‘Town Crier’ – Briefs From the Region – 9/3/19

Briefs from The Region from the Sept. 3, 2019, “Town Crier” newsletter. To have regional content delivered straight to your inbox every Tuesday and Thursday morning, subscribe here.

Montana sex abuse victims to sue Boy Scouts

Lawyers representing sexual abuse survivors that were victimized while participating in various Montana chapters of the Boy Scouts of America are preparing to sue the organization, according to Montana Public Radio. Seattle attorney Jason Amala told MTPR that the organization knowingly buried thousands of such scandals and falsely branded their leadership as universally of good character and trustworthiness despite indications that often suggested otherwise. The Boy Scouts of America, which was headquartered in New Jersey in the ‘60s and ‘70s, is bracing for a number of lawsuits following the recent passing of a New Jersey law that will allow out-of-state sexual abuse victims to sue the organization, meaning boys accosted in places like Montana can bring claims to New Jersey courts. Amala told MTPR dozens of Montana men have reached out to his practice for council and that the organization should be obligated to release all records documenting incidents.

‘Plastic rain’ in the Rockies

In France, 365 microplastic particles per square meter are deposited by precipitation every day, with unknown consequences to the environment. Discoveries like this have prompted organizations and governments around the world to analyze their own situations. The USGS found that 90 percent of rainwater north of Denver contained the pollutant, and is still unsure of the short- and long-term effects on humans and the environment. Similar studies analyzing the effects of plastics deposited during the snow season in Montana are ongoing, according to a report by ABC Fox Montana.