All posts by Big Sky Headlines

Susan Tuve to Deliver USD’s Commencement Address

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…

Montana State offering noncredit project management course in May

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…

South Dakota Open Meeting Commission to Meet April 27

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…

Montana, South Korea Sign Driver’s License Reciprocity Agreement

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…

Billings Hosts Anti-Trafficking Summit

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…

Treasury, IRS Move to Tighten Nonprofit Disclosure Rules

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…

Law Enforcement Academy Graduates 63 Officers

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…

Gordon Announces He Will Not Seek Third Term

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 Against Windy Boy Surface After Campaign Exit

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…

NYC schools probed over claims of antisemitism

(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…

Del Crandall named dean of UND School of Law

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…

Celebrating 118 years of the US Army Reserve

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…

A unified AI strategy is essential to deliver for American consumers

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…

Regulators Are Right to Demand Transparency on UP–NS Merger

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…

Associated Students of MSU announces 2026-27 election results

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 Department of Labor and Regulation hosts free virtual Apprenticeship Knowledge Series

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…

Montana Awards $500,000 to Rural Emergency Services Agencies Serving Tourism Areas

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…

Glass Lewis Backs Warner Bros.-Paramount Merger

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…

UM Women in Business Student Club Builds Community

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…

White House Honors National Guard-Supported Counterdrug Operations

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…

MSU Orser Lecture highlights global events career of Leonardo Marra

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…

North Dakota Awards Nearly $1 Million to Regional Workforce Development Programs

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 Opens Investigation Into Ford, Stellantis

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…

Taxpayer funding of Planned Parenthood increased to $832M in 2024-2025

(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…

Lawsuit filed against the unconstitutional income tax in Washington state

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…

Finance professionals say the AI skills gap is widening

(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…

Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are modern-day Luddites

200 years ago, the Luddites destroyed textile looms and cropping machines in a vain effort to resist technological innovation. Now, Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) are trying to do the same thing with the Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act. Or at least they’re acting the part of modern-day Luddites to secure political control over Read More…

White House Highlights Crimes by Illegal Aliens Pressures Democrats on DHS Funding

The Trump administration released a list Thursday of nine undocumented immigrants facing serious criminal charges across multiple states, using the cases to intensify pressure on congressional Democrats to approve additional funding for the Department of Homeland Security and end what the White House describes as sanctuary city policies that shield criminal offenders from deportation. The Read More…