Latest Montana news, sports, business and entertainment:

BASEBALL BAT-LAWSUIT Aluminum baseball bat's safety on trial in Montana HELENA. Mont. (AP) A Montana jury will decide whether a baseball bat manufacturer can be held liable for the death of an 18-year-old pitcher who was hit in the head by a hard line drive.

Hillerich & Bradsby, manufacturers of Louisville Slugger bats, is being sued by the mother of Brandon Patch, who died in 2003 after a batter using an aluminum bat smacked a ball so hard that Patch had little time to react.

Patch's family contends the aluminum bat is unreasonably dangerous. Attorneys for Hillerich & Bradsby contend aluminum bats are no more dangerous than wooden bats.

The jury trial that started Tuesday is expected to go through at least early next week.

HELENA CASINO robbery Authorities search for man who robbed Helena casino HELENA, Mont. (AP) Authorities are looking for a man who robbed a casino in Helena.

Police Chief Troy McGee says the man asked a clerk at the MAgic Diamond Casino to change a $20 bill early Thursday. But when the clerk grabbed a bank bag to get the money, the robber tried to wrestle it out of her hands.

Police say he ran out of the casino with about $200 in cash.

The suspect is described as in his mid-20s and clean shaven with a medium build and light hair. He was wearing black jeans, black shoes and a brown hooded sweat shirt adorned with an emblem.

Information from: Independent Record, http://www.helenair.com STRANDED FISH Mont. senator wants river management inquiry BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) Sen. Max Baucus wants an investigation into the Bureau of Reclamation's management of the Bighorn River in southern Montana.

The Montana Democrat sent a letter to the U.S. Interior Department after the river's flow fluctuated wildly this week for the second time in less than three months. The river fluctuations stranded and killed some fish in the river.

The fluctuations on Tuesday and in July were related to releases from a dam controlled by the Bureau of Reclamation.

In a letter to the acting inspector general of the Interior Department, Baucus laid out other problems with river management, including reduced river flows despite a heavy spring runoff.

The Bighorn River is considered one of Montana's top trout fisheries. The river also provides irrigation water for Agricultural lands.

Information from: Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com Volleyball TEAM-CRASH Bus carrying volleyball team crashes near Helena (Stations: Moving on general news and sports services.) HELENA, Mont. (AP) The northbound lanes of Interstate 15 near Helena were shut down for nearly an hour Thursday night after two separate accidents, including one that involved a bus carrying Westminster's volleyball team.

Westminster athletics spokesman Josh Fisher says the women's team was on its way from Utah to Havre, Mont., to play Montana State-Northern when the charter bus collided with another vehicle at about 8 p.m.

No one on the bus was injured.

Additional details about the crashes have not been released.

Westminster will play MSU-Northern on Friday and the University of Great Falls on Saturday.

MOLT KILLING Montana death ruled homicide MOLT, Mont. (AP) The death of a 33-year-old man last week at a small community west of Billings has been ruled a homicide.

Police say Michael Blattie of Molt died Oct. 15 from a gunshot wound.

Authorities have no suspects and are still investigating.

They have released few details.

Agents from the state Division of Criminal Investigation are assisting the Stillwater County Sheriff's Office.

Molt is about 20 miles west of Billings.

CASINOS-SMOKERS Smokers head to tribal casinos CROW AGENCY, Mont. (AP) Some smokers are escaping the statewide ban on lighting up indoors by taking their cigarettes and money to tribal casinos.

Casinos on reservations are exempt from a statewide smoking ban that took effect Oct. 1 The Little Bighorn Casino and the Charging Horse Casino in Lame Deer, on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation, have opted to remain smoking establishments.

And operators say business at Crow Agency casinos picked up after the smoking ban went into effect. Casinos there are running television commercials touting its smoking status.

Information from: Billings Gazette, http://www.billingsgazette.com TRUCKER STABBED No prison time for man in Minnesota stabbing of Montana truck driver MOORHEAD, Minn. (AP) A 33-year-old man won't face prison time after being found not guilty by reason of insanity for stabbing a Montana trucker at a Minnesota rest stop.

Harmit Bhangu (ban-GOO') will instead be deported after he's sentenced to jail time already served on a separate assault charge.

He'll go to either Canada, where he'd been working, or to his native country of India.

Clay County Attorney Brian Melton did not oppose a doctor's determination that Bhangu didn't know what he was doing last Jan.

11 when he stabbed Dale Morigeau (MOHR'-uh-joh), a truck driver from Ronan, Mont. Morigeau survived the attack.

Psychologists testified in April that Bhangu believed he heard God order him to kill Morigeau.

Information from: The Forum, http://www.in-forum.com (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 10-23-09 0230CDT | save this article / add to your favorites list