Legals for September, 16 2026

NO. 32317 PUBLIC OPPORTUNITY TO PROTEST ISSUANCE OF ONE NEW Montana All-Alcoholic Beverages with Catering Endorsement License BIGFORK INN LLC (Michael Dyer Brooks 81%, Kelly A Couzens 19%, Owner(s)) has applied for one new Montana All-Alcoholic Beverages with Catering Endorsement License No. 07-999-2591-002 to be operated at BIGFORK INN LLC, 604 Electric Ave, Bigfork, Flathead County. The public may protest this license transfer in accordance with the law.  Who can protest this transfer? Protests will be accepted from residents of the county of the proposed location Flathead County, residents of adjoining Montana counties, and residents of adjoining counties in another state if the criteria in 16-4-207(4)(d), Montana Code Annotated (MCA), are met. What information must be included? Protest letters must be legible and contain (1) the protestor’s full name, mailing address, and street address; (2) the license number 07-999-2591-002 and the applicant’s name BIGFORK INN LLC; (3) an indication that the letter is intended as a protest; (4) a description of the grounds for protesting; and (5) the protestor’s signature. A letter with multiple signatures will be considered one protest letter. What are valid protest grounds? The protest may be based on the applicant’s qualifications listed in 16-4-401, MCA, or the grounds for denial of an application in 16-4-405, MCA. Examples of valid protest grounds include: (1) the applicant is unlikely to operate the establishment in compliance with the law; (2) the proposed location cannot be properly policed by local authorities; and (3) the welfare of the people in the vicinity of the proposed location will be adversely and seriously affected. How are protests submitted? Protests must be postmarked to the Department of Revenue, Office of Dispute Resolution, P.O. Box 5805, Helena, Montana 59604-5805 on or before September 26, 2026. What happens if the transfer is protested? Depending on the number of protests and the protest grounds, a public hearing will be held in Helena or Bigfork. All valid protestors will be notified of the hearing’s time, date and location. Hearings typically are scheduled within 90 days. A protester’s hearing testimony is limited to the grounds in the protester’s letter. Following the hearing, the Department of Revenue will notify the public whether the license transfer is approved or denied. How can additional information be obtained? The cited MCA statutes are online at leg.mt.gov/bills/mca_toc/. If you have any questions or need information, please feel free to contact Cannabis and Alcohol Regulation Division (CARD) at 406-444-6900, or via email at [email protected]. Aug. 26, and Sept. 2, 9, 16, 2026 MNAXLP _________________________

NO. 32333 Montana 11th Judicial District Court Flathead County In the Matter of the Name Change of Linda Richardson: Linda Richardson, Petitioner Cause No.: DV-26-962 NC AMY EDDY Notice of Hearing on Name Change This is notice that Petitioner has asked the District Court for a change of name from Linda June Richardson to Linda June Fleming. The hearing will be on 10/6/26 at 8:30 a.m. The hearing will be at the Courthouse in Flathead County. Date: August 26, 2026 /s/ Sara Smith Clerk of District Court (SEAL) September 2, 9, 16, 23, 2026 MNAXLP __________________________

NO. 32343 The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is conducting a comprehensive bond review for Operating Permit No. 00185 issued to Block Mountain Slate and Stone, Inc. (BMSS). BMSS’s facility and associated disturbances are located around Plains, Montana. Individual site locations are provided below: •Henry Creek 1: Township 19 North, Range 25 West, Section 6 •Kunzer: Township 20 North, Range 25 West, Section 31 •DNRC: Township 20 North, Range 25 West, Section 34 •Bald Howard: Township 19 North, Range 25 West, Section 25 •Banana Stone: Township 20 North, Range 26 West, Section 12 •Locust Hill: Township 20 North, Range 26 West, Section 12   DEQ currently holds a reclamation bond in the amount of $98,069. DEQ is proposing to release $8,059 and retain $90,010 after releasing bond for completed reclamation tasks. The bond release was requested by BMSS for a total of 7.5 acres of disturbance on the Bald Howard, DNRC, and Banana Lake sites. The reclamation tasks completed consist of 4.0 acres of grading and contouring on the Bald Howard site, 1.6 acres of grading and contouring on the DNRC site, and 1.9 acres of grading and contouring on the Banana Stone site. Bond would be retained for revegetation and weed control costs. DEQ has determined the partial completion of reclamation would decrease the currently required bond by $8,059, resulting in a required bond of $90,010. In addition to the request for bond release, DEQ is conducting a comprehensive bond review for Operating Permit No. 00185. DEQ has determined that the current bonding level does not represent the present costs of compliance with the Metal Mine Reclamation Act, administrative rules adopted thereunder, and the operating permit. DEQ is proposing a bond increase of $63,669 (from $90,010 to $153,679). The bond increase is largely due to the addition of permitted disturbance area, changes in fuel price and equipment rates, and updated indirect costs. The procedure for adjusting bonds as a result of a comprehensive bond review is set forth in Section 82-4-338(3), MCA. The permittee and the public will have until October 16th, 2026, to comment on the proposed bond increase. DEQ will issue a final bond determination after the comment period has expired. The permittee, or any person with an interest that may be adversely affected by DEQ’s final bond determination, may obtain a contested case hearing before the Board of Environmental Review. A written request for a hearing must be filed with DEQ within 30 days of the issuance of the final bond determination, stating the reason for the request. Requests for copies of the bond calculation associated with the comprehensive bond review, accommodations for persons with disabilities who need an alternative accessible format of this notice, and any related questions should be directed to Millie Olsen, Hard Rock Mining Section Supervisor, Mining Bureau, Department of Environmental Quality, PO Box 200901, Helena, MT 59620-0901, by telephone at (406) 444-2461 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Requests for accommodation must be submitted no later than 5:00 P.M. on October 6th, 2026. September 16, 2026 MNAXLP __________________________

