Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Two men, one adult and one juvenile, wanted in connection with a rash burglaries in the Target Range area were apprehended in South Dakota yesterday. Highway Patrol troopers spotted the stolen Toyota Highlander and attempted to pull the vehicle over, but the driver led the troopers on a high speed chase up to 114 miles per hour that ended when the vehicle rolled.

The suspects were identified as 29 year-old Steve McCann and an undentified juvenile, both from the Missoula area. Also in the vehicle were a large number of items thought to be stolen during this week’s burglaries, including a loaded handgun. Missoula County Sheriff Department Public Information Officer Jason Johnson says the two men will be returned to face charges in Missoula. Johnson’s comments are below.

Photo courtesy of fairfaxcounty/Flickr

A report of misprinted ballots in Broadwater county was recently confirmed by Broadwater County Clerk and Recorder, Rhonda Nelson. Ballots in District 11 were printed with an extra House and Senate race from another district. The total number of misprinted ballots distributed according to Nelson is “exactly 127″ and so far 30 voters have used the incorrect ballots to cast their votes. Nelson also said that the voting machines will be fixed so that the extra house and senate races aren’t registered. If you’d like to know how the ballots came to be misprinted and how the system of checking ballots is done, you can hear Rhonda Nelson explain the situation by clicking the audio box below.

The misprinted ballot issue even made a splash on the national conservative blog Breitbart. Republican Secretary of State Candidate Scott Aspenlieder says that the incident is “not a local or isolated issue” and that he has “reports from counties across the state that their are discrepancies and errors in the mail ballot process. ” Aspenlieder is using the issue to try to get political traction against his opponent Secretary of Sate Linda McCulloch, saying that she has shown “zero leadership on the issue” and that she has “left the local Clerk and Recorders out to dry on this issue.” He also says the errors are still visible on the Secretary of State’s website. You can hear the full list of Aspenlieder’s charges below.

KGVO News investigated the report of individuals only receiving one ballot instead of both the Democrat and Republican primary ballots in Yellowstone County. Elections coordinator for Yellowstone county, Bret Rutherford says that there have been 8 reported cases of ballot problems. Rutherford also pointed out that his office sent out over 42,000 hand packaged ballots and that a few ballot issues is not unexpected or uncommon.

Photo courtesy of ekai/Flickr

Getting the news to the public has never been easy, but now YouTube has made the process of reaching millions a little easier, as long as you electrocute yourself or happen to fall off of a a suspended platform. Without further ado, here are the nominees for funniest viral news video of all time.

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National Gallery of Art

Here’s a look at some interesting events that took place on this day in history:

1804 – Napoleon Bonaparte is proclaimed Emperor of the French (More info)

1896 – The US Supreme Court rules in Plessy v. Ferguson that “separate but equal” is constitutional (More info)

1933 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt signs an act creating the Tennessee Valley Authority (More info)

1980 – Mount St. Helens in Washington state erupts after being dormant for 123 years (More info)

2004 – Randy Johnson, age 40, becomes the oldest pitcher to throw a perfect game (More info)

Bryan Bedder / Ethan Miller, Getty Images

Here’s a look at some notable birthdays being celebrated today:

George Strait
Age: 60
Occupation: Singer, Songwriter and Musician
Known For: A slew of country hits including ‘Fool Hearted Memory,’ ‘Ocean Front Property,’ ‘She’ll Leave You with a Smile’ and ‘You’ll Be There,’ dozens of industry awards, holding the record for the most No. 1 hits on the Billboard Country charts, and holding the record for most No. 1 albums, gold albums, and platinum albums in the history of country music

Tina Fey
Age: 42
Occupation: Actor, Writer and Comedic Genius
Known For: Her brilliant work as both a writer and performer on ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ’30 Rock,’ penning the screenplay for the movie ‘Mean Girls,’ her spot-on portrayal of Sarah Palin on ‘SNL,’ writing the hilarious bestseller ‘Bossypants,’ being the youngest-ever winner of the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor, and being an icon for smart, funny women everywhere

Joe Bonsall
Age: 64
Occupation: Singer and Author
Known For: Being one of the singers for the Oak Ridge Boys, which had country and crossover singles like ‘Elvira,’ ‘Bobbie Sue’ and ‘American Made,’ and writing books like ‘The Molly Books’ children’s series and ‘GI Joe and Lillie’

Chow Yun-fat
Age: 57
Occupation: Actor
Known For: His role as Li Mu-bai in ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,’ his Asian film collaborations with filmmaker John Woo in the heroic bloodshed genre films ‘A Better Tomorrow,’ ‘The Killer’ and ‘Hard Boiled,’ and voiceover work for the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End’ and ‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ video games

Jack Johnson
Age: 37
Occupation: Singer, Songwriter and Musician
Known For: His successful debut album, ‘Brushfire Fairytales,’ his work on surfing movies and soundtracks, being the organizer of the annual Kōkua Festival, and songs like ‘Better Together,’ ‘Flake’ and ‘You and Your Heart’

Wayne Wilson, Getty Images

There is some good news being reported about the state of young people in America.

