HELENA – Montana’s campaign regulators have disqualified seven legislative candidates from the ballot for failing to file required paperwork. Commissioner of Political Practices Jeff Mangan announced Monday that those candidates had not filed an official statement of candidacy or business disclosure statement. By state law, candidates who miss the deadline for submitting those forms cannot Read More…
Pondera County Sheriff Carl Suta has agreed to resign from his position, following months of legal battles. Two misdemeanor charges against Suta were resolved without trial recently. On Friday, March 16, Suta pleaded no contest to one charge of partner/family member assault, and also agreed to a deferred prosecution on a charge of official misconduct. Read More…
MISSOULA–University of Montana president Seth Bodnar says he’s restructuring the university’s administration to put a greater emphasis on enrollment and student success. Bodnar said Monday he plans to combine the communications, admissions and financial aid offices. Communications director Paul Short will oversee the combined office until a vice president of communications, outreach and enrollment is Read More…
Governor Steve Bullock (D-MT) is getting called out by Politifact for using false statistics when it comes to the gun control debate. Bullock, desperate to be named as a potential Democratic presidential candidate in 2020, was recently in Milwaukee, Wisconsin raising money for Wisconsin Democrats. Politifact analyzed a line by Bullock where he argued that Read More…
Landowners east of Cheyenne say a major oil and gas firm is developing a monopoly in their county, and they have asked state regulators to put a stop to it by denying thousands of permits to drill proposed by Anadarko Petroleum. Anadarko tried to have the protests dismissed by the Wyoming Oil and Gas Conservation Read More…
A select bipartisan, bicameral committee has been asked to examine more than $1.2 million in state employee settlements since the beginning of 2017. The committee, consisting of six Republicans and four Democrats was appointed by Senate President Scott Sales and Speaker of the House Austin Knudsen. Senate Majority Leader Fred Thomas explained the genesis of Read More…
The longtime spokeswoman for Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke was physically assaulted by a Democratic operative on Capitol Hill Thursday. Politico, The Daily Caller, and other outlets are now reporting that a man who works for the liberal group known as American Bridge was arrested following the incident. Here’s a compilation of coverage from various outlets Read More…
On Wednesday, many Missoula County Departments will be discussing the impact of recent budget cuts on their ability to serve the public. County Attorney Kirsten Pabst says she will be discussing at least two major set-backs. “Our trial expenses, the program that used to reimburse us for expert witnesses, transcripts, witness fees and things like Read More…
The Forest Service will be receiving a property tax bill from Mineral County this year. County Commissioners Laurie Johnston, Roman Zylawy and Duane Simons signed the letter March 9 requesting property tax revenue for 2017. The “historic letter” as defined by Rep. Denley Loge, describes the plight Mineral County is facing as options to fund Read More…
A Montana chef competes in an upcoming episode of “Guy’s Grocery Games.” Bob Marshall, longtime chef and owner of Biga Pizza. competed in the Pizza Play-offs. The episode airs Wed., March 21 at 10 PM Mountain Standard Time. Guy’s Grocery Games launched in 2013 as a sequel to Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. READ THE FULL Read More…
On the early morning of March 11 we lost an hour and gained more evening daylight — a fair trade and welcomed change to what has been an exceptionally gloomy winter. I love the snow, but I’m at once happy to see it melt away on the valley floor and to have more time to Read More…
The Montana Legislative Finance Committee met on Monday and Tuesday this week with an update on the state budget. Committee Chair Nancy Balance says a group of state Democrats came to the meeting asking them to either appropriate money, declare a state of emergency or to create a supplemental budget allocation to address cuts in Read More…
At a hearing on Tuesday before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, Washington Senator Maria Cantwell asked Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke to explain since he is advocating higher admission prices at national parks, why he chose to take a private jet home from Las Vegas. “First, insults and innuendoes are misleading,” Zinke said. Read More…
