MINNEAPOLIS—A Minnesota woman has been convicted on federal health-care fraud charges for orchestrating a $3.6 million scheme targeting the state’s now-defunct Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services program. A federal jury found Sharmaine Meadows, 45, of Lake Elmo, guilty of three counts of health care fraud after prosecutors said her company billed Medicaid for housing services that Read More…
HELENA—The race for Montana’s open U.S. Senate seat is giving voters four distinct choices, with Republican Kurt Alme, independent Seth Bodnar, Democrat Alani Bankhead and Libertarian Kyle Austin competing to replace retiring Sen. Steve Daines. Alme, 59, has made his Montana roots and long record in state and federal public service central to his campaign. Read More…
BOISE, Idaho—A federal district court has rejected a constitutional challenge to Idaho’s Sexual Offender Registration and Notification Act, dismissing claims brought by individuals convicted of sex offenses and granting summary judgment in favor of the state. Attorney General Raúl Labrador said the ruling preserves a law that requires qualifying offenders to register and makes certain Read More…
KALISPELL—President Donald Trump is returning to Montana next week for a campaign rally in Kalispell as Republicans look to boost congressional candidate Aaron Flint in the race for Montana’s Western Congressional District. Trump is scheduled to appear Wednesday at the Majestic Valley Arena, where he will campaign alongside Flint, the Republican nominee seeking to succeed Read More…
PIERRE, S.D.—South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has joined a multistate effort seeking court approval of settlements with three generic drug manufacturers accused of conspiring to inflate prices and restrict competition. The settlements involve Ascend Laboratories, Citron Pharma and Mayne Pharma and are part of a broader antitrust case being pursued by 45 states and Read More…
MISSOULA—The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has committed $1.89 million in low-interest financing to the Wildflower Apartments in Missoula, marking the first loan issued through the state’s Multifamily Energy Retrofit Loan program. The financing will support energy-efficiency upgrades at the affordable housing complex near Missoula’s south hills, with a focus on heating, ventilation and air-conditioning Read More…
HELENA—Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a 20-state coalition urging the U.S. Supreme Court to take up a case challenging workplace diversity, equity and inclusion training at the Colorado Department of Corrections. The coalition filed an amicus brief in Joshua Young v. Colorado Department of Corrections, asking the court to review a Tenth Circuit Read More…
MINNEAPOLIS—A Minnesota woman has been convicted on federal health-care fraud charges for orchestrating a $3.6 million scheme targeting the state’s now-defunct Medicaid Housing Stabilization Services program. A federal jury found Sharmaine Meadows, 45, of Lake Elmo, guilty of three counts of health care fraud after prosecutors said her company billed Medicaid for housing services that Read More…
HELENA—The race for Montana’s open U.S. Senate seat is giving voters four distinct choices, with Republican Kurt Alme, independent Seth Bodnar, Democrat Alani Bankhead and Libertarian Kyle Austin competing to replace retiring Sen. Steve Daines. Alme, 59, has made his Montana roots and long record in state and federal public service central to his campaign. Read More…
BOZEMAN—Republican Aaron Flint and Democrat Sam Forstag traded attacks and outlined sharply different approaches to affordability, energy and economic development during their first televised debate in Montana’s Western Congressional District race. The two candidates met Thursday in Bozeman for a 30-minute forum hosted by the Montana Television Network and moderated by senior political reporter Jonathon Read More…
The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll (The Center Square) – A majority of American voters are concerned with socialist candidates running and possibly winning political office, according to a new poll. The Center Square Voters’ Voice poll found that 55% of American voters are concerned about Democratic Socialist candidates running for and winning elected office Read More…
KALISPELL—President Donald Trump is returning to Montana next week for a campaign rally in Kalispell as Republicans look to boost congressional candidate Aaron Flint in the race for Montana’s Western Congressional District. Trump is scheduled to appear Wednesday at the Majestic Valley Arena, where he will campaign alongside Flint, the Republican nominee seeking to succeed Read More…
(The Center Square) – Higher interest rates divide households. Savers holding cash or buying new bonds can earn more interest. Borrowers taking out new loans or carrying variable-rate debt pay more. Existing bondholders can suffer losses as inflation and yields rise, while stock-market gains cushion households with substantial portfolios. Those without financial assets have fewer Read More…
In 2020, as a public school parent, I fought to reopen New York City’s schools. I realized parents didn’t have a seat at the table, and we still have none today. Defending Education’s new state ranking on integrity in education now puts New York 35th of 51, behind Michigan and Pennsylvania, which tie at 33rd. I came Read More…
Financial fraud has become a lucrative criminal enterprise. According to the FBI, cyber-enabled crimes defrauded Americans of $21 billion in 2025 alone. Tragically, that figure includes more than $53 million stolen from Montanans. Scammers exploit our trusting, friendly nature to drain the accounts of unsuspecting victims. As state auditor, I’m responsible for protecting Treasure State Read More…
(The Center Square) – The Federal Reserve is widely expected to raise interest rates this week. Markets now put the odds of a quarter-point hike at roughly 85%. I think the Fed should hold. Inflation is still too high. But the most important question is not whether inflation went up. It is why. Consumer prices Read More…
COLUMBUS, Mont.—A strike involving hundreds of workers at Sibanye-Stillwater’s Stillwater Mine and Columbus metallurgical facilities has ended after union employees approved a new three-year collective bargaining agreement. The strike began Sept. 3 and lasted more than a month. Employees are expected to return to work Oct. 9. The agreement provides a 4.5% wage increase in Read More…
TAIPEI—Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. will report third-quarter earnings Thursday, giving investors another look at whether booming artificial-intelligence spending is continuing to drive demand for the world’s largest contract chipmaker. TSMC has already reported record third-quarter revenue of about $46.7 billion, up roughly 50% from a year earlier and above market expectations. The result also exceeded Read More…
NEW YORK—JPMorgan Chase will report third-quarter earnings Tuesday morning, putting the nation’s largest bank at the center of Wall Street’s first major test of the new earnings season. JPMorgan is scheduled to release results at about 7 a.m. Eastern time, followed by an earnings call at 8:30 a.m. Wall Street analysts are looking for earnings Read More…
BOZEMAN—Gov. Greg Gianforte and the Montana Chamber of Commerce will host the third annual Big Sky, Bright Future Economic Summit on Oct. 15 in Bozeman, with this year’s event focused on technology and innovation in Montana. The summit will bring together business leaders, policymakers and technology executives to discuss artificial intelligence, national security, precision agriculture, Read More…