According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, fewer American teens and young adults are smoking cigarettes than they were nearly a decade ago.

This new report consists of data collected each year between 2004 and 2010 as part of the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Researchers interviewed nearly 158,000 people between the ages of 12 and 17 and roughly 159,000 men and women between the ages of 18 to 25.

• The number of children between the ages of 12 and 17 who smoked every day fell from 3.3% in 2004 to 1.9% in 2010.
• Young people ages 18 to 25 years old also reported decreased daily tobacco use – from 20.4% in 2004 to 15.8% in 2010.
• The ranks of young smokers between the ages of 12 and 17 who smoke five or fewer cigarettes a day grew from nearly 37% in 2004 to almost 43% in 2010.
• The largest group of daily smokers between the ages of 18 to 25 who smoked between six and 15 cigarettes a day slightly increased from about 41% in 2004 to roughly 44% in 2010.
• There was nearly a 3% decrease in young adults who smoked 26 or more cigarettes a day.

According to researchers, the downward trend in tobacco use could be the result of anti-smoking laws, tax increases, and tougher laws prohibiting the sale of tobacco to minors.

Researchers also add that while these findings may be encouraging, many kids are still picking up this dangerous habit.

[WebMD]

In today’s program I ask YWCA of Missoula’s Cindy Weese how her 20 years experience in this field has shaped advice she offers to young men and women.  You’ll find her comments interesting… 

Photo courtest Department of Defense

Worcester Polytechnic Institute has a website with advice for men and women.  It identifies contributing factors that repeatedly surface in acquaintance assault and rape situations, such as:

• ineffective communications
• the use of drugs and alcohol
• sex role stereotypes

You can read the WPI’s full list of advice for men and advice for women here.

Luke Zeiger (Image courtesy of facebook.com)

Schaeffer tells the Great Falls Tribune he thinks Zeiger will join the Argos lineup right away. He is expected to wrestle at 141 pounds.

Zeiger posted a 160-5 record in his career at Glasgow and beat Great Falls High standout and four-time Class AA state champion Cole Mendenhall in three of four matches this past season. Mendenhall recently signed with Wyoming.

Also this week, Schaeffer announced the signing of Sam Voigtlander, a 174-pound Washington state champion from Mead High in Spokane.

Bryson Smith of Helena, Colin Hollow of Butte and Zane Tams of Lincoln plan to join the Bulldog basketball program in the fall.

Smith is a 6-foot-3 wing who averaged 8.3 points per game for Helena Capital this winter. Hollow is a point guard who averaged 11.6 points and 2.7 assists per game at Butte Central.

Tams averaged 19.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 4.3 steals per game at Lincoln High School.

Keller says all three will get the opportunity to develop their skills while adding depth to the Bulldog basketball program.

KGVO State-Wide & Regional News

Last month, U.S. District Judge Sam Haddon dismissed their lawsuit that alleged that Mortenson, his publisher, his co-author and his charity lied in his books “Three Cups of Tea” and “Stones Into Schools” to boost sales and donations.

Haddon called the case flimsy and “fraught with shortcomings.”

On Wednesday, attorneys for the readers from Montana and California filed a notice of appeal with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. A fourth plaintiff from Illinois has dropped out of the lawsuit.

The best-selling memoirs recount how Mortenson started building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The lawsuit was filed last year after media reports that Mortenson fabricated parts of them.

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

Milburn spoke Thursday night after a panel discussion on the documentary “The Code of the West” that followed the Legislature’s marijuana reform debate.

Milburn says he opened negotiations from a position of strength by backing a repeal, and the session ultimately ended with a law that restricts who qualifies as a patient and eliminates the commercial sale of pot.

The Cascade Republican was heckled by marijuana advocates at the screening when he said he didn’t know whether a cancer patient should have access to the drug.

The law is facing both a court challenge and a voter referendum this November.

Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

The agency had previously warned of impending cuts, and announced Thursday it was moving forward with the plans since Congress remains deadlocked over potential fixes.

Back in February, the agency said several other processing centers in Montana could be closed.

Montana Sens. Max Baucus and Jon Tester said Thursday’s announcement spares mail processing facilities in Butte, Helena and Wolf Point. The Kalispell facility and its 20 jobs are scheduled to be consolidated with Missoula beginning in 2013.

The Democrats say they will pressure the agency to reverse the decision.

The U.S. Postmaster General recently modified plans to shutter many rural post offices after visiting the town of Ingomar.

KGVO State-Wide & Regional News

Ravalli County Sheriff Chris Hoffman says the plane left Portland, Ore., around 12:30 p.m. Thursday. It was scheduled to stop in Billings, Mont., before heading on to Minnesota but landed on West Fork Road south of Darby, Mont., after running into bad weather.

Darby is about 350 miles from Billings.

Hoffman tells the Ravalli Republic the pilot reported his wing was starting to ice, and the plane was getting low on fuel. The pilot reported watching for cars before landing. After the plane touched down, the wind picked up and the plane spun into a ditch.

No significant injuries were reported.

