If each legislative session in Helena were akin to a three-month football game, then the players and spectators alike would be thinking now about lively offensive strategies and formidable defenses. The Montana Legislature’s 2019 session launches Jan. 7. And members of the Kalispell City Council want to nail down the city’s legislative priorities in the Read More…
Just days after he was formally elected as Flathead County’s next sheriff, Brian Heino is building his team. Heino has selected two long-time Flathead County Sheriff’s Office veterans and one new face to join him when he takes over as the county’s top lawman on Jan. 1. Wayne K. DuBois, a police sergeant in Richland, Read More…
Helena – Governor Steve Bullock has appointed two longtime Democratic legislators and political operatives, Hal Harper and Dave McAlpin, to prestigious state board positions. On Monday, Governor Bullock’s office announced the appointment of Hal Harper to the Judicial Nominations Commission and Dave McAlpin to the Tax Appeal Board. Mr. Harper is a longtime Democrat state Read More…
U.S. businesses added 250,000 jobs in October, the Labor Department said on Friday—a blowout number that surpassed Wall Street’s expectation. The monthly average job creation now stands at about 180,000 for the last three months. That incorporates revised data for September, which saw an unusually low jobs figure thanks to Hurricane Florence. Wages jumped. Average monthly earnings Read More…
A new mixed-use building plan has emerged for a prime spot on Whitefish’s Central Avenue where the former Lakestream Fly Shop operated. That building, an older home that was converted to commercial use decades ago, will be moved off the premises, according to an application filed with the Whitefish Planning Department. Earlier this year Fresh Read More…
It’s no secret that outdoors recreation in Montana is big business. Gov. Steve Bullock wants to see the growth continue. The state’s outdoor recreation economy generates more than $7.1 billion in annual consumer spending and employs more than 71,000 people each year, making it the second largest sector of the state’s economy, according to the Read More…
WASHINGTON – The Justice Department has been referred an investigation into Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, raising the possibility for criminal charges, according to the Washington Post and CNN. The probe was one of several the Interior Department’s Office of Inspector General had opened into allegations that Zinke, who heads the agency, used his office for personal Read More…
HELENA – Members of Montana’s law enforcement community and others told Sen. Steve Daines on Thursday they were understaffed and underfunded in the growing war on drugs. “Meth is out of control here in the state,” said Stacy Zinn-Brittain, a regional agent with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). Daines, R-Mont., had assembled a roundtable Read More…
If you need a hotel room near Bozeman this weekend, good luck. With both a Montana State University football game and President Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday, local hotels and the airport are gearing up for a busy weekend. While Bozeman hotel workers say rooms almost always sell out on weekends, hotels out in Read More…
Vice President Mike Pence will be in the Flathead Valley on Nov. 5 campaigning for U.S. Senate candidate Matt Rosendale on the eve of the midterm election. Flathead County Sheriff Chuck Curry said his office was meeting with the U.S. Secret Service on Thursday and that the rally will be held at Glacier Park International Read More…
A Helena-based political committee linked to the liberal Montana Trial Lawyers Association has spent over $20,000 on a last-minute campaign for Juli Pierce, their chosen candidate in a Billings District Court Judge race. In the past, the group has supported the likes of Democrat State-Senator-turned-Supreme-Court-Justice Mike Wheat and Democrat Attorney-General-turned-Supreme-Court-Justice Mike McGrath. Campaign finance records Read More…
University of Montana Police have released photos and are asking for the public’s help in identifying two men who reportedly attacked a bus as they disembarked near UM housing at the Lewis and Clark Village on South Higgins Avenue. “We got a report of disorderly conduct on one of the UM transportation buses,” said UM Read More…
MISSOULA – Those watching the heated Montana Senate and US House races are wondering if President Trump’s trip this late in the campaign will draw more to vote for the GOP candidates, and if it’s worth the effort. It’s uncommon for a sitting president to make so many campaign stops in less-populated states like Montana. And Read More…
