As former House Speakers and Senate Presidents of the Montana Legislature, we question the wisdom of making significant changes to the rules of operation in the Montana House. Currently, there is a group of legislators trying to change the House rules. One of the proposed changes would allow a simple majority (51 members) to “blast” Read More…
US Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke will leave his post at the end of the year, in the latest high-profile departure from President Donald Trump’s administration. When announcing it on Twitter, Mr Trump did not give a reason for Mr Zinke’s departure but the former congressman from Montana has come under scrutiny for his use of Read More…
In a 6-1 decision Tuesday, the Montana Supreme Court overturned a legal opinion by Attorney General Tim Fox, ruling that Gov. Steve Bullock acted within the law when he circumvented the Montana State Board of Land Commissioners to finalize an eastern Montana conservation easement. As a result of the ruling, the Land Board will Read More…
HELENA — Montana would have to shell out an extra $59 million over two years to keep its Medicaid expansion program running, but the state is expected to collect enough revenue to more than cover the additional costs, legislative analysts said Monday. Legislative Fiscal Division staff members presented a new report to lawmakers that analyzes Read More…
During a stop for his book tour in Missoula on Monday night, former Vice President Joe Biden discussed his 2020 prospects, saying he believes that he is the “most qualified person” to be president, noting a decision is coming in the next two months, and acknowledging he’s a “gaffe machine.” “I’ll be as straight with Read More…
A federal jury Monday found U.S. Rep. Bob Brady’s top political strategist, Ken Smukler, guilty of nine of 11 counts of repeatedly flouting campaign finance laws in a case that once threatened to ensnare the congressman himself. Smukler, 58, who has helped dozens of Democrats win public office over the last 30 years, was convicted of coordinating Read More…
Trial for Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Alpine, and his wife and former campaign manager, Margaret, was set during a hearing on Monday for Sept. 10. Duncan and Margaret Hunter appeared in federal court in downtown San Diego for a planning hearing stemming for their Aug. 21 indictment. The two face 60 counts of crimes including conspiracy Read More…
Montana appears well down the road to becoming a one-party Republican, deeply conservative state, like the states that surround us. U.S. Sen. Jon Tester’s survival was an anomaly best explained by his personal popularity and his opponent’s weakness. In the late 1960s and ’70s, when I was first cutting my teeth in politics, Read More…
Pat Arp and Gale Geringer will serve as co-chairs of the transition team. Arp is currently serving as Wyoming Deputy State Treasurer, and Geringer was helping manage Gordons campaign. The two will guide staffing decisions, administrative procedures, and initial policy rollouts. READ FULL STORY
POLAND Barrasso visited with members of the US Army’s 1st armored brigade combat team, 1st cavalry division stationed on the Polish-Russian border. Wyoming currently has servicemembers in the division, which is charged with assisting North Atlantic treaty organization allies in deterring Russian aggression and increasing European border security. Barrasso says sharing Thanksgiving dinner with Wyoming Read More…
Teton County commissioners narrowly approved a new way for Grand Targhee Resort to offset its environmental impacts, allowing the resort to reduce its obligation for conserving land in exchange for paying into a creek restoration project. The compromise that commissioners approved last week on a 3-2 vote will require Targhee to contribute $100,000 up front Read More…
Hillary Clinton is facing a backlash after arguing that European leaders should seek to assuage the concerns of a growing right-wing populism across the continent by refusing to offer “refuge and support” to migrants. “Europe has done its part, and must send a very clear message — ‘we are not going to be able to Read More…
Facebook has recruited Kate Patchen, a veteran of the U.S. Department of Justice who led its antitrust office in Silicon Valley, to be a director and associate general counsel of litigation. Patchen takes up her post amid ongoing scandals and reputation crises for her new employer, joining Facebook this month, according to her LinkedIn profile. The Read More…
Thousands of Amazon workers across Europe were striking and protesting on Black Friday in anger at the company’s warehouse working conditions. Strikes were taking place across Amazon sites in Italy, Spain, France, and Germany. The Italian press reported that managers were having to pack boxes to meet demand. In the UK, the GMB trade union Read More…
Helena – Governor Steve Bullock unveiled his budget on Thursday that included about $100 in tax increases. Many of the tax increases where already voted down by the legislature in 2017. Mr. Bullock also included an increase in the tobacco tax which voters rejected at the ballot box just weeks ago. In addition to raising Read More…
By Tucson News Now | November 15, 2018 at 11:22 AM MST – Updated November 15 at 11:36 AM TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) – U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced on Thursday, Nov. 15, that part of the border wall in Arizona will be built by a Montana-based company. According to information from the Read More…
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…