Moving a trial

The longer Judge Donald Malloy considers W.R. Grace's request for a change of venue for their criminal trial, the more convinced I am the trial will not be held in Missoula.

Actually I think the trial will be moved to the federal district court in either Helena, Great Falls or Billings.

Any place the court moves the trial is a major inconvenience to the people of people, especially the asbestos victims who would want to attend the proceedings. However, a three-month long trial might dissuade the average onlooker even if it were held here in Libby.

There has been some discussion about a live feed from the trial broadcast in Libby, probably at the Lincoln County Campus. that would depend on two things: the trial judge allowing the broadcast and the college being able to devote that much time to showing the trial. Both issues are more complex than they appear on the surface.

Meanwhile, we wait on the judge's ruling on Grace's request for a change of venue.

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If you're considering a future occupation, or looking to change careers, look no further than the medical field.

Eighteen of the top 50 private employers in Montana listed by the state Department of Labor and Industry are health facilities — mostly hospitals.

Retail establishments — "big box stores" — are the second largest group of employers with nine different department stores or retail chains listed including Town Pump. Next is banks at three followed by timber companies, mines and manufacturing plants at two each. The list is rounded off by Glacier Park and a newspaper company — Lee Newspapers, owners of papers in Missoula, Hamilton, Butte, Helena and Billings.

The remaining operations on the state list are financial service organizations or transportation companies.

I didn't check to see if these businesses were listed based on entry level positions. — Roger Morris