MTN Noon News with Hailey Monaco 5-12-26

Added: 2026-05-12

[00:00:00]Your MTN new news.

[00:00:02]>> I'm Jonathan Ambberion in Helena.

[00:00:04]There's one member of the [music] Montana Public Service Commission who's termed out of office this year. I'll have a closer look at the Republican primary race to succeed him >> and sharing history. [music] >> There's lots of stories. We went through a lot of things together and we survived.

[00:00:19]>> How veterans in Northern Montana [music] are telling their stories in a unique way. Plus, >> you punt the ball, it goes backwards.

[00:00:26]You know, you throw a pass, it goes into the ocean. It's it's it's a [music] crazy experience.

[00:00:30]>> From the treasure state to Alaska, how sports between the [music] two compare.

[00:00:35]Your new news starts now.

[00:00:37]>> From Montana's [music] news leader, this is the MTN News.

[00:00:42]>> Good afternoon and thanks for [music] joining us on this Tuesday. I'm Haley Monaco. Well, the state special Olympic Games are set to kick off in about 24 hours in Billings. The Olympic torch making its way into the city just yesterday. The torch held by athletes and local law enforcement was brought from Laurel Monday morning, making its final stop of the day at the Town Pump on King Avenue. There are still other stops to make before the torch is delivered to the Billings City Hall on Wednesday's final leg. But if you think there seems to be a lot more traffic in Billings this week, you're not wrong.

[00:01:17]MTN's Charlie KP shows us how the Special Olympic Games means big business for the city. The state special Olympics set to kick off here in Billings in the next few days. Athletes, coaches, and their families are traveling from all across the state. And that's good news for hotels in Billings like these.

[00:01:35]>> We're all just very excited.

[00:01:36]>> The energy is easy to see and hear.

[00:01:43]>> I mean, it's such an incredible event to have in our city.

[00:01:46]>> This is Billings's third consecutive year hosting the state games. And for Billings police officer Gabrielle Denio, who accompanied the Olympic torch into the city on Monday, the joy begins the moment the torch arrives.

[00:01:58]>> Like I said, it brings us a different type of happiness watching them compete.

[00:02:01]They encourage themselves. Um, you know, they encourage each other, they cheer each other on, even when they're competing against each other. Um, there's never a sad face.

[00:02:09]>> All great reasons for spectators and participants to enjoy the event, but the benefits extend beyond that.

[00:02:15]>> It's a great boost to our economy right now when we need it. Kathy Cullen Kerr works for the Irk hotels which operates three in Billings and she says their rooms fill quickly every year.

[00:02:26]>> This year we have teams at every one of our hotels and [music] um and not just the teams themselves but you know mom and dad and and Uncle Joe. [laughter] >> Colen Kerr says it's a rush felt around the city.

[00:02:37]>> I'm pretty sure majority of the the [music] Billings hotels are have been booked for quite a while >> and the numbers back up that claim.

[00:02:43]Billings saw a 3% increase in room demands during the week of the games in 2024 and another 6% jump in 2025 according to Visit Billings. When >> we look at the the boost of of occupancy in hotels, um you definitely feel that impact during this time.

[00:03:00]>> Visit Billings executive director Alli Ager says that has a ripple effect.

[00:03:04]>> So you'll see full restaurants, full hotels, lots of shopping, lots of energy in the city and I think that's what makes it really exciting. excitement for both athletes and business owners alike as Billings hosts its final year of the state games.

[00:03:19]>> It's a great event to have here in Billings and I hope that we get a chance to have him bring him back again because it's a it's just an amazing community event in Billings. Charlie Kips, MTN News. [music] >> Hey, good Tuesday afternoon everyone. We have some beautiful weather on this Tuesday around the inner mountain west, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming. Lots of sunshine, a few clouds pushing west of the divide, but that's really about it.

[00:03:43]Now, on the downside, we do have some changes that are not too far away. It's going to spell out a lot more wind, more heat, if you can believe it, as well as fire danger. More details about all of our advisories, watches, and warnings coming up later in our newscast. As you can see, a fairly clear sky for us right now. We'll have increasing clouds by Wednesday morning. Not much precipitation, but a lot of wind and again, unfortunately, fire danger. So for today, bright blue and beautiful weather for us. We're going to have a more warmth, more wind, and more fire danger on Wednesday and cooler with more wind Thursday. Your forecast coming up.

