Remember liby is Sybil spelled backwards without the capital S....

National briefing rockies Montana governor
National Briefing | Rockies: Montana: Governor's Disclosure
By Mindy Sink (NYT)
Published: January 09, 2002
Gov. Judy Martz has revealed that she washed the clothes her top aide was wearing after he killed the state House majority leader in a drunken-driving accident. Governor Martz said it was simply a mother's instinct to clean up Shane Hedges's bloody clothes when he came to stay at the governor's residence after the accident. She said she was unaware that the items were evidence until the authorities came to get them days later. Mr. Hedges, the governor's former policy director, is serving six months in a halfway house for negligent homicide in the Aug. 15, 2001, crash that killed Paul Sliter, 32. Mindy Sink (NYT)


Montana criminal politics
EXCERPT:
What Giacometto does acknowledge is a confrontation with the local men who said they would administer first aid on Sliter when Giacometto went to call for help. The men said they had forgotten their protective mouthpieces, that Sliter was already dead and they decided not to try to resuscitate him.

"This was a very messy scene, and I can understand why those volunteers were a little apprehensive," said Giacometto.

Still, he told an investigating officer, when he returned and found they hadn't tried to resuscitate Sliter, Giacometto became angry and "questioned their manhood had some not nice things to say to them."

Giacometto now says he believes that altercation led the witnesses to say false things to the police and try to make it seem like there was a cover-up going on. In addition, he said, things were just generally confusing and when the witnesses asked Giacometto and others if there was anyone besides Sliter involved in the wreck, they may have been saying "no," because nobody was trapped in the car and Hedges wasn't severely injured.

Giacometto & Abramoff
EXCERPT:
Leo Giacometto is a lobbyist in one scandal that is getting audited and he is Chairman of the Board of US-Asia Next (with Conrad Burns serving as Honorary Chairman). But it doesn't end there, Leo Giacometto was VP of the Montana Majority Fund at the center of the corruption scandal that forced Montana's last Republican Governor from office. That scandal was undercovered with research into a MMF meeting that resulted in the death of Republican Majority Leader Paul Sliter.

Conrad Burns and Jack Abramoff
EXCERPT:
Conrad Burns
At the center of the web is United States Senator Conrad Burns. In 2001, Burns rose to the Chairmanship of the Senate Interior Appropriations Subcommittee, a key committee for Jack Abramoff’s tribal and territorial clients. At the same time, Burns and his top aide, Will Brooke, sought out Jack Abramoff as a potential fundraising source for Burns’ Political Action Committee, Friends of the Big Sky. Between 2001 and 2004, Jack Abramoff, his associates and clients contributed nearly $150,000 to Burns, more than any other member of Congress. During that time Burns met with Abramoff and his team several times, changed his position on sweatshop legislation favorable to Abramoff clients in the Marianas Islands and included provisions of at least $3 million benefiting Abramoff clients in Interior appropriations legislation. News reports indicated that Burns is one of four lawmakers under investigation f................

Gov of Montana and Arco
EXCERPT:
Martz is a kook, but she's ARCO's kind of nutcasse. In her campaign for governor Martz proudly vowed to be "a lapdog of industry." And she's tried to keep her word, going so far as to call the wildfires that scorched the West in 2002 "acts of environmental terrorism." Where is Mark Twain when you really need him?

Asbestos Libby
EXCERPT:
Warning sign on a bridge across Flower Creek. at the Libby Shopping Center, fall, 2008
(The signs were removed three weeks after I posted this photograph)

U. S. Department of Health and Human Services' final health screening test results are in. Thirty percent of Libby, Montana residents that have been tested have asbestos-related lung abnormalities (Click for news story).

Conrad Burns wikipedia
EXCERPT:
Post-Senate career
After leaving office, Burns joined the lobbying firm of GAGE, founded by his former chief of staff Leo Giacometto


Conrad Burns
Is Bill Mercer Investigating Conrad Burns, Gage, INSA, and Leo Giacometto?
August 4, 2007 View for printing

The U.S. attorney's office in Montana is probing Gage's http://www.gage.cc/ financial connections to the Inland Northwest Space Alliance http://www.inwspace.org/ , a nonprofit venture launched in 2003 by the University of Montana with help from almost $3 million in federal earmarks pushed by Burns, two sources familiar with the inquiry have told National Journal.

