BISMARCK – The North Dakota foster care system is set to undergo some major changes. The Family First Prevention Services Act, included in the Bipartisan Budget Act that President Donald Trump signed into law in February, aims to keep children with parents or relatives rather than in the foster care system and provides additional funding Read More…
In his first news conference as governor-elect last Wednesday, Wyoming treasurer Mark Gordon outlined his ambitions for the first year of his administration, his immediate plans for the office and how he hopes to set the tone for his agenda in Cheyenne. Less than 24 hours after a landslide 40-point victory in last week’s election, Read More…
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The Wyoming State Canvassing Board met today to certify the results of the election. With the newly elected and re-elected getting ready to take office in a few months, Governor Mead is preparing for his last few months as governor. He said, “This is a time of many last times for me Read More…
SHERIDAN — After a record voter turnout in this year’s primary elections, Sheridan County drew one of the highest voter turnouts during a midterm election year in recent history for the 2018 general election. A total of 11,906 Sheridan County voters turned out for last week’s election, an increase of slightly more than 2,000 voters Read More…
The Montana Board of Regents is moving to approve 2 percent raises for 13 of its highest-paid administrators, including the two flagship campus presidents and the commissioner of higher education. The regents, meeting for two days in Missoula, expressed strong support for the raises, which will go to some of the state’s highest paid employees. Read More…
TRENTON — A former chief investigator of Mercer County elections has been charged with voter fraud after officials learned she resides in Pennsylvania, yet has voted in New Jersey since at least 2012. Andrea Palmucci-McGillicuddy, 52, is charged with fraudulent voting, interference with elections and other related offenses, according to court records. The charges were filed Read More…
(CNN)Democrats hope a manual recount will overturn the results of Florida’s Senate election and pave the wave for Democratic Sen. Bill Nelson to keep his Senate seat. Appearing on Capitol Hill Wednesday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer projected confidence about Nelson’s chances. “Bill Nelson is — is strong as could be,” Schumer said. “He believes, Read More…
A major GOP money group is getting ready to slam Mike Bloomberg with negative talking points if the billionaire Democrat makes a run for the White House in 2020. America Rising, a super PAC whose targets have included Hillary Clinton, is preparing an opposition-research blitz against Bloomberg that would focus on a range of topics, Read More…
A fight broke out in a closed-door meeting of House Democrats over climate change as a powerful veteran lawmaker fought with freshman star Rep.-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and other members-elect over the creation of a special panel for the issue. New Jersey Rep. Frank Pallone, incoming chairman of the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee — backed Read More…
CHICO, Calif. – Days after his boss generated controversy for suggesting poor forest management is to blame for California’s latest wildfires, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke is pledging President Trump’s “full support” to help the torched state recover. But the former Montana lawmaker is still insisting forest management is key to curbing future disasters. “I don’t Read More…
A ballot initiative that would have continued funding Montana’s Medicaid expansion beyond June 2019 has failed. But advocates say they’ll continue to push for money to keep the expansion going after that financial sunset. “We now turn our attention to the legislature to maintain Montana’s bipartisan Medicaid expansion and protect those enrolled from harmful restrictions Read More…
Updated: Nov 11, 2018 8:50 PM MST In observance of Veterans day, the only veteran elected to statewide executive office spoke in front of dozens of current and retired service members at the historic fort Missoula. Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton was the guest speaker at the Veterans day opening ceremonies for the 100th anniversary of Read More…
Tuesday’s midterm elections weren’t a slam dunk for either party, not by anyone’s estimation. Democrats managed to avoid another apocalyptic election meltdown and keep their base from flipping out by flipping the House, if barely, and Republicans added slightly to their already slight majority in the Senate. We sent at least three Red State fake Read More…
BILLINGS – MetraPark announced Monday that “Weird Al” Yankovic will perform at the Rimrock Auto Arena next summer. Yankovic will bring the Strings Attached Tour to Billings on Aug. 25. Here’s the full press release: Weird Al” Yankovic will bring his tour to Rimrock Auto Arena on August 25, 2019. His Strings Attached tour is a Read More…
A group of local food and retail union members have appealed the city’s decision to approve site plans for WinCo Foods, requiring review by the Bozeman City Commission before the grocery retailer can move forward with plans. The six workers from Bozeman and Belgrade broadly criticized nearly every aspect of WinCo’s plans in their appeal, Read More…
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…