FRENCHTOWN – The Montana Department of Transportation held an unusual Construction Carnival to thank the Frenchtown community for its patience with six months of construction work. After more than six months of road construction in Frenchtown, MDT wanted to thank the community for being patient, and organized the free family event at Frenchtown High School Read More…
STEVENSVILLE – Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks said the trapping of a young grizzly in the Bitterroot may be “uncommon” but it serves as a good reminder to carry bear spray no matter where you are in the Montana outdoors. The “sub-adult” male grizzly — kind of like a teenager — was caught over the Read More…
Helena – The Montana Chamber Foundation announces its second grant from the Gianforte Family Foundation to achieve its 10-year strategic plan, Envision 2026. The goals of that plan are to increase jobs, per capita income, and gross state product, through focusing on workforce, entrepreneurship, business basics and infrastructure. “We are grateful for the continued support Read More…
Republican congressman Kevin Cramer leads Democratic senator Heidi Heitkamp by 16 points in the latest poll of the North Dakota Senate race — the biggest lead that Cramer has held so far. According to the survey of 650 likely voters, Cramer leads Heitkamp 56-40 percent. The poll was conducted by Strategic Research Associates from October Read More…
House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s office in California was vandalized Monday, according to an Instagram post by the congressman. McCarthy, whose local office is in Bakersfield, Calif., posted photos of the suspects and some of the damage. Two young men were caught on surveillance camera outside of the office, which had its window smashed in Read More…
By CJ Baker Last week, the Wyoming Secretary of State’s Office answered one of the lingering questions about August’s election: Just how many voters switched their political affiliation to participate in the Republican primary? According to the data, a total of 367 people in Park County switched over to the Republican party for the primary. Read More…
BILLINGS, MONTANA – The Montana Beef Council would like to invest up to $825,000 into programs of beef promotion, education, and producer communications in fiscal year 2019, which began Oct. 1. Programs approved could be funded through Montana’s 50 cent in-state portion of the $1 per head beef checkoff, after Montana producers provide affirmative consent Read More…
BUTTE – Bringing in Fall tourism dollars to the state is one of the focuses of a convention being held in Butte this week. The Montana Lodging and Hospitality Association is hosting discussions and guest speakers about a variety of topics important to the hospitality industry. Much of the event will be about attracting people to Montana to Read More…
Three more Montana tribes will gain access to a United States Department of Justice database. The Blackfeet Tribe, Crow Tribe, and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe will be able to use the Tribal Access Program for National Crime Information (TAP) in 2019. The Justice Department started TAP in August of 2015 and has expanded the program Read More…
ENNIS, Mont. — Louie Baur confessed he doesn’t know much about Matt Rosendale, after meeting the Republican challenging Democratic Sen. Jon Tester as he glad-handed supporters and posed for selfies along Main Street in this historic hunting outpost. But Rosendale has President Trump’s seal-of-approval in Montana’s suddenly competitive Senate contest — and that’s good enough Read More…
MARK NOLAND Age: 59 Party: Republican, incumbent Family: Wife, Kathy, six children and seven grandchildren Education: Graduated from Whitefish High School, some college at University of Montana Occupation: Entrepreneur, 33 years as a Flathead Valley Business owner; owner of Flathead Janitorial and Rainbow Restoration Background: I’ve been a legislator since 2015, past president of Glacier Read More…
LAUREL – A Laurel school resource officer is on administrative leave pending an investigation into alleged sexual contact with a student. Laurel Police Chief Rick Musson said the city administrator was tasked with leading the internal investigation by Laurel Mayor Tom Nelson. The officer’s name has not been released. On Monday afternoon, Laurel Schools Superintendent Read More…
An Idaho Fish and Game official has come under fire after emailing friends and co-workers photos of a family of baboons and other animals he shot and killed on a hunting trip in Africa. A group of former commissioners is now calling for Commissioner Blake Fischer to resign, CBS Boise affiliate KBOI reports. Fischer emailed photos of himself Read More…
