Moonlight Basin laying off employees

BIG SKY (AP) -- The Moonlight Basin ski resort near Big Sky has announced a large-scale layoff of employees because of the bankruptcy of the resort's primary lender, Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.

Moonlight said in a news release that the layoffs were ''painful but necessary.'' The resort says it will try to open for the winter ski season.

The company did not give specifics of how many employees have been laid off, or whether and when they might be rehired.

Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy last month. It was one of the early failings of major banks and financial institutions in the current financial crisis rippling through Wall Street.

Front oil, gas leases back on buyer's table

GREAT FALLS (AP) -- The state will offer eight tracts of environmentally sensitive lands along the Rocky Mountain Front in December for oil and gas leasing.

One of the parcels sits within the state-managed Blackleaf Wildlife Management Area, which provides winter range for elk and spring and summer habitat for black and grizzly bears.

Montana's Department of Natural Resources and Conservation offered four of the same leases, located in Teton County, for sale in June, but deferred the sale until Dec. 9 after conservationists raised concerns.

The remaining four Front leases being offered in December are also located along the mountains, but are in Pondera County.

DNRC Director Mary Sexton says the department and the Montana Wildlife Federation have discussed a minerals exchange in which the state would trade the Teton County parcels for property elsewhere.

MSU gets $6M to study alternative medicines

BOZEMAN (AP) -- Researchers at Montana State University will receive $6 million over five years to study alternative medicines that target the lungs and intestines.

The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a part of the National Institutes of Health, will provide MSU with $1.2 million a year for three new research projects in the Department of Veterinary Molecular Biology.

Professor Mark Jutila, a grant recipient, says each project will examine a different approach to the use of alternative medicine. Each will be led by an established investigator -- Jutila, David Pascual and Michele Hardy -- and will involve junior faculty members, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students and undergraduate students.

Jutila says the researchers will investigate products already on the market and medicines still being developed.

Shooting victim's condition upgraded

GREAT FALLS (AP) -- A 48-year-old woman, shot in the head four times last week in Grass Range, has been upgraded to fair condition.

Diana Livingston is hospitalized at Benefis Healthcare in Great Falls. She was previously listed in critical condition.

Benefis says fair condition means vital signs are stable and within normal limits, the patient is conscious but may be uncomfortable or may have minor complications and the outlook is favorable.

Witnesses said Livingston's estranged husband, 54-year-old Andrew Livingston, intentionally bumped her car with his truck in Grass Range on Friday. The two got out of their vehicles in the parking lot of the Little Montana Cafe, and Andrew Livingston shot his wife four times, then got back in his truck and shot himself. Andrew Livingston died at the scene.

AAA expects gasoline prices to keep fallling

For the first time since April, AAA MountainWest says the statewide average in Montana for a gallon of gasoline has dropped below $3.39.

Average prices per gallon of regular unleaded Thursday included $3.36 in Billings, $3.34 in Great Falls and $3.30 in Missoula.

The nationwide average Thursday was $3.40, 15 cents lower than a month ago.

AAA says it expects prices to fall faster and further in the days ahead.

Poplar man accused of cattle rustling

WOLF POINT (AP) -- A Poplar man is jailed on $250,000 bail, accused of rustling cattle.

Criminal information filed in District Court in Roosevelt County alleges Richard Holen stole 37 head of cattle in eight incidents dating back to October of last year.

The document indicates most of the cattle were stolen Sept. 4 of this year, and some allegedly were taken as recently as Monday.

The 48-year-old Holen was arrested Wednesday.

County Attorney Ryan Rusche (ROO'-shee) says Holen is charged with eight counts of felony theft.

The investigation was conducted by the Montana Department of Livestock, Fort Peck Tribal Fish and Game, Bureau of Indian Affairs Land Department, Fort Peck Tribal Law and Justice and Roosevelt County sheriff's office.

The county attorney's office says it is not yet known whether Holen has an attorney.