U.S. stocks slipped this week, closing out August on a mixed note as investors balanced encouraging inflation data, strong corporate earnings, and fresh trade developments against concerns of political and technological volatility. The S&P 500 finished the week down 0.1%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq Composite each shed about 0.2%. The Russell Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte and First Lady Susan Gianforte on Friday celebrated the second anniversary of the statewide expansion of the Imagination Library of Montana, a program that delivers free, high-quality books each month to children under five in every corner of the state. Partnered with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, the program aims to boost early Read More…
hen not immersed in the wild lands of the Northern Rockies, University of Montana alum Earle Layser and his late wife, Pattie, of Alta, Wyoming, were often on the move – or putting pen to paper and taking photos to capture their experiences. Between them, they published hundreds of stories on conservation and natural history, Read More…
Starting this fall, Montana State University students will see increased career opportunities due to a revamp of the hospitality degree program. Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management will now have two paths to choose from: a business-specific concentration from MSU’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship or a sustainable food systems-focused concentration Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, along with 21 other state attorneys general, has filed a brief urging the U.S. Supreme Court to review a case challenging a Massachusetts school district’s policy on student “social transitioning” without parental consent. The case, Foote v. Ludlow School Committee, involves Ludlow Public Schools and parents Stephen Foote and Marissa Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte on Monday marked the opening of Eshylon Scientific’s new facility in Bozeman, cutting the ribbon on the semiconductor manufacturing solutions company’s relocation from California to Montana. The governor toured the site and highlighted the investment as part of Montana’s growing technology and semiconductor industry. “Montana is becoming a hub for entrepreneurship and Read More…
U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy led a letter from Montana’s congressional delegation urging President Donald Trump to take immediate action against Russia’s palladium exports, calling for a 50 percent tariff on unwrought palladium imports from Russia to protect American jobs and domestic mineral production. The letter, also signed by Senator Steve Daines, Rep. Troy Downing, and Read More…
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is requesting public input on a draft guidance document that would establish how the agency determines performance reclamation bonds for coal mines. The bonds are intended to ensure funds are available to complete mine reclamation if a company is unable or unwilling to carry out its reclamation plan. Read More…
U.S. Senator Steve Daines joined a bipartisan group of senators in urging the U.S. Department of Labor to quickly implement President Trump’s recent Executive Order expanding access to alternative investments for Americans with 401(k) and other defined-contribution retirement plans. The letter, sent to Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, was also signed by Senators Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Read More…
In an effort to deliberately focus its academic strengths, the University of Montana is launching fall semester with two new colleges led by two new interim deans. The largest collection of academic units at UM – the venerable College of Humanities and Sciences – has been divided into two new units: the College of Science Read More…
Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder joined education partners and the National Museum of Military Vehicles (NMMV) this week to announce the launch of new classroom curricula focused on World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. The project is a collaboration between the Wyoming Department of Education (WDE), the NMMV, the Read More…
The Wyoming Transportation Commission has awarded $22.7 million in contracts for seven construction projects across the state, the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) announced following the commission’s August meeting. The largest contract, valued at $8.29 million, went to Idaho-based H-K Contractors, Inc., for asphalt paving, fencing, grading, traffic control, and chip seal work on about Read More…
exbase, Inc., a Bozeman-based retail data management software company, announced Monday the formation of an Advisory Board to guide its next phase of strategic growth. The company also named retail supply chain veteran Jack Keating as the board’s first member. Texbase said the Advisory Board will be composed of executives with deep retail and supply Read More…
The Montana Department of Commerce announced Monday that a new loan participation program aimed at expanding access to capital for rural businesses will open for applications on Oct. 1, 2025. The Opportunities in Rural Economies (ORE) Loan Participation Program will partner with local lenders to provide low-interest loans for projects that support job creation, strengthen Read More…
BOZEMAN — Montana State University officially opened its interdisciplinary research facility dedicated to the study of quantum computing Aug. 20. Called QCORE, or Quantum Collaborative Research and Education, the high-tech facility is housed in MSU’s College of Letters and Science and positions the university to identify and address grand challenges in quantum systems. Quantum computing is Read More…
or the fourth year in a row, North Dakota has been named the nation’s most business-friendly state, according to CNBC’s annual “Top States for Business” rankings. The network evaluates all 50 states on 135 metrics across 10 categories, including economy, workforce, infrastructure, cost of doing business, technology, quality of life, and business friendliness. The business Read More…
Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) and NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NWE) said their boards of directors have unanimously approved a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock, tax-free merger. The deal will create a regulated electric and natural gas utility company with an estimated market capitalization of $7.8 billion and an enterprise value of Read More…
Montana’s unemployment rate remained at 2.8% in July, marking the tenth consecutive month below 3% and extending a four-year stretch at or below 3.4%, according to state labor data released this week. The state continues to rank among the five lowest in the nation for unemployment, 1.4 percentage points below the national rate of 4.2%. Read More…
With bachelor’s and master’s degrees now under his belt, Montana State University alumnus Quinn Holland’s advice to current students is still what drives him every day. “Relentlessly chase what excites you in life. If there is something that you are curious about, chase it until the end of the earth and until you’re satisfied with Read More…