President Donald Trump defied climate scientists, intelligence specialists and even his own defense secretary on Sunday evening, capping a week of freewheeling press engagements with a sprawling prime-time network television interview in which he portrayed himself as an isolated but eminently empowered commander in chief. “I felt comfortable at the beginning, other than it was Read More…
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) – Another NASA space telescope has shut down and halted science observations. Less than a week after the Hubble Space Telescope went offline, the Chandra X-ray Observatory did the same thing. NASA said Friday that Chandra’s automatically went into so-called safe mode Wednesday, possibly because of a gyroscope problem. Hubble went Read More…
BOZEMAN – Actor Jeff Bridges is appearing at a meet and greet in Montana to support Sen. Jon Tester’s reelection campaign. The event is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 17 from 1:30-3 PM at Ballroom A in the Strand Union Building. It’s hosted by the Montana State University College Democrats. READ FULL STORY
I commend people like Colin Nygaard for standing behind his principles and desire to serve, and throwing his hat in the ring as a state legislator. Colin has shown incredible energy and hard work during his campaign to get to know the issues important to his constituents. I believe he will bring this same dedication Read More…
I had the honor of serving in the Montana House of Representatives with Dale Mortensen for several sessions. I know Dale as a top-notch legislator who is dedicated to serving his constituents, and I encourage all to vote for Dale for re-election this November. Dale brings decades of experience in law enforcement, and we need Read More…
Quentin Eggart has been a successful business owner in Billings for many years, and I’m glad that he’s decided to bring his experience and dedication to the Montana legislature. Talking with Quentin, it’s clear that he wants to bring his private sector experience to Helena in order to make positive change for his community and Read More…
Frank Fleming’s experience working in state and federal corrections will bring important insight to the state legislature and I’m happy to endorse him for House District 51. Frank has already been serving his constituents as the appointed Representative, and come November I hope you’ll join me in supporting Frank by giving him your vote. Last Read More…
Missoula legislators often times seems out of touch with the rest of Montana – especially with my part of the state. But, luckily there are people like Dean Rehbein in Missoula who are paying attention and want to make positive change in their community and the state. Dean served as a Naval officer for many Read More…
Tom McGillvray isn’t a new name to the Billings community, but it’s been a few years since his time as House Majority Leader during my very first session as a representative in 2011. I was lucky to serve with him back then, and I’m happy to give him my full support as he runs to Read More…
Dan Vermillion has surprised some people while knocking on doors over the past few months. He’s a Democrat running for Senate District 30, which covers much of Park and Sweet Grass counties. It’s been a solidly Republican seat for a long time, so having a Democrat on their doorstep catches voters in places like Big Read More…
A Bozeman tech park is vying to become the next headquarters for two major federal food and agriculture research offices. The move would make the city home to more than 600 new jobs. The Montana State University Innovation Campus hopes to sell the Trump administration on Bozeman as a base for the nation’s Economic Research Read More…
Despite wildfire-related closures and travel restrictions on the beloved Going-to-the-Sun Road for part of the month, visitation in Glacier National Park was up 11.7 percent in September. Approximately, 434,600 people visited Glacier in September, up from 389,137 people in September 2017. Major wildfires have impacted the west side of the park for the last two Read More…
MISSOULA – Seven people protesting the Senate vote on Judge Brett Kavanaugh were cited after occupying the Montana GOP office on Friday afternoon. Protesters with the Western Montana Democratic Socialists of America arrived around 2 p.m., sat down in the office and refused to leave. Meanwhile, several other protesters stood outside waving signs against Judge Brett Kavanaugh and Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. (Billings Gazette) — A 66-year-old man who was caught watching child pornography as he fled Washington state on a bus with $10,000 strapped to each of his legs pleaded guilty Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Missoula. Eric Franklin Rosser pleaded guilty to accessing the internet with intent to view child pornography after Read More…