News Briefs

March 1 issue

Group calls for Bison Range review

Citing several mismanagement concerns, a national environmental group called last week for a federal inspection of the National Bison Range.

Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) released a statement asking that the U.S. Interior Department Office of Inspector General investigate conditions at the Moiese refuge.

In 2009, the management of the range was transferred to the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, which now runs the range in cooperation with federal employees.

The PEER statement cites concerns discerned from documents obtained through Freedom of Information Requests. The group said in the release that “recurring” issues such as “inadequate law enforcement presence to respond to acts of arson, poaching and illegal hunting.”

Tribal Council Chairman E.T. “Bud” Moran said PEER’s calls ignored the successes the range has enjoyed duirng the past years. He defended the operations there. 

“It’s a shame that PEER can’t get beyond its narrow perception of the tribal-federal partnership,”  Moran said. “PEER has obtained hundreds of pages of documents from its Freedom of Information requests. Despite its efforts to dig up dirt, it has found very little negative to report. The allegations it makes in its own press release are contradicted by the documents it references.”

-Reporter Jenna Cederberg

Alleged Ronan burglar arraigned

POLSON — A Ronan man charged with 13 felonies could spend up to 240 years in prison if convicted on all charges.

Keith Charles Harrison, 22, pleaded not guilty to all counts in District Court Judge Kim Christopher’s court last Thursday after allegedly committing a string of burglaries in Ronan last July and September.

Harrison is charged with 11 felony counts of burglary, two felony counts of theft, four misdemeanor counts of theft and a misdemeanor count of criminal mischief. Harrison is suspected of breaking into and robbing or vandalizing approximately 12 homes.

Harrison was first arrested by the Ronan Police Department on July 25, 2009, after his father contacted RPD and stated, “his son might be in trouble.”

Harrison admitted entering a residence earlier in the month and returned property he had stolen. After being held in Lake County Jail for approximately 10 days, he was released around Aug. 6, 2009, and the case was dismissed without prejudice because a complete investigation had not been finalized, deputy county attorney Cory Allen said.

Harrison was again arrested by a Lake County Sheriff’s Office Deputy on Sept. 3, 2009, after being found in a residence during an attempted burglary. After that arrest, he admitted committing other burglaries and drove with a deputy, pointing out houses he had entered. The deputy subsequently contacted the residents at the homes and confirmed they had been entered. Guns and jewelry were among the items reported stolen. Harrison was released on his own recognizance on Sept. 14 because the investigation had not progressed to the point where they could continue to hold him in custody, Allen said.

Charges were filed a few days after his release and an arraignment was scheduled for Sept. 24. His attorney, Noel Larrivee, asked for a week’s continuance and on Oct. 1, 2009, Larrivee told the court his client, Harrison, was detained at the Cascade County Detention Center. Larrivee asked for another continuance, and when Harrison still did not show, Judge Christopher issued a warrant for his arrest. Allen said Harrison must have been released from Cascade County before the warrant was issued, and remained free until he was arrested in Polson on Feb. 23.

Harrison is currently in custody.

-Reporter Sasha Goldstein