After it was formed, the alliance hired Gage as its lobbyist and for consulting advice. Over a three-year-period, Gage and a company called Compressus -- which had both Giacometto and Burns's daughter, Keely, on its board -- received about $350,000 in fees from the alliance. According to Senate lobbying records, Gage registered as a lobbyist for the space alliance and for Compressus in 2004 and 2005. If federally appropriated funds were used for lobbying purposes, it would be a violation of the law.

Matt Singer

Full Story: http://leftinthewest.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=808

News Timelines in Montana Political Scandals

Inland Northwest Space Alliance and the Northern Rockies Center for Space Privatization On paper at least, the University of Montana used the Northern Rockies Center for Space Privatization to spin off a for-profit company, the Inland Northwest Space Alliance (INSA) as a new slush fund set up by some of the same players in the Montana Majority Fund scandal, but this time using government money instead of using government resources to get donations.

More shading dealings by Burns continue to break, including the report that Burns landed a $784,000 contract for Compressus http://www.compressus.com/publicwww4/index.html via Montana State University (Keely Burns earned stock options for serving on the Board and Leo Giacometto was a senior vice president and lobbyist).

http://www.tpmcafe.com/node/29210

Inland Northwest Space Alliance in Montana for the FreeFlyer program 1 recipient will receive $2,980,000. This is a first-time earmark. http://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/earmar ... c-view=true

Unanswered Questions About Inland Northwest Space Alliance May Plague Rehberg in Election Year http://app.e2ma.net/campaign/e3a9d09 ... fc175e98095

The Inland Northwest Space Alliance (INSA), Gage LLC ties probed, report says

By NOELLE STRAUB Missoulian D.C. Bureau

The Montana U.S. Attorney’s Office is probing the financial connections between Gage LLC http://www.gage.cc/ , a lobbying firm, and a Missoula space group, a Washington publication reported this week.

The Inland Northwest Space Alliance http://www.inwspace.org/ was created by the University of Montana in 2003 with $3.1 million in NASA earmarks directed to the Missoula campus by then-Republican U.S. Sen. Conrad Burns. Burns, who lost a close election in November, now is employed by Gage.

Gage is run by Leo Giacometto, Burns’ former chief of staff. After it was formed, INSA hired Gage as its lobbying firm and for other consulting services.

Full Story: http://missoulian.com/articles/2007/ ... /news08.txt

Review unearths more problems at UM space program- The Inland Northwest Space Alliance - Missoula County Attorney Fred Van Valkenberg says it may be too late to file charges against three former University of Montana employees http://matr.net/article-21321.html

Criminal charges possible in University of Montana INSA space program inquiry http://matr.net/article-19655.html

Montana Lawmakers question NASA grant spending for INSA http://matr.net/article-19585.html

The Inland Northwest Space Alliance (INSA) found black hole - the budget http://matr.net/article-19556.html

Ethics Issues Raised in University of Montana Space Programs http://matr.net/article-19543.html

Inspector General investigates the Northern Rockies Center for Space Privatization and the Inland Northwest Space Alliance http://matr.net/article-19317.html

INSA Fights PR Battle http://matr.net/article-19031.html

Investigation Into UM Space Center Will Involve Montana Senator Conrad Burns and Representative Denny Rehberg http://matr.net/article-18650.html

Space Center (INSA) Investigation Casts Doubt on Montana University Leaders http://matr.net/article-18565.html

George Bailey, president of the Inland Northwest Space Alliance denies impropriety in Lloyd Chesnut and his wife earning nearly $130,000 at the company. http://matr.net/article-18460.html

Montana University Regents concerned about use of NASA funding. Wants to know what UM's Northern Rockies Center for Space Privatization has to show for the $3 million it received from noncompetitive NASA grants http://matr.net/article-18360.html

INSA News The Latest in Aerospace Development and Public Outreach News for the Inland Northwest December 8, 2005 http://matr.net/article-17288.html

Privatization
Inland Northwest Space Alliance Newsletter
March 1, 2005 View for printing

INSA News is a monthly publication that provides information about the Inland Northwest Space Alliance, the Northern Rockies Consortium for Space Privatization, public education and outreach, research and development and INSA's ongoing projects and partnerships.