The Federal Aviation Administration was investigating.

Photo By Shande Wiest

Missoula County Sheriff’s Deputy Jason Johnson says the decision was made Thursday afternoon, nearly a full day after the unidentified man and a woman jumped from the Madison Street bridge near the University of Montana campus.

Johnson says search boats patrolled a dozen miles downstream with no luck, and the river was rising. He says the hope is that a body will be spotted when it rises from the bottom or when the water level lowers.

Missoula Police Detective Sgt. Travis Welsh says the woman made it to shore after they jumped, and she turned to see him struggling.

Then he went under and never came back up.

Volleyball (Image courtesy of amazon.com)

Sadie Ahearn of Missoula Sentinel and Allyson Barry of Manhattan Beach, Calif., plan to join the Griz volleyball team in the fall.

Ahearn earned Class AA all-state honors as a junior and a senior.

Both Ahearn and Barry play on club teams that have qualified for next month’s USA Volleyball Girls’ Junior National Championships in Columbus, Ohio.

We could see crescent shadows like these during Sunday's solar eclipse. (Photo courtesy of Cantavestrella/Flickr)

When it comes to astronomical events, it seems like I’m always a day late and a dollar short.

Over the years, I’ve missed comets, meteor showers and the Northern Lights, and although I recall seeing a shooting star once when I was a kid, I’m now fairly certain that it was actually just an airplane.

But now I have another chance to experience one of the universe’s great natural phenomena: a solar eclipse.

For the first time in 10 years, a rare kind of eclipse known as an annular solar eclipse is projected to be visible over Montana. According to scientists, the event will be most visible in our area between the hours of 6:14 p.m. and 8:20 p.m. — with a peak time of about 7:20 p.m. — on Sunday, May 20.

During the eclipse, the moon will pass between the sun and the Earth, covering as much as 94 percent of the sun and producing the “ring of fire” effect commonly associated with eclipses.

Unfortunately, Montana is a bit north of the zone where sky-watchers will see the most defined ring of fire, but it is definitely worth a look. Those wishing to view the eclipse should use protective eye gear such as eclipse glasses, welder’s goggles or an astronomer’s filter made for sun observation, as the sunlight given off during an eclipse is still blindingly bright and could cause damage to the naked eye.

The eclipse also can be observed using binoculars or telescopes to project an image of it on a blank surface. Simply point the binoculars or telescope at the sun — without looking through the lenses — and aim the other end at a piece of paper or cardboard.

Evidence of the eclipse also will be visible in the shadows. Experts suggest looking at the beams of light beneath leafy trees. They will appear crescent-shaped due to the partial blockage of the light given off by the sun.

Brooke is a 2010 graduate of The University of Montana, where she ran track and cross country for the Grizzlies. She is currently working as a writer and editor in Missoula.

Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images

A documentary called ‘Boom Behind the Bakken’ aired Thursday night on Montana PBS, and in the film some in the oil patch area fear that the process known as ‘fracking‘, may lead to earthquakes in the future.

Mike Stickney is the earthquake Studies Director at the Montana School of Mines in Butte. Stickney says that topic came up at a recent conference he attended in San Diego, California. Scientific studies report that there is no danger of earthquakes due to ‘fracking’, however, he did say that the deep injection wells that dispose of the fracking fluids can cause mild earthquakes in rare instances. Stickney says the few quakes that have been tied to these deep injection wells were very minor, with no damage reported. Comments from Dr. Stickney are below, and tell the entire story.

photo courtesy of Loco Steve/flickr.com

Starting Saturday, Armed Forces Day, all active-duty military personnel and their families will receive a free annual pass to visit any of America’s National Parks. To honor our military for their service to our country, the National Park Service is offering this free chance to escape and relax in any National Park. from the Statue of Liberty to Glacier National Park.

Pat Jamison, Outdoor Recreation Planner with the National Bison Range in Western Montana has more details about the offer in the conversation below.

Photo courtesy of e_t/flickr.com

May is the month when most motorcylists bring their bikes out of winter storage and get ready to ride. May is also Motorcycle Safety Month, a good time to review some important safety tips for both motorcycle riders and the other vehicles that share the road with them.

Sergeant Greg Amundsen of the Missoula Police Department says wearing the proper safety apparel is of utmost importance, especially a DOT approved helmet, gloves, a jacket, long pants and sturdy shoes. For drivers of other vehicles, Amundsen says a motorcycle’s speed may be deceptive, so take some extra time to observe the bike as it approaches. Remember, in a crash between a car and a motorcycle, the motorcycle always loses. Amundsen’s comments are below, and are worth a listen,

Photo courtesy of K-38 rescue/flickr.com

The search has been suspended for a 19 year-old man who jumped off the Madison Street Bridge Wednesday evening and disappeared in the swollen Clark Fork River. Missoula County Sheriff’s Department Public Information Officer Jason Johnson says search and rescue boats and jet-skis traveled down the Clark Fork for several miles, but found no trace of the young man’s body.

Johnson says the search has been suspended because of the high fast water of the Clark Fork makes a continued search more dangerous.