Latest Montana news, sports, business and entertainment:

FOREST BILL-REHBERG Rehberg to solicit ideas for "fixing" Tester bill BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) Republican Rep. Denny Rehberg says he will hold a series of public meetings to solicit ideas for changes in legislation from U.S. Sen. Jon Tester that seeks to both expand wilderness and increase logging in Montana.

Tester, a Democrat, introduced the Forest Jobs and Recreation Act in July, promoting it as a consensus-driven balance between preserving the environment and creating new jobs.

Rehberg said Monday he's heard from many people in Montana who were excluded from the drafting of the bill. He has scheduled meetings in five western Montana counties in early January to seek ideas on how the legislation might be improved.

A spokesman for Tester says he would consider changes to his bill but to date has not received any such requests from Rehberg or his staff.

Missoula PEDESTRIAN FATALS Girls killed by pickup near Missoula ID'd MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) Authorities have released the names of two teenage girls who were struck by a pickup and killed as they walked along Highway 200 near East Missoula.

Missoula County Sheriff Mike McMeekin says four members of the Missoula Hellgate freshman girls Basketball team were struck by the pickup at 11:45 p.m. Saturday. The collision killed 14-year-old Ashley Patenaude and 15-year-old Taylor Cearley. McMeekin did not release the names of the injured girls, who were 14 and 15.

The driver of the truck, 29-year-old David James Delsignore of CLinton, stopped after hitting the girls. He was arrested on suspicion of two counts of negligent vehicular homicide while under the influence and two counts of negligent vehicular assault.

Delsignore is scheduled to make an initial court appearance Monday.

Authorities have not released the names of the injured girls.

Hellgate school officials say one was released from the hospital and the other was in stable condition Sunday.

JAIL DEATH-INQUEST Inquest set in Park County jail death LIVINGSTON, Mont. (AP) An inquest has been scheduled to review the circumstances of the July hanging death of a Park County Detention Center inmate.

An investigator and coroner have preliminarily determined that 41-year-old Richard C. Newville committed suicide by hanging.

Park County Attorney Brent Linneweber says a coroner's jury will hear the case on Jan. 7 and recommend if any criminal charges are warranted.

State law requires a coroner's inquest any time a person dies and there is a connection to law enforcement, such as if a person dies while incarcerated.

Newville was found dead in his jail cell on July 7. He was facing a charge of felony theft and misdemeanor charges of burglary, driving without insurance and driving under the influence of drugs.

Information from: Livingston Enterprise, http://www.livingstonenterprise.com LIVINGSTON GM DEALERSHIP Bozeman dealership buys out Livingston dealer LIVINGSTON, Mont. (AP) A Bozeman auto dealership has bought out a Livingston dealer that lost its contract with General Motors.

Whiting Motors owner Scott Whiting says J.C. Billion Inc. has acquired Whiting Motors, which will change its name to Billion Auto Group-Livingston on Jan. 1. The new dealership will carry GMC trucks, Buick and Nissan products and have access to used autos at the other Billion dealerships.

Joe Billion, owner of J.C. Billion and Billion Dodge Chrysler Jeep in Bozeman, says he has been in discussions with Whiting over the acquisition for six months.

Scott Whiting will continue to run Billion Auto Group-Livingston and most of the dealership's employees will keep their jobs.

Information from: Livingston Enterprise, http://www.livingstonenterprise.com PIPELINE UPGRADE Pipeline upgrade nears completion Bismarck, N.D. (AP) Officials say a pipeline company's $120 million project to carry more crude oil from western North Dakota and eastern Montana will be completed in early January.

Enbridge Pipeline North Dakota LLC upgraded 11 pumping stations in North Dakota along a pipeline that runs from northwestern North Dakota to Clearbrook, Minn.

Justin Kringstad, director of the North Dakota Pipeline Authority, says the expansion will increase pipeline capacity from 110,000 barrels per day to 161,600 barrels per day.

UNDERAGE DRINKING-LIST Group sends underage drinker list to Butte schools BUTTE, Mont. (AP) The names of Butte students who are caught with alcohol will now be compiled in a list and handed over to Butte school administrators each month.

The Southwest Montana Community Change Project, an advocacy group aimed at cracking down on underage drinking, says the first list of kids cited for being minor in possession of alcohol was given to school officials this month.

Project coordinator said Leslie McCartney says how school administrators use the information is up to them.

Butte schools superintendent Linda Reksten says the goal will not be to punish students who are on the list, but rather get them help as soon as possible and quickly address troubled behavior.

Information from: The Montana Standard, http://www.mtstandard.com (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APNP 12-28-09 1531CST | save this article / add to your favorites list