NO. 32345 Comprehensive Bond Review for SEG Properties, LLC (Hard Rock Mining Operating Permit  No. 00209) The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is conducting a comprehensive  bond review for Operating Permit No. 00209 issued to SEG Properties, LLC (SEG). SEG’s  facility and associated disturbances are located in Township 20 North, Range 25 West,  Section 31 and Township 19 North, Range 25 West, Section 6. DEQ has determined that the current bonding level does not represent the present costs of  compliance with the Metal Mine Reclamation Act, administrative rules adopted thereunder, and the operating permit. DEQ is proposing a bond increase of $21,461 (from $9,424 to $30,885). The bond increase is largely due to the addition of permitted disturbance area, changes in fuel price and equipment rates, and updated indirect costs. The procedure for adjusting bonds as a result of a comprehensive bond review is set forth  in Section 82-4-338(3), MCA. The permittee and the public will have until October 16th, 2026 to comment on the proposed bond increase. DEQ will issue a final bond determination after the comment period has expired. The permittee, or any person with an interest that may be adversely affected by DEQ’s final bond determination, may obtain a contested case hearing before the Board of Environmental Review. A written request for a hearing must be filed with DEQ within 30 days of the issuance of the final bond determination, stating the reason for the request. Requests for copies of the bond calculation associated with the comprehensive bond review, accommodations for persons with disabilities who need an alternative accessible format of this notice, and any related questions should be directed to Millie Olsen, Hard Rock Mining Section Supervisor, Mining Bureau, Department of Environmental Quality, PO Box 200901, Helena, MT 59620-0901, by telephone at (406) 444-2461 or by e-mail at [email protected]. Requests for accommodation must be submitted no later than 5:00 P.M. on October 6th, 2026. September 16, 2026 MNAXLP __________________________

NO. 32352 The following is the complete text of Constitutional Initiatives No. 132 and No. 133, which will be submitted to the voters of the state of Montana at the November 3, 2026, General Election. The text is being published pursuant to the requirement  of 13-27-311, Montana Code Annotated. CONSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVE NO. 132 (CI-132) BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: NEW SECTION. Section 1. Article VII of The Constitution of the State of Montana is amended by adding a new section 12 that reads: Section 12. Nonpartisan Judicial Elections. Judicial elections shall remain nonpartisan. CONSTITUTIONAL INITIATIVE NO. 133 (CI-133) BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA: NEW SECTION. Section 1. Article II of The Constitution of the State of Montana is amended by adding a new section 37 that reads: Section 37. Right to initiative and referendum. (1) The people have a fundamental right to exercise their powers of initiative and referendum under Article III and Article XIV. The government may not deny or burden this right  unless justified by a compelling government interest achieved by the least restrictive means. (2) This right guarantees impartial, predictable, transparent, and expeditious processes for proposing a ballot issue, qualifying a ballot issue for the ballot, and submitting a ballot issue to the qualified electors without interference from the government or the use of government resources to support or oppose the ballot  issue. This right includes but is not limited to: (a) proposing a ballot issue by submitting the full text of the ballot issue and proposed ballot statements, with the government modifying the proposed ballot statements only if they are not a true and impartial explanation expressed in plain, easily understood language; (b) obtaining a determination regarding whether the ballot issue and ballot statements are legally sufficient for submission to the qualified electors prior to the petition being approved for circulation; (c) the resolution of legal challenges to the determination made in subsection (2)(b) and the issuance of an approved petition for circulation within 90 days of the initial submission of the ballot issue to the government; (d) reasonably ample time to gather signatures without unjustified burdens on signature gathering, on signature gatherers, or on the preparation or submission of signed petitions; (e) verification of signatures and petitions without the invalidation of a signature or petition due to a technical or minor deficiency; (f) the ability to withdraw one’s signature from a petition, with the deadline for a withdrawal being the same as the deadline for submitting signed petitions to the government; (g) the resolution of legal challenges to the qualification of a ballot issue for the ballot prior to the deadline for finalizing ballots for the election; and (h) submission of a ballot issue to the qualified electors in an impartial manner for their approval or rejection by a majority of those voting thereon at a single  election. NEW SECTION. Section 2. Self-executing. [This act] is self-executing. NEW SECTION. Section 3. Effective date. [This act] is effective on approval by the electorate. September 16, 30, 2026 MNAXLP __________________________

