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MOTORCYCLE TOURISTS More Montana visitors arriving by motorcycle BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) The preliminary results of a survey show that 10 percent of visitors to Montana this summer arrived by motorcycle.

Norma Nickerson of the Institute of Tourism and Recreation Research at the University of Montana says they've never seen the number of motorcycle riders increase that dramatically.

Officials say the rise is likely due to motorcycle rallies in the region.

Those rallies include one in Sturgis, S.D., that draws hundreds of thousands of visitors, and other rallies in Billings and Red Lodge that draw thousands.

Information from: Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com TODDLER IN TRUNK Toddler whose body was hidden in trunk is buried GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) The Browning family of an autistic 2-year-old boy has buried the toddler, whose body was found in a car trunk a year and a half ago.

Summer ManyWhiteHorses is serving a 55-year prison sentence for negligent homicide and tampering with evidence.

She also has pleaded guilty to Social Security fraud for continuing to cash checks meant for her son's care.

ManyWhiteHorses told detectives her autistic son James fell from a high chair in May 2008. She says she thought he was alive after the fall and laid him down next to her on the couch. But the next morning he wasn't breathing, and she eventually wrapped his body in a blanket and placed it in the trunk of her car.

Information from: Great Falls Tribune, http://www.greatfallstribune.com POWER PLANT Air quality permit OK'd for proposed power plant GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has approved an air quality permit to build and operate a $210 million natural gas-fired power plant about eight miles east of Great Falls.

Southern Montana Electric, the plant's developer, will be allowed to begin construction after the permit takes affect Nov. 1, unless the state Board of Environmental Review orders a stay.

Appeals will be considered until Nov. 16.

Plant general manager Tim Gregori declined to comment on when construction might begin.

SME planned to build a 250-megawatt coal-fired plant, but halted construction after running into legal and financing challenges and criticism from environmental groups. The developer decided this year to build the natural gas-fired plant instead.

Information from: Great Falls Tribune, http://www.greatfallstribune.com RAIL SERVICE Amtrak: Reviving southern MT route could cost $1B Missoula, Mont. (AP) An Amtrak report says the possible revival of the North Coast Hiawatha Route through southern Montana could attract nearly 360,000 riders a year, but startup costs are estimated at $1.043 billion.

The Chicago to Seattle line through Montana's southern tier operated until 1979.

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester says he is concerned a southern route could compromise Amtrak's Empire Builder, which runs from Chicago to Seattle and serves the northern tier of Montana.

The study, which projected an annual revenue of $43 million if the route were restored, says an estimated 65,800 riders would ride the southern tier line instead of the current Empire Builder route.

That would mean an estimated $8 million reduction in annual revenue for the northern route.

Information from: Missoulian, http://www.missoulian.com DAY OF CARING Volunteers help residents prepare for winter GREAT FALLS, Mont. (AP) About 75 volunteers raked leaves and helped prepare homes for winter in Great Falls as part of the annual Day of Caring.

Becky Fisher Timmons of the United Way says most of the volunteers on Friday were airmen from Malmstrom Air Force Base.

They helped 46 senior citizens with yard work and household chores.

The Day of Caring takes place during the annual Combined Federal Campaign when federal employees come together to give back to their community.

Senior citizens are referred to the program through the U.S.

Postal Service or the Meals on Wheels program.

Timmons says volunteers get to make relationships in the community while helping senior citizens.

Information from: Great Falls Tribune, http://www.greatfallstribune.com (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 10-18-09 0330CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list