A former Colstrip High School teacher was sentenced Thursday to 30 years in prison — with 15 years suspended — for sexually abusing a 15-year-old student, a case that unfolded largely on school grounds and through social media. William Schuman-Kline, 30, of Billings, was sentenced in Rosebud County District Court in Forsyth by Judge Rennie Read More…
Montana’s financial and professional services sector has emerged as the leading driver of state economic production, according to a new analysis from the Department of Labor and Industry released as part of the Gianforte administration’s 406 JOBS workforce initiative. The report shows more than 66,000 Montanans — roughly 13 percent of the state’s total workforce Read More…
More than 150 faculty members and guests attended Montana State University’s Interdisciplinary Institute on Artificial Intelligence Faculty Symposium on March 26, an event designed to explore the possibilities and pitfalls of AI for higher education and research. John Paxton, director of MSU’s Gianforte School of Computing, presents during an afternoon session of the IIAI Artificial Read More…
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has released a draft programmatic environmental assessment covering the construction and operation of subsurface wastewater treatment systems and is accepting public comment through May 1, 2026. Subsurface wastewater treatment systems include a range of water treatment infrastructure, from conventional septic systems to advanced systems capable of meeting or exceeding Read More…
More than 800 FFA members from 27 eastern South Dakota schools gathered in Huron recently for the annual Heartland Classic Career Development Event at the DEX, with NorthWestern Energy among the community partners supporting the day’s competitions and activities. Hosted by the Wolsey-Wessington FFA Chapter, the event gave students the chance to compete in a Read More…
The North Dakota Department of Commerce has opened applications for the state’s Legacy Investment for Technology, or LIFT, loan program, with submissions due April 23. State officials said the program continues to play a key role in helping North Dakota companies commercialize intellectual property and expand innovation-driven businesses across the state. “We are grateful to Read More…
U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons and South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced new coordinated efforts to combat government fraud during a joint press conference Thursday in Sioux Falls. The two offices emphasized a shared commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars, ensuring public funds reach intended recipients, and prosecuting individuals who defraud state, federal, or tribal programs. Read More…
First Interstate and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines are providing $700,000 in combined support to 34 nonprofit organizations across South Dakota, expanding funding for groups working on some of the state’s most pressing community needs. The total includes a $200,000 contribution from First Interstate, matched up to three times through FHLB Des Read More…
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has signed a memorandum directing military installation commanders to permit service members to carry privately owned firearms while off duty on Department of War property within the United States, marking a significant shift in how the Pentagon approaches personal firearms on military bases. Hegseth announced the policy change in a social Read More…
(The Center Square) – A student at Torrey Pines High School in San Diego was suspended after posting a pro-Immigration and Customs Enforcement flyer reading, “We [heart] ICE – Real Americans,” following an anti-ICE walkout on campus, according to the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression. Student-led anti-ICE walkouts have continued to rise nationwide. In Read More…
(The Center Square) – The White House proposes a dramatic increase in defense spending in fiscal 2027 while significantly reducing spending in other departments, according to its budget submission released Friday. The request comes as U.S. lawmakers still haven’t finished funding all federal agencies for the current fiscal year and are currently locked in a Read More…
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday aimed at restoring what the White House described as order and stability to college athletics, directing federal agencies to use their oversight authority to enforce rules around player eligibility, transfers, and name, image and likeness compensation. The order instructs federal agencies to evaluate whether universities that violate Read More…