Senator Steve Daines was on Dominick In The Morning today discussing the STOP School Violence Act. Danies talked about being at a press conference earlier with Orrin Hatch, Marco Rubio, Joni Ernst, Bill Nelson, Dan Sullivan and students from Florida’s Parkland High School. The press conference was to push the STOP School Violence Act which Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — Missoula is getting two more breweries, one in downtown and one on the hip strip, bringing the city’s total to nine breweries, but the industry brings more to the community than just providing a unique blend of beer. On the corner of East Main Street and Pattee Street once sat a service Read More…
The campaign to renew the levy contributing roughly $19 million a year to public higher education in Montana is facing allegations of campaign finance violations. Voters first passed the levy that supports public colleges and universities in the state in 1948 and then renewed it every decade since. The levy will be on the 2018 Read More…
MISSOULA – Filmmakers are looking for Montanans to play roles in a feature about Ted Kaczynski, the Unabomber. Actor Sharlto Copley, who’s appeared in District 9, Elysium and Maleficent, is set to star. The film is written and directed by Tony Stone. Hopeful actors gathered at the Missoula Community Theater Sunday, eager to snag one Read More…
BILLINGS, Mont. – Billings Superintendent Terry Bouck may be calling it a career with School District 2 but he still has political aspirations. On Monday, Bouck formally filed as a Democrat entering the race for the Montana House District 49. Bouck is one of three people registered with the Secretary of States office. READ THE Read More…
President Donald Trump said Monday his commerce secretary will talk to the European Union about tariffs Trump argues have been unfair to the United States. Trump wrote on Twitter: “Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross will be speaking with representatives of the European Union about eliminating the large Tariffs and Barriers they use against the U.S.A. Read More…
BlackBerry smartphones have secure messaging as a matter of course, but for some that isn’t enough: there are custom models that are even more secure thanks to PGP-encrypted mail. However, it seems that these locked down models aren’t quite as safe as you’d think. The Netherlands Forensic Institute has confirmed a recent report that it’s Read More…
Lyft made a lot of progress in 2017, helped by strong market expansion within the U.S. and riding some very bad news from its primary rival, Uber. That’s helped it grow revenue to more than $1 billion as measured by GAAP standards for its fiscal 2017, with a particularly strong Q4 during which its revenue Read More…
The American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California has filed a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the Transportation Security Administration over its alleged practices of searching the electronic devices of passengers traveling on domestic flights. “The federal government’s policies on searching the phones, laptops, and tablets of domestic air passengers remain shrouded in secrecy,” Read More…
All five passengers aboard a helicopter that crashed into Manhattan’s East River Sunday night have died, authorities said. The red Eurocopter AS350, which officials said was operated by Liberty Helicopters and had been privately chartered for a photo shoot, apparently had engine failure. The pilot — who repeatedly radioed “May day! May day! and reported Read More…
WASHINGTON — Despite unrelenting criticism from the White House on the course of the investigation into Russia’s election interference, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein Monday offered unqualified support for special counsel Robert Mueller. “The special counsel is not an unguided missile,” Rosenstein said in an exclusive interview with USA TODAY. “I don’t believe there is Read More…
President Donald Trump said again Monday he wants a “phase two” of tax cuts on top of the law Republicans passed in December. Speaking as the World Series champion Houston Astros visited the White House, Trump asked Rep. Kevin Brady, R-Texas, whether he planned to cut taxes further. Brady and GOP Sens. John Cornyn and Read More…
President Donald Trump killed Broadcom’s proposed buyout of Qualcomm, citing national security concerns, according to a statement issued by the White House on Monday. “There is credible evidence that leads me to believe that Broadcom Limited, a limited company organized under the laws of Singapore (Broadcom)…through exercising control of Qualcomm Incorporated (Qualcomm), a Delaware corporation, Read More…
