
Three people have been charged with a host of hunting violations following a yearlong investigation led by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Prosecutors in Broadwater County say two of the defendants illegally harvested three six-point bull elk with rifles during the 2023 archery season in Hunting District 380, which covers the Elkhorn Mountains and where permits to harvest a bull elk can only be obtained through a lottery process with extremely narrow chances. Broadwater county prosecutors said the two primarily involved, Tylor Castona and Alisha Byrd, also poached three whitetail buck deer near Townsend in the following month. One of those deer was shot at night and left on the ground for waste when the landowner turned his lights on to investigate the gunshots around midnight. The landowner called FWP that night, triggering an investigation that uncovered the alleged poaching spree of deer, elk and a spike bull elk taken over the two-month period. Tylor Castona is currently in custody at Montana State Prison following a conviction earlier this year for sexual assault. As measured by an FWP game warden, one of those bucks met the regulatory criteria to be considered a trophy, meaning the defendants could face additional $8,000 in restitution if convicted of the charge relating to that buck. According to charges filed Oct. 8, Castona and Byrd of East Helena face a combined 29 criminal counts and both are facing felony tampering with witness charges for allegedly attempting to coordinate their stories ahead of interviews with game wardens investigating the case. Castona faces an additional felony tampering charge for deleting GPS waypoints on the mapping tool OnX Maps once they learned game wardens were investigating the case. Aside from the felony tampering charges, Castona is accused of two counts of hunting without a license, four counts of unlawful possession or transportation of a game animal, four counts of killing over the limit, two counts of unlawful use of artificial light while hunting, two counts of illegal transfer of hunting licenses, one count of waste of a game animal and one count of failing to obtain a landowner's permission to hunt. Byrd, beyond the felony tampering charge, is accused of hunting without a license, three counts of unlawful possession or transportation of a game animal, two counts of unlawfully transferring hunting licenses, killing over the limit, two counts of wasting a game animal and one count of failing to obtain a landowner's permission to hunt. Charging documents filed in Broadwater County against the pair, following multiple interviews with the defendants, lay out the events as such: In early October 2023, weeks before the rifle season opened, Byrd told investigators she was with Castona when she shot a six-point bull in the Elkhorn Mountains when she did not have a permit to hunt bull elk there. Only 0.94% of hunters who applied for that tag drew it in the 2023 season. A herd of elk is seen in the Elkhorn Mountains near Helena. The two placed a GPS marker on the spot, and drove to Helena to pick up Tracer Castona, Tylor's nephew, to help them retrieve the bull elk. Tracer Castona faces two misdemeanor charges in Broadwater County Justice Court for his alleged role in retrieving the animal. On the return drive to recover first bull elk that night, Tylor Castona shot another six-point bull that crossed the road. According to charging documents, Castona turned his headlights into the field and shot it with a rifle. Byrd also told investigators Castona killed the third six-point bull earlier that year during archery season in another Helena area hunting district managed for hunter opportunity on mature bull elk. A GPS marker for this area investigators were able to retrieve from Castona's OnX account was created on Sept. 17. Byrd also used her general elk tag on a spike bull elk in the Elkhorn Mountains in late October, but she told investigators the elk was too far away and Castona shot and killed it. Law enforcement's first foray into the alleged poaching activities came just after midnight on Nov. 15, 2023. A landowner called the FWP tip line to report a person had fired at a deer in their headlights near Beaver Creek Road. The vehicle fled when the landowner flipped his lights on, but the landowner recorded a video of the red pickup in retreat, according to charging documents. What began as a sweeping prosecution for three bull elk poached in Musselshell County ended last month a man's hunting privileges revoked for 10 years. Montana Highway Patrol and an FWP game warden responded to the area, and the trooper, Eric Arnold, pulled a red pickup over for traveling 73 miles per hour in a 65-mph zone. Castona and Byrd were in the pickup, both wearing hunting clothes, according to court documents. The two denied being in the area of the reported night hunting but said they had successfully harvested an elk on private land earlier that day. Warden Troy Hinck met the property owner and found a dead