Governor Kelly Armstrong has announced the opening of the application period for North Dakota’s Governor’s Official State Band/Orchestra Program and Choral Program for the 2025-2026 school year. School, community, and church bands, orchestras, and choirs across the state are invited to apply. The Governor and First Lady will select the two groups based on their Read More…
Montana taxpayers preparing their 2024 tax returns will notice the impact of Senate Bill 399, which was passed by the 2021 Legislature. The bill simplifies the state’s tax system by aligning it more closely with the federal system, meaning Montana taxable income now begins with federal taxable income. As part of the changes, certain deductions Read More…
Applications are open for Montana State University’s $100,000 Venture Competition, which is hosted annually by the Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship and the MSU Blackstone LaunchPad. Semifinalists will be notified April 4 and will deliver virtual presentations to the judges the week of April 14. The selected finalists will then compete on April Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, in partnership with the Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) and Stockman Bank, has announced the opening of submissions for the 2025 Law Enforcement Appreciation Poster Contest. The contest invites elementary school students across Montana to create artwork that expresses their appreciation for law enforcement officers. Now in its fourth year, the Read More…
The Pennant Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: PNTG), a leading provider of home health, hospice, and senior living services, announced its participation in the 2025 Oppenheimer Annual Healthcare MedTech & Services Conference. The event is scheduled to take place on March 18, 2025. Pennant’s leadership team, including Chief Executive Officer Brent Guerisoli, Chief Financial Officer Lynette Walbom, Read More…
Governor Brad Little, alongside House and Senate leadership, signed House Bill 40 today, enacting the largest income tax cut in Idaho’s history. The new legislation delivers an additional $253 million in tax relief, furthering the state’s commitment to returning money to its residents. As part of Governor Little’s KEEPING PROMISES plan, the bill reduces Idaho’s Read More…
(The Center Square) – Tens of thousands of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees may lose union privileges after the Department of Homeland Security announced Friday it is ending a collective bargaining agreement with the TSA. The decision strips collective bargaining power from unionized Transportation Security Officers (TSO) in particular, who are responsible for screening passengers, Read More…
NI Holdings, a leading insurance holding company, reported strong financial results for the fourth quarter and year ending December 31, 2024. The company posted a fourth-quarter net income of $9.9 million, representing a 16.2% return on average equity. This was largely driven by excellent underwriting results in the Private Passenger Auto and Home and Farm Read More…
Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: BAER, BAERW), one of the nation’s largest aerial firefighting companies, has announced that it will release its financial results for the fourth quarter ended December 31, 2024, on Thursday, March 13, 2025, after market close. The company’s management will host an investor conference call on the same day at Read More…
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley recognized 45 new law enforcement officers graduating from the Basic Law Enforcement Training Program in Pierre on Friday, March 7. “This is an important day for the recruits, their families, and their departments,” said Attorney General Jackley. “South Dakota just became even safer today with our newest officers.” The Read More…
With the federal government facing a debt of $36 trillion and realizing that 49 out of 50 states have to balance their budgets, Americans are losing patience with the ability of Congress to enact meaningful fiscal discipline. This is why resolutions have been introduced in Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming this year calling for a Convention of the Read More…
Boeing has announced that its annual bonus structure for over 100,000 employees will be tied to the company’s overall performance in 2025, marking a shift from the previous practice of awarding bonuses based on individual business unit results. According to the 2025 proxy statement filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Friday, 80% Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a coalition of 21 state attorneys general in urging Congress to pass the “No DeepSeek on Government Devices Act,” which would ban the use of DeepSeek, a Chinese-based artificial intelligence platform, on all government devices. In a letter sent to congressional leadership on Thursday, Attorney General Knudsen emphasized Read More…
The Federal Reserve is preparing for its March 18-19 policy meeting amid a strong overall labor market, though signs of potential weakening are emerging. This could place the U.S. central bank in a challenging position if inflation remains elevated and tariffs from the Trump administration continue to put upward pressure on prices. In February, U.S. Read More…
Grand Forks County is strengthening its commitment to civics education through an ongoing collaboration with Schroeder Middle School. Judges and court staff have been engaging with eighth-grade History and North Dakota Studies students, offering quarterly presentations on the Constitution and government structure. In December 2024, Northeast Central Judicial District Presiding Judge Don Hager and Kelly Read More…
The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) will allocate $20 million in state funding to accelerate the completion of a long-planned railroad underpass near the University of North Dakota (UND) campus, Gov. Kelly Armstrong announced today during a meeting with Grand Forks officials. The project aims to improve traffic flow and safety by constructing an Read More…
Corvallis Middle School and Hamilton High School are heading to the national Science Olympiad competition after claiming victory at Montana’s state tournament on Tuesday, March 4, at Montana State University. The national event will be held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on May 23-24, where students will have the chance to win awards and cash Read More…
