Back to winter driving for some Montanans this morning

"Winter" view from MDT camera at Georgetown Lake(MISSOULA)- Today is a perfect example of why studded snow tires are still legal in Montana during the month of May. 

A turn to much colder, and wetter weather is giving drivers in some parts of Western Montana a sense of winter deja vu, with several inches of heavy snow blanketing roads this morning. 

The heaviest snow has fallen in the Anaconda area, where the National Weather Service reports more than 8-inches of snow has fallen this morning. That also has brought snow to Georgetown Lake and MT-1 where there's snow and ice on the road. On I-90, there's snow and slush on the road from the north end of the Deer Lodge Valley through Butte, and scattered snow and ice over Homestake Pass. 

It's also snowing on U.S. 12 from Garrison east over MacDonald Pass.

In there north, many areas are seeing mixed rain and snow this morning. The Montana Department of Transportation was reporting scattered slush on the road from Columbia Falls east to West Glacier, with more slush on the road over Marias Pass. 

Light snow had also fallen on Lost Trail Pass and south on the Big Hole Pass. But Lolo and Lookout Pass were snow free. 

Tester says Forest Service tanker deal puts Montana "at risk"

(WASHINGTON, D.C.)- Senator Jon Tester is upset with the Forest Service's decision to award contracts for "next generation" air tankers to companies which still don't have their jets ready to fight fires. 

The criticism came at a hearing in Washington Wednesday, when Tester grilled Forest Service chief Tom Tidwell during a budget hearing before the Senate Appropriations Committee. 

Earlier this month the Forest Service announced it was awarding a contract for 7-new tankers to several companies after starting over on the bidding process last year. That decision left Missoula's Neptune Aviation off the list, even though Neptune had initially won the first contract last year and is one of the few operators with jet tankers ready to go. 

Neptune is appealing that decision. 

Tester says the Forest Service left "better options on the table", and not having all the tankers ready this year puts Montana communities at risk this fire season. 

“I’ve seen what’s happened in Montana’s forests, and I can’t figure out why the award was made how it was,” Tester told Tidwell.  “My problem is there are better options on the table to be taken up by the Forest Service and you didn’t do it.”

Tidwell said the new planes still need to be tested. 

Pertussis cases continue to climb in Lincoln County

(LIBBY)- Lincoln County Health Department officials are scrambling to keep up with an outbreak of pertussis, with a dozen confirmed cases this week. 

Pertussis, commonly called "whooping cough", has been a problem for several counties across the state over the past couple of years. But the 12-confirmed cases in Lincoln County are especially high, given the county's smaller population. 

The Western News reports health officials are worried there are more cases out there, since other members of a family can already be infected without realizing it. Health officials have been scheduling clinics in both Libby and Troy schools in an effort to get ahead of the outbreak, and also giving information out so residents can take precautions. 

Missoula man pleads insanity in brutal murder

KPAX TV photo by Irina Cates(THOMPSON FALLS)- The man accused of killing a Dixon man and seriously injuring his wife while high on drugs will stay at the state's mental hospital in Warm Springs until his trial begins. 

Nathan Calvert is accused of forcing his way into Doug Morigeau's home last winter and stabbing him more than 50-times and slitting the woman's throat while he was high on the synthetic drug known as "spice". 

Calvert has been going through tests to determine his mental state of mind in the months since. Tuesday his defense attorney said Calvert will be using the insanity defense when his trial starts in Sanders County in July. 

Read more on the story from KPAX TV. 

Marion couple gives up on Singapore court for help in son's death

(SINGAPORE)- A Montana family is returning from Singapore after failing to get a court to answer what happened to their son who died last year. 

Shane Todd's parents believe their son was murdered and that he wasn't a suicide victim. The Marion couple believe he may have been killed for refusing to turn over technology to the military. They've expressed doubts over details left behind in a note, and inconsistencies in the official version of Todd's death. 

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday Rick and Mary Todd are coming home, even though the official inquest will continue into next week. They're expected to seek answers elsewhere. 

Read more from the Wall Street Journal.