U.S. stocks closed lower this week as investors grappled with renewed uncertainty around interest rates, economic growth, and upcoming corporate earnings. The broad market benchmark, the S&P 500, posted a weekly decline, with selling pressure building in the latter part of the week. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY), which tracks the index, ended near Read More…
The White House has unveiled “President Trump’s Cyber Strategy for America,” a new framework outlining the administration’s approach to maintaining U.S. dominance in cyberspace and strengthening the nation’s defenses against growing digital threats. Administration officials say the strategy is designed to ensure that the United States remains unrivaled in cyber capabilities, while improving coordination between Read More…
In a surprise move that stunned Montana’s political circles, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines withdrew from the 2026 Senate race just minutes before the state’s candidate filing deadline, abruptly ending his reelection bid and reshaping the field for one of the state’s most powerful offices. Daines, a Republican who has represented Montana in the U.S. Senate Read More…
The Center Square) – Nearly a year after a nine-person jury found Greenpeace liable for $667 million in damages in a case related to the Dakota Access Pipeline, a North Dakota judge has said the environmental organization will soon be ordered to make good on the damages. In court papers filed Tuesday, Judge James Gion Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte and U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz announced two priority forest landscapes in Montana that will serve as the first major project areas under the state’s new Shared Stewardship Agreement, a long-term partnership aimed at reducing wildfire risk, improving forest health, and supporting Montana’s timber industry. The announcement came during a press Read More…
A Big Horn County woman has received a 10-year deferred imposition of sentence and was ordered to pay more than $101,000 in restitution after being convicted of financially exploiting her elderly mother and stepfather, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced. The case marks the first conviction investigated and prosecuted by the Montana Department of Justice’s Read More…
Montana State Auditor and Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown is marking National Consumer Protection Week by highlighting major enforcement actions that protected Montana families over the past year while warning residents about the growing sophistication of financial scams. Brown said protecting consumers from fraud and abuse remains the top priority for his office, Read More…
The White House has unveiled “President Trump’s Cyber Strategy for America,” a new framework outlining the administration’s approach to maintaining U.S. dominance in cyberspace and strengthening the nation’s defenses against growing digital threats. Administration officials say the strategy is designed to ensure that the United States remains unrivaled in cyber capabilities, while improving coordination between Read More…
Former University of Montana President Seth Bodnar is entering the race for the U.S. Senate seat in Montana, setting up what could become one of the state’s most closely watched political contests. Bodnar, a former Army officer and business leader, is launching his campaign with the support of prominent Democratic figures including former Montana Sen. Read More…
In a surprise move that stunned Montana’s political circles, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines withdrew from the 2026 Senate race just minutes before the state’s candidate filing deadline, abruptly ending his reelection bid and reshaping the field for one of the state’s most powerful offices. Daines, a Republican who has represented Montana in the U.S. Senate Read More…
Conservative commentator and radio host Aaron Flint has announced he will run for Congress in Montana’s 1st Congressional District, seeking the seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Ryan Zinke. Flint, best known as the host of the statewide radio program Montana Talks, said he is entering the race to bring what he describes as a Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte joined the Mountain States Policy Center (MSPC) last week to outline his tax cut priorities ahead of the 2027 legislative session, emphasizing a renewed push to move Montana to a flat income tax. Speaking at an event in Helena alongside MSPC Founder and President Chris Cargill, the governor highlighted what he described Read More…
Life has consequences, and we make choices every single day that determine our future. As a small business owner, I understand this reality clearly: Staying in business requires disciplined, fiscally sound decision-making. Sure, I could buy equipment that might make my work easier, invest in software that could help me grow, or drive an expensive Read More…
July 4, 2026, marks our nation’s 250th birthday. For two and a half centuries, patriotic men and women have fought and sacrificed so this country remains free, sovereign, and governed by “we the people,” not by federal bureaucrats. A 250th anniversary is rare in a nation’s life. It is also a unique opportunity for a Read More…
U.S. Rep. Dr. Greg Murphy’s Buying American Cotton Act is a near-perfect example of the old adage that government intervention leads to more intervention. According to Murphy, R-N.C., the bill is due in part to “global competition” making the survival of domestic cotton farmers difficult. The bill would create a tax credit to incentivize the Read More…
I’ve been worried for some time that politicians may take advantage of property tax chaos to impose a statewide sales tax on top of existing property taxes — an idea Montanans have consistently rejected. Now, I’m starting to see the signs that my suspicions may come true. Montanans should beware of this sales tax trap. Read More…
U.S. stocks closed lower this week as investors grappled with renewed uncertainty around interest rates, economic growth, and upcoming corporate earnings. The broad market benchmark, the S&P 500, posted a weekly decline, with selling pressure building in the latter part of the week. The SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY), which tracks the index, ended near Read More…
Paramount Skydance has agreed to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery in a blockbuster $110 billion deal, bringing an end to a high-profile bidding war after Netflix withdrew from negotiations with the HBO Max parent company. The transaction carries an equity value of approximately $81 billion and is expected to close in the third quarter of 2026, Read More…
U.S. regional banks are entering the new quarter facing a more complicated interest-rate environment, as moderating inflation and growing expectations for Federal Reserve rate cuts reshape lending dynamics and profitability outlooks. After two years of higher borrowing costs boosted net interest margins—the spread between what banks earn on loans and pay on deposits—many lenders are Read More…
The Montana Historical Society received a $15,000 donation from Stockman Bank during the grand opening of the bank’s newest Helena branch on Feb. 12. The gift will support the Montana History and Civics Education Endowment, which provides grants to schools across the state for educational field trips to the Montana Heritage Center and the Montana Read More…