Guns, drones aim to scare birds from pit
HELENA, Mont. — After thousands of snow geese died last fall in the toxic water of a former open-pit mine in Montana, the companies responsible for the pit are bringing out the big guns. Literally.
Montana Resources and BP-owned Atlantic Richfield Co. are proposing to use four propane cannons on tripods that would be triggered by long-range motion sensors as an additional measure to scare birds away from the Berkeley Pit during the spring migration.
The plan also includes the use of radar, drones and lasers that would create a “net” across the pit to deter birds from landing in the metal-laden water.
It’s only a drill
MIAMI — Hundreds of U.S. forces rehearsed a migrant crisis this week at the U.S. Navy base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a multimillion dollar drill that envisions the U.S. capturing huge numbers of people in the Caribbean bound for the U.S. — and how the military, State Department and Homeland Security would collaborate on handling it.
The military has engaged in some sort of annual Guantanamo -related migrant exercise for years. The Department of Homeland Security participates every other year. This one is the first since the Obama administration withdrew the “wet foot, dry foot” policy of granting legal entry status to Cubans without visas who arrive on U.S. soil.
Caterpillar offices raided
CHICAGO — Law enforcement officials from the IRS and two other federal agencies Thursday raided three Illinois facilities of heavy equipment manufacturer Caterpillar as part of an investigation the company said may be related to its Swiss subsidiary CSARL.
The exact reason for the raid was unclear, but Caterpillar told the Securities and Exchange Commission last month that the IRS had notified the company it owed $2 billion more in taxes for 2010- 2012 because of profits from its Swiss unit. Caterpillar said it would contest the tax bill.
Not guilty pleas entered
ORLANDO, Fla. — A judge Wednesday entered not guilty pleas on accused murderer Markeith Loyd’s behalf and ordered that an attorney be appointed to him as stand-by counsel after Mr. Loyd claimed that the charges he faces were entered against a corporation created in his name.
Mr. Loyd is accused in the Dec. 13 death of his pregnant ex-girlfriend, Sade Dixon, and the Jan. 9 killing of Orlando police Lt. Debra Clayton, who tried to arrest him.
Companies back teen
WASHINGTON — Apple, IBM and Microsoft are among 53 companies urging the Supreme Court to rule that a transgender teen has the right to use the boys bathroom at his Virginia high school.
The case is to be argued March 28, but the school board is seeking a delay.
Also in the nation …
A federal judge in Florida on Thursday blocked an order from a California magistrate judge granting bond to the widow of the gunman charged with terrorism in the deadly shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando. Fla. … Yahoo’s top lawyer, Ronald S. Bell, resigned Wednesday, and its chief executive, Marissa Mayer, lost her 2016 bonus after a board investigation of the 2014 theft of information on more than 500 million user accounts. ... Former President George W. Bush on Wednesday pushed back at the notion that his recent remarks about the media were criticisms of President Donald Trump.