NASA EXTENDS PENLEY'S STAY IN MISSOULA

Ned Penley's Intergovernmental Personnel Act (IPA) assignment from NASA was extended for another year in early February. The assignment allows Penley to continue as Technical Advisor for INSA and NRCSP in Missoula.

Penley was assigned to Missoula in June 2003 and has been instrumental in accomplishing INSA's educational and outreach goals. Penley played a significant role in the success of the first Mission to Mars Camp and the many teacher education workshops offered throughout the region. Penley's presentation on NASA's vision of exploration and the Microgravity Drop Tower has reached more than 10,000 elementary and secondary students in Montana and surrounding states.

Senator Conrad Burns wrote a letter supporting an extension of Penley's IPA. "Penley's contributions are vitally important to inspiring the next generation of explorers, bringing the latest NASA science and engineering accomplishments into the classroom, and providing teachers with exciting curriculum and technology," wrote Burns. "Mr. Penley is playing a critical role in realizing my vision of enhancing aerospace development in Montana and the nation."

Ned formerly managed the International Space Station Research Mission Management Office at Johnson Space Center in Houston. He received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 2003, for work on Research Maximization and Prioritization (REMAP) and ISS Multilateral Partner Research Planning. Web Bug from http://imgcc.com/spacer.gif

INSA TO HOST LEADERSHIP MISSOULA HIGH SCHOOL

The Inland Northwest Space Alliance will host a Leadership Missoula High School Day Session April 20, 2005 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the INSA office.

Leadership Missoula High School is a program designed for local high school juniors to teach the importance of community involvement. It is sponsored by the Missoula Chamber of Commerce.

The day-long session will include six 30 minute rotations led by Ned Penley, NRCSP, Amy Fisher, INSA, Liz Cunningham, TEST, and Kelli Ryan from the YMCA. Rotations will include a webcast, Mars Jeopardy game and bio-medical overview. The day session will wrap up with a program evaluation and graduation ceremony.

Students interested in registering for future Leadership Missoula sessions should contact the Missoula Chamber of Commerce. Web Bug from http://imgcc.com/spacer.gif

NRES RECEIVES CRISIS MANAGEMENT PLAN GRANT

Northern Rockies Educational Services recently received a grant to assist Terry, Montana schools develop a crisis management response plan. The plan includes training both teachers and students for potential emergencies such as snow storms and other disasters and improving the communication systems within each school and throughout the district.

Currently, the Terry schools have no intercom system. NRES is looking at providing teachers, staff and administrators with digital pagers to enable district wide communication.

NRES is working with the Fire Services Training School to implement the changes and conduct training. NRES will be meeting with community leaders, school staff and faculty and community members to gather suggestions and listen to potential concerns.

NRES is also writing more grants for similar projects in Montana and Wyoming.

"We would like to design a whole package that we could then sell to administrations," said Steven Cunningham, Emergency Service Trainer and Consultant for NRES. "We then would go in and customize the system to their specific Web Bug from http://imgcc.com/spacer.gif

FLADMO RE-APPOINTED

Congratulations to Diane Fladmo! She was re- appointed by Governor Brian Schweitzer to serve another term on the Montana Board of Public Education.

As the Education Advisor for NRCSP, Fladmo works on instructional material and curriculum development. Fladmo has worked in education for over 25 years and has experience as an administrator, teacher and school board member. Web Bug from http://imgcc.com/spacer.gif

MADA HOLDS SECOND AEROSPACE CONFERENCE

The Inland Northwest Space Alliance attended the second annual Montana Aerospace Technology Conference in Great Falls on February 23-24, 2005. The conference was co-sponsored by the Montana Aerospace Development Association (MADA), the Montana Department of Commerce, Montana Economic Developers Association (MEDA), MSE Technology Applications, Inc., Montana State University's TechLink Center, the University of Montana, and NASA.

Focusing on "Partnerships-the key to building aerospace industry in Montana," speakers from both government and the private sector spoke about aerospace economic development in Montana.

INSA President, George Bailey, considers the MADA conference very important to INSA and the future of aerospace industry in Montana. "It is the perfect opportunity for like minded Montana companies to network and explore partnership opportunities," said Bailey. Web Bug from http://imgcc.com/spacer.gif

Quick Links... # Visit Our Website http://www.inwspace.org


email: hbuck@inwspace.org

phone: (406) 541-3130

web: http://www.inwspace.org