[00:04:18]>> 18 Americans are back on US soil today after a cruise turned into a deadly disease outbreak of a rare strain of haunt virus at sea. Now, the passengers spent more than a month quarantined aboard after the outbreak infected multiple people. At least one passenger has tested positive for the Andes strain with another 17 being monitored at hospitals in Atlanta and Nebraska. And that virus is something that has shown up in Montana from time to time. In fact, since 1993, we have had nearly 50 cases, 11 of which were deadly. MTN's Grace Stewart talked to a man who knows just how bad it can be.

[00:04:58]>> They put me in a medicalinduced coma.

[00:05:00]arm and yeah, almost died.

[00:05:05]>> In 2015, a routine cleanup forever changed the life of Antonio Morsette. It was a task he'd done countless times, not knowing it would land him in a fight for his life.

[00:05:15]>> So, I was just powerwashing and got up in the air and uh caught it that way.

[00:05:21]>> Morsette contracted Haunt virus, a rare but potentially deadly disease spread through rodent droppings, saliva, and even urine. its main carriers, deer mice and white-footed mice. The onset can be alarmingly fast.

[00:05:35]>> Within 12 hours, I went from having my lungs being cleared to having full pneumonia.

[00:05:40]>> Anytime you're helping somebody clean up an area that's rodent infested, um, you're going to be at risk.

[00:05:45]>> Devon Kart is an epidemiologist from the Montana State Department of Public Health. She says haunt virus is rare in Montana with just under 50 confirmed cases since 1993. And we have not had a death in the state in in a few years now.

[00:05:59]>> But when it strikes, it can be fatal. 11 of those nearly 50 Montans lost their lives.

[00:06:05]>> Once hot virus becomes respiratory, it's going to have a death rate of around 35%.

[00:06:09]>> The strains found in Montana are different from the ones making headlines today. The Andes strain is the only known type to spread from person to person.

[00:06:19]>> So thankfully, we do not have to worry about that.

[00:06:21]>> You're more likely to get struck by lightning than catch the Honda virus.

[00:06:24]Still, Kosar says, "Take precautions.

[00:06:28]>> Go ahead and glove up um as well as wearing a mask um and even goggles depending on the level of your exposure.

[00:06:33]>> When you see rat droppings on your floor, your first instinct may be to grab a broom or a nearby vacuum.

[00:06:39]However, experts say that this isn't the best way to clean up these kinds of messes.

[00:06:43]>> But what we do recommend is that you actually use a spray. Um go ahead and spray it down and let it sit for about 5 minutes. Um and then wipe it up. That way you're not putting the virus into the air, um, which is where you do see exposures.

[00:06:57]>> Advice to help you stay safe without living in fear.

[00:07:01]>> Um, don't be scared of contracting it.

[00:07:04]It's been around for quite a long time and it's really unlikely that you're going to catch it.

[00:07:09]>> In Billings, Grace Stewart, MTN News.

[00:07:17]Republican Randy Pinocchi has held the Montana Public Service Commission's first district seat since 2019. Now he's turned out and there are two candidates seeking the Republican nomination to succeed him. The first district is the state's largest, covering much of northern and eastern Montana, including parts of Great Falls and Billings. The first Republican running in the district is Jeff Patterson, a farmer and rancher from Valley County who previously served in the legislature in the early 2000s.

[00:07:45]He says he's ready to put his skills back into public service and to be a transparent figure for the voters in the district.

[00:07:51]>> A whole world of experience that I feel like I can bring to the table and uh help relate to people that are in those same situations. So, I don't think there isn't anything I can't talk to anybody about. Also running is current state senator Jeremy Triebus of Great Falls.

[00:08:07]Triebus works as a certified public accountant and says he can put that experience and his relationships from the legislature to work.

[00:08:14]>> The law directs the PSC to do rate making and they do that through the ARM and a lot of that is looking at financial statements with the company so they can determine a inappropriate return on investment which ultimately becomes prices that we pay. Both men say they're frustrated with infighting on the PSC, which they say is distracting from the work the commission should be doing.

[00:08:35]>> I'm not pointing fingers. I'm just saying I think there's some professionalism that's lacking. And I think um I'm pretty low drama, so I bring I'd be able to work with everyone and really try to stay in my wheelhouse of influence when it comes to doing my job if I'm elected to the position.

[00:08:50]>> I mean, we're talking about mergers and we're talking about rates increases and and everything else on there. I think that's what we need to get back to. U what they were elected to do and what's going on now maybe should have been behind closed doors.

[00:09:04]>> Regardless of who wins the Republican primary, we know the Democratic candidate who will be on the general election ballot. Angeline Chic, a community organizer from Brockton is running unopposed in the Democratic primary in Helena. Jonathan Ambberry in MTN News.