whitetail buck in the field, as well as an elk carcass disposed of further down the road. Hinck noted that road had recently been graded, and matched the tire tracks from the elk to the scene of the dead buck, according to court documents. FWP investigators interviewed Castona at his home in East Helena on Nov. 16; he denied shooting an animal on Beaver Creek Road or driving in that area. In a second interview, Castona changed his story, according to prosecutors, now admitting to driving on Beaver Creek Road but claiming he saw someone else shooting at the deer, and that he only went to the area to check on the activity. The following day, Byrd called Warden Hinck and said she and Castona had killed elk on public lands earlier that season, and that she and Castona had killed two whitetail bucks on a section of state land, according to court documents. The officers had noted two large whitetail deer heads, each five-point bucks, at Castona's residence. Byrd said she and Castona shot the deer with a single rifle, and Hinck responded with doubt that they had shot two large whitetail bucks with a single rifle in the daytime. On Nov. 20, Hinck obtained a search warrant and seized three elk antler sets, all six-point bulls, and two whitetail deer antler sets, both five-point bucks, according to charging documents. Byrd voluntarily met with FWP investigators again in December, this time admitting Castona had beamed his headlights into the field near Beaver Creek Road before shooting a buck, according to court records. Castona went to find the deer, but returned to the pickup and fled when the landowner turned the lights on, she told them. Byrd reportedly told investigators she and Castona had colluded to create a story regarding another vehicle in the area where the buck was shot, prosecutors wrote in charging documents. The two five-point bucks were likewise both shot by Castona while he was hunting alone, Byrd told investigators, although she agreed to put her deer tag on one of the bucks, according to charging documents. In this interview, Byrd reported the incidents in which she and Castona had illegally killed the bull elk. Investigators recovered waypoints Castona created but later deleted on OnX; charging documents repeatedly describe these points helped confirm the incidents Byrd reported to law enforcement. All three people charged in the spree pleaded not guilty at their initial appearances. Castona is currently in custody at Montana State Prison following a conviction earlier this year for sexual assault. The Broadwater County and Lewis and Clark County sheriff's offices both assisted in the investigation. The Elkhorn Mountains, with Casey Peak in the background, are shown covered in snow, as seen from McClellan Creek Road. Seaborn Larson has worked for the Montana State News Bureau since 2020. His past work includes local crime and courts reporting at the Missoulian and Great Falls Tribune, and daily news reporting at the Daily Inter Lake in Kalispell. 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This Timberwolves roster is different than the one from a year ago. That much is obvious in games, as Karl-Anthony Towns’ consistent scoring and general size is missed, as is the playmaking and ball security of guys like Kyle Anderson and Jordan McLaughlin. ADVERTISEMENT But their absences have been felt in the locker room, as well. Towns was a consistent source of positivity for the team. Anderson was one of the loudest vocal leaders. The latter can be especially difficult to replace, especially because it can be uncomfortable to speak up when things are going poorly and something needs to change. That was the position Anthony Edwards has found himself in early this season. Edwards has been praised for his leadership through his first four years on Minnesota’s roster. Mostly, that all came via positivity and example. Edwards can be coached hard, which gave the greenlight for the coaches to treat everyone else the same way. Edwards was also quick to credit his teammates around him for their contributions to the cause, and was eager and willing to spend time with and talk to anyone on the roster, players No. 1-15. He’ll also stand up for any of his teammates if the occasion ever arises. That’s why he has been so beloved in the locker room and why he was viewed as such a leader, even at his young age. ADVERTISEMENT But with Anderson’s departure, Edwards was now tasked with leading even through choppy waters. And the waves have been rather large through the first quarter of the season. Minnesota’s defense has fallen off a cliff in comparison to where it was a year ago. After never even as many as three consecutive games during the 2023-24 regular season, the Wolves endured a four-game losing skid earlier this week. At that point, words were exchanged, both publicly and privately. A halftime hash out during Minnesota’s loss Wednesday to Sacramento got the conversation rolling. Mike Conley got the dialogue started, but all indications are that Edwards was a healthy participant. Edwards noted it’s difficult to know what to say in those times. “Because you look at everybody, and everybody got a different agenda. It’s like, ‘What the (heck) am I supposed to say?’ You know what I mean?” Edwards said. “I’m trying to get better in that aspect, figure out what the hell to say to get everybody on the same agenda, because everybody right now is on different agendas. I think that’s one of the main culprits of why we’re losing, because everybody out there got their own agenda. I guess their imagination of what’s supposed to be going on, and what’s really happening.” Nickeil Alexander-Walker told reporters at Friday’s shootaround that this is the most vocal Edwards has ever been. And while the intention of everyone’s messages are pure, “sometimes it’s not always worded the right way.” ADVERTISEMENT “I think we’ve crossed that line of, ‘Man, I feel like you’re not hearing the message.’ It’s tough to be called out, because you start to feel like, ‘OK, are you saying I’m the reason?’ No one wants to be at fault,” Alexander-Walker said. “But at the end of the day, I definitely think that guys are open to hearing it better. And I think it just came from a stand point of, at a point and time in the conversation, there was a comeback. It was going back and forth now, as opposed to receiving it (and saying), ‘OK, I got you.’ That’s how it’s going to be. It’s very rare that someone is just going to be able to be called out and not have anything to say. “It’s human nature to be defensive, at the end of the day. But kind of remembering what we’re here for, and if I’m being called out, chances are I’ve got to look in the mirror and be better.” It’s a delicate dance. There has to be an environment rooted in accountability, but you also have to be sure not to lose teammates, as Jimmy Butler was criticized for doing during his short stint in Minnesota a few years ago. ADVERTISEMENT And while it’s never ideal for a team to be living through a stretch of basketball the quality of which falls significantly short of the expectation, these stretches will likely lead to growth for Edwards, if not on the court, then in the locker room. You can’t steer a ship to a title if you don’t know how to navigate turbulent tides. Day by day, loss by loss, Edwards is learning how to spin the wheel. ______________________________________________________ This story was written by one of our partner news agencies. Forum Communications Company uses content from agencies such as Reuters, Kaiser Health News, Tribune News Service and others to provide a wider range of news to our readers. Learn more about the news services FCC uses here .Chinese film about Covid-19 wins Taiwan's top Golden Horse prizesJD Vance is leaving the Senate for the vice presidency. That's set off a scramble for his Ohio seat COLUMBUS, Ohio -- JD Vance's election as vice president has opened up one of Ohio's U.S. Senate seats for the third time in as many years, setting off a scramble for the appointment among the state's ruling Republicans. GOP Gov. Mike DeWine is tasked with filling the vacancy, giving the pragmatic center-right politician a hand in setting his party's course in the state potentially for years to come. His decision will be made in the afterglow of sweeping wins by Republicans in November under the leadership of Donald Trump, but a poor choice could also help Democrats reclaim a place in Ohio's Senate delegation when the seat comes up for reelection in less than two years. "Look, being a United States senator is a big deal," the governor told reporters in the days after the election. "It's a big deal for the state, and we need to get it right." DeWine has a long list to choose from — particularly given the number of GOP candidates who competed unsuccessfully in Senate primaries in 2022 and 2024. Those under consideration who previously lost crowded Republican primaries are former Ohio Republican Chair Jane Timken; two-term Secretary of State Frank LaRose; and state Sen. Matt Dolan, whose family owns baseball's Cleveland Guardians. Two-term Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague and Republican attorney and strategist Mehek Cooke, a frequent guest on Fox News, are also in the mix. One other prospective appointee — a 2024 presidential contender, Cincinnati pharmaceutical entrepreneur and Vance insider Vivek Ramaswamy — pulled out of contention after accepting a position in the new Trump administration. While Vance's departure also offers DeWine an opportunity to alleviate a bottleneck at the top of Ohio Republicans' political pecking order, where Lt. Gov. Jon Husted and Attorney General Dave Yost are preparing to face off for governor in 2026, that appears unlikely. Husted is... JULIE CARR SMYTH Associated Press
