Tesla, Inc. investors are again confronting the company’s defining question: Is it an automaker with an expensive valuation, or an artificial-intelligence company still early in its growth story? The debate intensified after Tesla reported first-quarter results that showed rising revenue, improving profits and sharply higher capital expenditures. The company spent $2.49 billion in the quarter, Read More…
The term “K-shaped economy” arose after the COVID-19 pandemic to characterize the diverging economic paths of high-income Americans and everyone else. It became ubiquitous in 2025, one of the “biggest business buzzwords” of the year. Growing U.S. inequality in income and wealth is not a new phenomenon. But the recent K-shaped story is often told Read More…
The University of South Dakota has announced that Susan Tuve will deliver the commencement address at USD’s 139th Commencement Ceremonies. The ceremonies will take place on Saturday, May 9, 2026, in the Sanford Coyote Sports Center. Tuve has been recognized for her career achievements in trust and investment banking, contributions to her local community and Read More…
he Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship at Montana State University will offer a noncredit project management course in May, preparing participants to take a certification exam. Registration closes on Sunday, May 10. The course, titled “Project Management Essentials and Certified Associate in Project Management Exam Prep,” will take place from 9 a.m. to Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte joined leaders from BHE Montana in Great Falls to celebrate the opening of the company’s new office and to emphasize the need for affordable, reliable energy as demand continues to grow across the state. Gianforte said Montana must continue investing and innovating to meet increasing energy needs for homes, schools, businesses, and Read More…
Marty Jackley announced that the South Dakota State Open Meeting Commission will meet Monday, April 27, in Pierre. During the meeting, the commission is expected to announce findings of fact and conclusions of law for two complaints previously heard at its Nov. 3, 2025 meeting. Members will also take testimony on four additional pending complaints. Read More…
Raúl Labrador sharply criticized a series of political advertisements he said falsely invoke his office and the state’s Internet Crimes Against Children unit, calling the attacks deceptive and shameful. Labrador’s comments came in response to ads from a political organization known as Idaho Values First that claim certain Idaho lawmakers voted against funding for the Read More…
Wall Street ended the week with a mixed but largely positive tone as technology shares pushed major indexes higher, sending the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite to fresh record highs. The Dow Jones Industrial Average, however, slipped and snapped a three-week winning streak. For the week, the S&P 500 gained about 0.5%, while the Nasdaq Read More…
(The Center Square) – An alleged attempt by a U.S. Army Special Forces soldier to profit from classified military intelligence on a prediction market platform has resulted in the first-ever insider trading case involving event contracts – a legal milestone that comes at a critical juncture for Polymarket and the broader prediction market industry. Federal Read More…
(The Center Square) – U.S. Attorney for D.C. Jeanine Pirro said Friday she is closing the Justice Department’s criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, days after a key hearing for his replacement. Pirro said she is referring the matter to the Fed’s own inspector general, the same watchdog Powell had formally asked to Read More…
Montana residents living in South Korea and Korean residents living in Montana will soon have an easier path to obtaining local driver’s licenses after state officials signed a new reciprocity agreement this week. Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, who oversees the Montana Motor Vehicle Division, signed a memorandum of understanding with the National Police Agency Read More…
A regional anti-human trafficking conference wrapped up in Billings after bringing together law enforcement officers, prosecutors, educators and victim-service advocates from across the Rocky Mountain region for specialized training on combating trafficking and exploitation. The 2026 Greater Rockies Immersive Training Conference, known as GRIT, concluded Wednesday after a multi-day program focused on the unique challenges Read More…
The U.S. Department of the Treasury said Friday it plans to overhaul disclosure requirements for tax-exempt organizations, aiming to shed more light on how nonprofits receive and spend public money. Treasury announced that the Internal Revenue Service intends to revise Form 990, the annual information return filed by many nonprofits, to require clearer reporting on Read More…
Sixty-three new law enforcement officers graduated last week from the Montana Law Enforcement Academy and will now begin service with 32 agencies across the state. The academy, which operates under the Montana Department of Justice, provides basic and advanced training for state, county, city and tribal law enforcement officers. The new graduates are expected to Read More…
Mark Gordon announced he will not seek a third term as Wyoming governor, confirming his current term will be his last in office. Gordon recently met with his cabinet to outline priorities for the remainder of his administration, focusing on strengthening Wyoming’s economy, supporting key industries, protecting natural resources, and investing in local communities and Read More…
New allegations of sexual misconduct have emerged against Montana state Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy days after he suspended his campaign for Montana’s eastern congressional district. The latest claims come from a former legislative staffer who said Windy Boy showed her explicit nude photos of himself while she was working during the 2017 legislative session. The Read More…
A $16 billion financing package for a massive Oracle Corp. data center in Michigan has closed after months of difficult negotiations, the latest sign of both the enormous appetite for AI infrastructure and the growing wariness among investors asked to fund it. Bank of America sold $14 billion in bonds tied to the project, with Read More…
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will welcome King Charles III and Queen Camilla to Washington next week for a four-day state visit, marking the first official state visit of Trump’s second term. The April 27-30 visit is expected to highlight the longstanding alliance between the United States and the United Kingdom as Read More…
The University of Montana will hold an on-campus listening session Wednesday, May 6, to gather public comment on the proposal to rename the Adams Center auxiliary gyms after Steve and Shirley Nelson. The proposed name of the facility will be the Steve and Shirley Nelson Training Center. “Steve and Shirley Nelson are amongst the strongest Read More…
(The Center Square) — The Trump administration is investigating claims that New York City schools violated the civil rights of Jewish students by hosting seminars on Palestinian resistance. The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced Thursday that it has opened an investigation into the New York City Department of Education to determine Read More…
