(The Center Square) – Consumer prices rose by 0.2% overall in January, according to recent data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Overall, the inflation rose to 2.4% annually in January, a significant cooldown from previous months. In December and November, inflation rates rose 2.7%, respectively. Those rates were still lower from the Read More…
When Cedar Stellon O’Donnell was in high school in Fairbanks, Alaska, she visited Montana State University as part of a tour of colleges she was considering. She wasn’t expecting to decide on attending MSU so quickly, but she said the energy of the campus during that visit made a lasting impression. “Everyone here seemed proud Read More…
Navy Lt. Carlton Barmore Hutchins was a skilled aviator who did his best to save his crew during one of the worst naval air disasters before World War II. He kept his damaged plane in the air long enough for a few crewmates to parachute out. Hutchins went down with his aircraft, but his bravery Read More…
Greg Gianforte and Austin Knudsen announced Thursday that the state will investigate whether recent actions by the Helena City Commission violate Montana’s ban on sanctuary city policies. The announcement follows a vote by the Helena City Commission approving a resolution that prevents local law enforcement officers from assisting with certain federal immigration enforcement operations. “In Read More…
(The Center Square) – Consumer prices rose by 0.2% overall in January, according to recent data released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Overall, the inflation rose to 2.4% annually in January, a significant cooldown from previous months. In December and November, inflation rates rose 2.7%, respectively. Those rates were still lower from the Read More…
When Cedar Stellon O’Donnell was in high school in Fairbanks, Alaska, she visited Montana State University as part of a tour of colleges she was considering. She wasn’t expecting to decide on attending MSU so quickly, but she said the energy of the campus during that visit made a lasting impression. “Everyone here seemed proud Read More…
The Department of War said Thursday it is restructuring two key arms-transfer and technology-security offices, consolidating them under the Under Secretary of War for Acquisition and Sustainment in a move aimed at accelerating foreign military sales and strengthening the U.S. defense industrial base. The reorganization places the Defense Security Cooperation Agency and the Defense Technology Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte’s Energy Task Force will host a series of public open houses aimed at gathering input from Montanans on key energy issues facing the state. The first of three events is scheduled for Feb. 25 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Copper Lounge on the campus of Montana Technological University in Butte. Additional Read More…
The Trump administration on Wednesday pointed to a stronger-than-expected consumer inflation report as evidence that price pressures are easing and real wages are rising, arguing that the economy has rebounded from what officials describe as the prior administration’s inflation surge. In a statement, White House Deputy Press Secretary Kush Desai said the latest Consumer Price Read More…
(The Center Square) – U.S. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada, has co-introduced bipartisan legislation to extend a federal $450 million water recycling grant for Western states until 2032. The federal grant, signed by former President Joe Biden in 2021, has already allocated roughly $308 million on water recycling projects in Colorado River states. Without its Read More…
(The Center Square) – A national taxpayer advocacy group is calling on President Donald Trump and Congress to address the nation’s rising debt, warning that interest payments and long-term spending commitments are putting increasing pressure on the federal budget. The warning comes after the Congressional Budget Office projected that federal debt held by the public will reach Read More…
The campaign of Steve Daines that Danielle Bradley will serve as campaign manager for his 2026 re-election effort, formalizing leadership for what is expected to be a closely watched Senate race. Ms. Bradley, who most recently served as executive director of the Montana Republican Party from 2021 to 2025, has longstanding ties to Mr. Daines’ 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…
January 26 marked the start of tax filing season, and 140 million taxpayers are once again gathering W-2s, logging into tax software, and bracing for the familiar anxiety of figuring out what they owe Uncle Sam. It’s never a fun process, but this year will be a little better for taxpayers and working families. Thanks 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…
Officials at the Federal Reserve this week reinforced a cautious, data-dependent stance on interest rates, tempering investor expectations for rapid easing despite cooling inflation. In public remarks following the latest Consumer Price Index report, policymakers indicated they are encouraged by moderating price pressures but want clearer evidence that inflation is sustainably returning to the Fed’s Read More…
Energy markets faced renewed pressure this week as crude prices softened amid mixed signals on global demand and steady U.S. production. Benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude drifted lower, weighing on shares of major producers and oilfield services companies. Analysts cited cautious demand forecasts from Asia and Europe, along with stable output from U.S. shale basins, Read More…