HELENA — The Montana State Fund board voted unanimously Friday to reduce workers’ compensation rates an average of 8 percent, marking the 12th year the rates have remained flat or gone down and representing a 52 percent decline since 2006. Montana State Fund is the state’s largest workers’ compensation provider and insures 25,000 businesses and Read More…
Conservative economist Larry Kudlow is the front-runner to replace Gary Cohn as President Donald Trump’s chief economic adviser, CNBC’s Jim Cramer reports. “I have it pretty good … that Larry Kudlow is now the leading contender for the job to replace Gary Cohn. I think if he was offered it, he would take it. This Read More…
The United States has yet to hear from North Korea after President Donald Trump accepted an invitation to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un last week, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Monday. “We have not heard anything directly back from North Korea, although we do expect to hear something directly from them,” Read More…
Conservative author and filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza came to Bigfork Saturday night. His talk, organized by the Last Chance Patriots and the Flathead County Republican Central Committee, nearly filled the 435-seat Bigfork Center for the Performing Arts. Audience members paid $100 per ticket to hear D’Souza’s take on politics, a topic he’s explored in 17 books Read More…
ASMSU Student President is stepping up and taking action. Kylar Clifton is hoping to get a medical amnesty policy. By doing this, he hopes students will come forward if someone has taken a dangerous amount of alcohol or drugs. To break it down, if a student sees someone who is in need of serious help Read More…
David A. Clarke Jr., the former Sheriff of Milwaukee County, spoke at the Yellowstone Valley Republicans Lincoln Reagan Day Dinner in Billings on Friday night. Clarke met supporters and signed book “Cop Under Fire” before the dinner. During his speech, he praised those running for public office, who spoke at the dinner. “Good luck to Read More…
HELENA – Former Vice President Joe Biden urged Democrats in Helena and across the state Saturday night to fight for the middle class, which he said made America the power and beacon of the modern world. “But for an aspirational middle class that is constantly rising, we would not have had the social and political Read More…
Montana made the bracket. The University of Montana Grizzlies made it into the NCAA March Madness tournament, according to the brackets posted by NCAA March Madness on Facebook Sunday. The Griz will face off against The University of Michigan in the opening round played in Wichita, Kansas. READ THE FULL STORY.
Jay Nelson announced Thursday that he will run for Lewis & Clark County Sheriff-Coroner, saying he wants to bring leadership and transparency to the office. A group of about two dozen supporters joined Nelson as he launched his campaign in front of the Lewis & Clark County Courthouse. In a brief statement for the press, Read More…
HELENA – The Montana Department of Environmental Quality says it needs more time to produce the draft environmental impact statement for a proposed copper mine in Central Montana. Sandfire Resources America, the company previously known as Tintina Resources, has proposed the development of the Black Butte Copper Project near White Sulphur Springs. According to Montana Read More…
CUT BANK – Pardue Grain, Inc.’s $5.7-million project will include a food-grade processing line for pulse crops, which in Montana include chickpeas, peas and lentils. The upgraded facility should be open 12 miles west of Cut Bank in time for harvest and will add eight jobs to the economy, the Cut Bank Pioneer Press reported. Read More…
A Montana judge says a Nebraska-based insurance company is liable for a $43 million settlement between the state and people sickened by exposure to asbestos from a Libby vermiculite mine. National Indemnity Co. paid $16 million toward the 2009 settlement but later sued to recover the money. State District Judge Holly Brown said in ruling Read More…
Montana Attorney General Tim Fox is urging congressional leaders to pass legislation supporting victims of child pornography. He is encouraging the House of Representatives to support and vote for the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act. “This is a very important piece of legislation,” said Fox. “As you know, child pornography is Read More…
Five Senate Democrats would lose to Republican candidates if the elections were held today and three have approval ratings under 50%, according to new Axios/SurveyMonkey polls. Why it matters: Democrats are defending 10 Senate seats in states that President Trump won in 2016. In six of those states, Trump’s approval is higher than 50% (compared to Read More…