A new analysis from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation projects that every state in the nation will see average tax reductions under President Donald J. Trump’s signature tax legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill, which the White House says is the most significant middle-class tax cut in U.S. history. According to the report, the law will Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has reappointed Scott Aspenlieder and Garret McFarland to the state’s Gaming Advisory Council (GAC). Aspenlieder, of Billings, has served on the GAC since 2021 and currently holds the position of chair, representing the public at large. He also serves on the Billings City Council and owns Performance Engineering. McFarland, of Read More…
Eagle Mount Great Falls, a local nonprofit providing recreational programs for individuals with disabilities, has received a $22,500 grant from The Hartford to support its adaptive paddle-sports program. The funding will be used to purchase new equipment, including two adaptive rafts, seven kayaks, and four paddleboards, expanding opportunities for participants to engage in river and Read More…
Since President Donald J. Trump took office, U.S. manufacturing, production, and innovation have seen a surge in domestic investment, with corporations and foreign entities pledging trillions of dollars to expand operations on American soil. Major technology, automotive, pharmaceutical, and industrial companies have announced multi-billion-dollar investments in the United States during President Trump’s second term. Highlights Read More…
When Montana State University’s new QCORE facility opens its doors later this month, it will do so with the help of around 60 outside organizations, companies and individuals – including $44.7 million from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL. Catherine Hahola, assistant director of systems for Montana State University Information Technology, left, and Read More…
A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from using Medicaid data obtained from Washington and 19 other states for immigration enforcement purposes. The order also bars the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from sharing such data with DHS. The injunction comes after Washington and Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte continued his 56 County Tour this week, visiting communities across eastern Montana to spotlight infrastructure upgrades, workforce initiatives, public safety investments, and new business openings. “It’s great to hit the road to see firsthand how communities are thriving across eastern Montana,” Gianforte said. “Thanks to our pro-family, pro-jobs agenda, we’re connecting Montanans Read More…
(The Center Square) − A federal grand jury has returned a 45-page indictment charging Mayor LaToya Cantrell and New Orleans Police Department officer Jeffrey Vappie with conspiring to defraud the city by conducting a secret personal relationship while Vappie was on duty, falsifying records, and obstructing investigations. The indictment, unsealed Friday in the U.S. District Read More…
U.S. stocks closed the week within striking distance of all-time highs, buoyed by renewed expectations that the Federal Reserve will begin cutting interest rates in September and a flurry of upbeat corporate and economic news. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose roughly 1% for the week, briefly touching a fresh intraday record on Friday before Read More…
The Grand Forks community marked a milestone this week with the official ribbon cutting of the Grand Forks Career Impact Academy, a $30.5 million career and technical education facility designed to connect students with hands-on learning aligned to regional and statewide workforce needs. Located near Gateway Drive and 42nd Street, the facility will welcome students Read More…
U.S. Senator Steve Daines visited the Bull Mountains Mine in Musselshell County on Friday, celebrating what he called a major victory for Montana jobs and American energy. The mine, one of the state’s three large-scale active coal operations, had faced the prospect of closure in recent years but will remain open due to a provision Read More…
(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump is meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska Friday in the hopes of negotiating a ceasefire or initial steps toward peace in the Russia-Ukraine war. Though the presidents’ greeting was streamed live on the White House YouTube channel, the press has not yet been able to ask questions Read More…
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has joined a coalition of 37 state Attorneys General urging Instagram to make immediate changes to its recently launched location-sharing feature, citing concerns over user privacy and public safety. The coalition’s letter requests that Instagram prevent minors from enabling location sharing, provide clear alerts to adult users detailing the Read More…
Tyler Newcombe has stepped down as executive director of the Montana Republican Party (MTGOP) after serving in the role since January, the party announced this month. “It has been an incredible honor to work with such a dedicated team on advancing conservative values across Montana,” Newcombe said in a statement. “I’m proud of what we Read More…
There were 1,152 press releases posted in the last 24 hours and 414,854 in the last 365 days. The Unaffordable Care Act: Rate hikes are coming News Provided By The Office of the Montana State Auditor, Commissioner of Securities and Insurance August 11, 2025, 15:32 GMT Share This Article Montanans are about to face Read More…
Hilf will discuss his work surrounding the intersection of emerging technologies and positive societal impacts. At the Allen Institute for AI, a Seattle-based nonprofit, he researches how artificial intelligence can be used for the common good, brainstorming how to apply AI to everything from climate modeling and wildlife conservation to maritime intelligence to protect marine Read More…
Lee Enterprises, the Iowa-based newspaper chain that owns hundreds of publications in 25 states, including several in Montana, has agreed to pay $9.5 million to settle a subscriber privacy lawsuit — even as it confronts fresh legal troubles from a February 2025 cyberattack that allegedly exposed the personal information of thousands of employees. Three new Read More…
Eastman Kodak Co. is facing heightened scrutiny after its latest 10-Q filing flagged a “going concern” risk tied to more than $470 million in term loan and preferred stock obligations due within the next 12 months. The disclosure, while required under accounting rules, signals that the company’s existing cash position is insufficient to cover upcoming Read More…
Governor Brad Little signed Executive Order 2025-05, known as “The Idaho Act,” aimed at creating efficiencies in state government, reducing spending, and supporting public schools while implementing federal tax cuts for Idahoans. The order directs state executive branch agencies — excluding K-12 public schools — to identify opportunities for consolidation, revert unfilled positions, reduce contract Read More…
BOZEMAN — Full of new insights into business communication, Montana State University students recently returned from a summer class abroad in Ireland, where they learned and laughed in scenic settings from Galway to Dublin to the Cliffs of Moher. The MSU Professional Business Communication class poses for a photo at Trinity College in Dublin, Ireland. Read More…
Republican candidates are increasingly turning to WinRed as their go-to fundraising platform, with new figures showing record-breaking growth across the 2024 election cycle. According to data released by the GOP-backed digital fundraising service, Republicans raised a total of $5.6 billion through WinRed over the past three election cycles, with contributions from 8.8 million individual donors. Read More…