NO. 32353 Sara E. Smith Clerk of District Court Flathead County Justice Center 920 South Main Street Kalispell, MT 59901 (406) 758-5906 IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA, IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF FLATHEAD IN THE MATTER OF: N.P., YOUTH IN NEED OF CARE. Cause No. DN-26-050(D) SUMMONS FOR PUBLICATION To: Adam Upchurch, birth father of the above-named child: YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that a Petition has been filed in the above-entitled Court by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Child and Family Services Division, 121 Financial Drive, Suite C, Kalispell, MT 59901, requesting adjudication of the child as a youth in need of case and temporary legal custody. NOW, THEREFORE, YOU ARE HEREBY DIRECTED to appear on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 1:30 PM before the Honorable Dan Wilson, District Judge, Department 4, Flathead County Justice Center, 920 South Main Street, Third Floor, Kalispell, Flathead County, MT, then and there to show cause, if any you may have, why the Petition should not be granted. N.P. was born on May 24, 2026 in Kalispell, Montana. The birth mother is Kendra Plouffe. You have the right to representation by an attorney in these proceedings. If you are unable to afford an attorney, the Court will appoint an attorney to represent you. Your failure to appear at the hearing constitutes a denial of your interest in the abovenamed child, which denial may result, without further notice of this proceeding or any subsequent proceedings, in the Court entering judgment by default against you for all relief requested in the Petition. A copy of the Petition is filed with the Clerk of District Court for the Eleventh Judicial District Court in and for Flathead County, 920 South Main, Third Floor, Kalispell, MT, 59901, telephone (406) 758-5870.  WITNESS my hand and Seal of this Court this 11 day of September, 2026. SARA E. SMITH Clerk of District Court By: /s/ Crystal Holzapfel Deputy Clerk (SEAL) September 16, 23, 30, 2026 MNAXLP __________________________

NO. 32354 Clerk of District Court Flathead County Justice Center 920 South Main Street Kalispell, MT 59901 (406) 758-5906 IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT OF THE STATE OF MONTANA, IN AND FOR THE COUNTY OF FLATHEAD IN THE MATTER OF: N.P., YOUTH IN NEED OF CARE. Cause No. DN-26-050(D) SUMMONS FOR PUBLICATION To: Kendra Plouffe, birth motherof the above-named child: YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED that a Petition has been filed in the above-entitled Court by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Child and Family Services Division, 121 Financial Drive, Suite C, Kalispell, MT 59901,requesting adjudication of the above-named childas a youth in need of care and temporary legal custody. NOW, THEREFORE, YOU ARE HEREBY DIRECTED to appear on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 1:30 PMbefore the Honorable Dan Wilson, District Judge, Department 4, Flathead County Justice Center, 920 South Main Street, Third Floor, Kalispell, FlatheadCounty, MT, then and there to show cause, if any you may have, why the Petition should not be granted. N.P. was born on May 24, 2026 in Kalispell, Montana. The birth mother is Kendra Plouffe. You have the right to representation by an attorney in these proceedings. If you are unable to afford an attorney, the Court will appoint an attorney to represent you. Your failure to appear at the hearing constitutes a denial of your interest in the above named child, which denial may result, without further notice of this proceeding or any subsequent proceedings, in the Court entering judgment by default against you for all relief requested in the Petition. A copy of the Petition is filed with the Clerk of District Court for the Eleventh Judicial District Court in and for Flathead County, 920 South Main, Third Floor, Kalispell, Montana, 59901, telephone (406) 758-5870. WITNESS my hand and Seal of this Court this 11 day of September, 2026. SARA E. SMITH Clerk of District Court By: /s/ Crystal Holzapfel Deputy Clerk (SEAL) September 16, 23, 30, 2026 MNAXLP __________________________