Plastic Processing Machinery Market Insights: In-Depth Analysis of Key Players and Market DynamicsTHE WOODLANDS, TX, Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Autonomix Medical, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMIX) ("Autonomix” or the "Company”), a medical device company focused on advancing precision nerve-targeted treatments, today announced the closing of its previously announced underwritten public offering of common stock units and pre-funded warrant units for aggregate gross proceeds of approximately $10.0 million, prior to deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and offering expenses, which amount includes the partial exercise of the over-allotment option granted to the underwriter. The equity offering was comprised of 615,500 common stock units (which included 156,809 common stock units issued upon exercise of the underwriter's over-allotment option) and 917,596 pre-funded warrant units, priced at a public offering price of $6.54 per common stock unit and $6.539 per pre-funded warrant unit. Each common stock unit and pre-funded warrant unit consisted of one share of common stock (or, in lieu of common stock, a pre-funded warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an exercise price of $0.001) and one warrant to purchase one share of common stock that expires on the five-year anniversary of the date of issuance (a "Series A Warrant"). The exercise price for the Series A Warrant is $6.54 per share. The warrants issued in this transaction were fixed priced and do not contain any variable pricing features. The securities comprising the units were immediately separable and were issued separately. Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc. acted as the sole bookrunning manager for the offering. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from this offering to fund its clinical trial, for other research and development, for development of intellectual property, and for working capital. The securities described above were offered by the Company pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 (No. 333-282940), which was declared effective by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC”) on November 22, 2024. The offering was made solely by means of a prospectus. A final prospectus relating to and describing the terms of the offering was filed with the SEC on November 25, 2024 and is available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. Electronic copies of the final prospectus may be obtained from Ladenburg Thalmann & Co. Inc., 640 Fifth Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10019, or by telephone at (212) 409-2000, or by email at [email protected] . This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities nor will there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. About Autonomix Medical, Inc. Autonomix is a medical device company focused on advancing innovative technologies to revolutionize how diseases involving the nervous system are diagnosed and treated. The Company's first-in-class platform system technology includes a catheter-based microchip sensing array that may have the ability to detect and differentiate neural signals with approximately 3,000 times greater sensitivity than currently available technologies. We believe this will enable, for the first time ever, transvascular diagnosis and treatment of diseases involving the peripheral nervous system virtually anywhere in the body. We are initially developing this technology for the treatment of pain, with initial trials focused on pancreatic cancer, a condition that causes debilitating pain and is without a reliable solution. Our technology constitutes a platform to address dozens of indications, including cardiology, hypertension and chronic pain management, across a wide disease spectrum. Our technology is investigational and has not yet been cleared for marketing in the United States. Forward Looking Statements Some of the statements in this release are "forward-looking statements,” which involve risks and uncertainties. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation the use of the anticipated proceeds from the offering. Such forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "should,” "might,” "may,” "intends,” "anticipates,” "believes,” "estimates,” "projects,” "forecasts,” "expects,” "plans,” and "proposes.” Although Autonomix believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, there are a number of risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from such forward-looking statements. You are urged to carefully review and consider any cautionary statements and other disclosures, including the statements made under the heading "Risk Factors” and elsewhere in the Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC”) on May 31, 2024, and from time to time, our other filings with the SEC. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of the document in which they are contained and Autonomix does not undertake any duty to update any forward-looking statements except as may be required by law. Investor and Media Contact JTC Team, LLC Jenene Thomas 908-824-0775 [email protected]Beyond Binaries
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