After a nationwide search, retired Vice Admiral Darse E. “Del” Crandall, Jr. has been appointed to the position of dean of the School of Law at the University of North Dakota. The appointment was made by Eric Link, UND provost and vice president for Academic Affairs. Crandall is expected to begin his new role on Read More…
More than 8,000 kids showed up at the Pentagon today, with their parents in tow, to learn just exactly what their moms and dads do when they go to work every day. At the Pentagon, the event was billed as “Bring Your Child to Work Day,” and it’s the fourth time the War Department has Read More…
FORT BELVOIR, Va. – Two and a half centuries after the first shots of the American revolution were fired, the Army Reserve continues to embody the spirit of those original minutemen. Like their predecessors, Citizen Soldiers stand ready to answer the nation’s call — not as a force in reserve, but as a critical, integrated Read More…
Artificial intelligence is no longer a distant concept—it is already shaping how Americans live, work, and access essential services. From lowering healthcare costs to improving housing markets and streamlining everyday transactions, AI holds enormous promise for consumers. But realizing those benefits depends on one critical factor: a clear, consistent national approach to regulation. Without it, Read More…
Rail transportation is the backbone of the American economy, and a proposed $85 billion merger threatens to concentrate market power in an already highly consolidated industry in the hands of Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern. The consequences will ripple across the economy, raising transportation costs, weakening service, and squeezing industries that depend on rail, from Read More…
Montana State University’s student government, the Associated Students of MSU, held its general election this week to choose student leaders for the 2026-27 academic year. A total of 963 students cast ballots for a voter turnout of 6.34%. The results are as follows, with winners marked in bold type. President and vice president Benjamin Wilson Read More…
The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation is inviting employers, educators and workforce partners to a free virtual session next week aimed at promoting registered apprenticeship programs as a tool for addressing persistent talent pipeline challenges. The online event, part of a broader Apprenticeship Knowledge Series timed to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week, is Read More…
Ten local safety agencies across Montana will share $500,000 in state grant funding to upgrade emergency equipment and vehicles, the Montana Department of Commerce announced Thursday. The awards come through the Montana Emergency Tourism Assistance Grant Program, known as METAP, which is designed to help rural public safety agencies — including law enforcement, fire and Read More…
Proxy advisory firm Glass Lewis has recommended that Warner Bros. Discovery shareholders vote in favor of the company’s $110 billion merger with Paramount Skydance, adding influential institutional support to the deal ahead of a shareholder vote scheduled for April 23. Glass Lewis said the merger offers Warner Bros. shareholders immediate and certain cash value that Read More…
As an avid skier, Maya Haugan was thrilled to join the women’s ski club at the University of Montana. The junior finance major from Bozeman found community with other female students who all enjoy downhill skiing across the region. On a ski trip last year, Haugan thought about how she could find similar female support Read More…
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy recognized personnel assigned to National Guard counterdrug programs for their support to 10 award-winning law enforcement investigations during a ceremony in Washington, April 2. The investigations were part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, a White House-led effort that brings together federal, state, local Read More…
A bail bondsman in Billings pleaded guilty in federal court to using his position to coerce a jailed woman into a sexual encounter in exchange for posting her bond, the latest in a series of legal troubles to roil the local bail-bonding industry. Louis Christopher Ikeda, 46, entered a guilty plea to one count of Read More…
Montana State University students, faculty, staff, and community members filled the Strand Union Building’s Procrastinator Theater on April 7 for a fireside-style conversation with Leonardo Marra, this year’s spring Orser Lecturer, whose career in global event planning has spanned the Vatican, international diplomacy and now MSU. Hosted by the Jake Jabs College of Business and Read More…
The North Dakota Department of Commerce has awarded $916,939 to seven organizations under its Regional Workforce Impact Program, directing funds toward workforce pipeline challenges ranging from rural housing shortages to educator retention and the development of career pathways in emerging industries. The grants, distributed through a competitive application process, are designed to help regional partners Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has launched a consumer protection investigation into Ford Motor Co. and Stellantis N.V., alleging that both automakers have been collecting and selling drivers’ personal data to third-party companies — including insurance data brokers — without vehicle owners’ knowledge or consent. Mr. Knudsen issued Civil Investigative Demands to both companies, giving Read More…
House Speaker Mike Johnson issued a sharp rebuke Thursday of congressional Democrats following reports that party leadership is briefing members on the use of the 25th Amendment and amid calls from more than 80 Democratic lawmakers for the impeachment and removal of President Donald Trump. In a statement, Johnson dismissed the efforts as politically motivated Read More…
(The Center Square) – Planned Parenthood received $832 million in taxpayer funding in 2024-2025, an increase of $39.8 million from its previous report. A record number of abortions also were performed by the organization. President of Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America Marjorie Dannenfelser told The Center Square that “taxpayer dollars should never be used to fund Planned Read More…
As everyone expected, a lawsuit was filed on April 9, 2026, in Klickitat Superior Court challenging the unconstitutional income tax adopted this year in Washington. The lead attorneys are former state Attorney General Rob McKenna, a former Democratic state lawmaker and Supreme Court Justice Phil Talmadge, and Jackson Maynard of the Citizen Action Defense Fund. Discussing the Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte made a stop at Billings’ Park High School this week, touring woodshops, auto bays and a greenhouse as part of a broader push to position career and technical education as a cornerstone of the state’s economic strategy. The visit underscored a governance philosophy Gianforte has pursued since taking office: that closing Montana’s Read More…
(The Center Square) – A new survey from the CQF Institute found 76% of finance professionals believe their academic training did not adequately prepare them for the artificial intelligence skills required in the workforce. The CQF Institute, a global quantitative finance membership organization based in London, reported 88% of quantitative finance professionals worldwide believe a Read More…