm violations. (Read the full story)
In recognition of International Wrongfully Convicted Day on Thursday, the Montana Innocence Project hosted a speaker at the Missoula Public Library to discuss wrongful imprisonment across the country. The non-profit faces growing challenges helping wrongfully convicted Montanans obtain legal counsel — struggling to visit clients that were sent to private prisons in other states. (Read the full story)