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has dropped its proposal to require Alphabet’s Google to sell off its investments in artificial intelligence companies, including its stake in Anthropic, a competitor to OpenAI, in a bid to enhance competition in online search. However, the DOJ, along with a coalition of 38 state attorneys general, continues to Read More…
(The Center Square) – The Trump administration announced Friday that $400 million in federal funding to Columbia University would be revoked because of the university’ alleged ongoing tolerance of anti-semitic protests on campus. Columbia University and a few other schools became the center of controversy after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas terror attacks on Israel Read More…
At a press conference held at Central Plumbing, Heating, Excavation in Great Falls, Governor Greg Gianforte discussed his proposed tax cuts aimed at delivering significant property tax relief for Montana homeowners and small businesses, specifically through the Homestead Rate Cut. “Through the Homestead Rate Cut, we can provide permanent property tax relief, giving Montanans more Read More…
The Senate Ethics Committee convened its first witness testimonies on Friday as part of its investigation into Sen. Jason Ellsworth’s alleged conflict of interest. The inquiry centers on a six-figure state-funded contract Ellsworth arranged without disclosing his long-standing personal relationship with the vendor. A legislative audit in February found that he had structured the contract Read More…
The Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (CSI) is calling for public comments on the regulation of digital assets, including cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, blockchain tokens, and other related financial instruments. With the rise of digital assets, the Commissioner is seeking input to help develop industry standards aimed at protecting investors from fraud and abuse while encouraging Read More…
Snow crunched underfoot as Mark Hebblewhite scanned the ridgelines of Canada’s Banff National Park. It was 1995, and the young biologist, fresh out of undergrad, was trailing one of the park’s most elusive wildlife species – the gray wolf. Though rare to see, the wolves of Banff had radio collars that allowed biologists like Hebblewhite Read More…
A new survey reveals that while the vast majority of Americans claim they’ve never cheated on their taxes, a significant portion of the population still worries about the possibility of an audit by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). According to a recent Rasmussen Reports national survey, 33% of American adults express concern that the IRS Read More…
Border Patrol agents in Texas, working in coordination with sheriff’s deputies from two counties, have seized more than half a million dollars in cash linked to alleged criminal activities. The occupants of the vehicles involved now face state charges related to cash smuggling. U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael Banks reported the significant bust on Friday, Read More…
(The Center Square) – Almost 60,000 University of California health care and service workers continued to strike Thursday throughout the state. The UC employees are represented by two unions that began separate strikes Wednesday after the unions and the university failed to reach a new contract. Neither strike is scheduled to continue beyond this week. Both Read More…
For the fourth consecutive year, the Montana State University men’s hockey club will play in the American Collegiate Hockey Association’s Division 2 national tournament. The team will travel to St. Louis, where the tournament will be held March 14-18 at the Centene Community Ice Center. All games will be streamed live on FloHockey at flohockey.tv, Read More…
Prospects for a federal wealth tax could be nil in the Trump era, but states – specifically blue states – may be tempted to take up that cause, demonstrating the devastating effect that policy would have on citizens, businesses and the economy. Massachusetts went first, adopting a “millionaire tax” in 2022 that imposes a 4 Read More…
(The Center Square) – A large majority of the 75 largest cities in the U.S. are in financial trouble, according to a new report. Truth in Accounting released the report, which evaluated the 75 largest cities in the country, arguing that the majority of cities have financial problems and owe thousands of dollars in debt Read More…
For Montana State University junior Ashlin Ivester, a home-cooked meal is the key ingredient to bringing people together. Just ask the hundreds of families who would have otherwise struggled to afford a Christmas dinner but for Ivester’s efforts this winter. Montana State University psychology student, Ashlin Ivester, pictured Thursday, Feb. 20, 2025, in Bozeman, Mont Read More…
Montana state Senator Ellie Boldman, a Democrat from Missoula, pleaded guilty Monday morning to a misdemeanor charge of driving under the influence after being found asleep in her running vehicle in downtown Helena early Sunday. Boldman, who had attended the Montana Democratic Party’s annual Mansfield Metcalf fundraising dinner earlier that evening, admitted in Helena Municipal Read More…
The Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) and County Treasurer’s offices are preparing for the launch of a new vehicle titling and registration system on March 17, 2025. The new system aims to improve customer service and efficiency across the state, but in preparation for the transition, all MVD exam stations and County Treasurer offices will Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte announced today the appointment of John A. Mercer to the Twentieth Judicial District Court, which covers Lake and Sanders Counties. “John served the people of the Twentieth Judicial District well when I appointed him to serve his community last year, and I’m glad he was willing to do so once again,” said Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today visited Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) to spotlight innovative programs that prepare students for success in the workforce. “Career and Technical Education plays an important role in preparing the next generation of Montana’s workforce,” Gov. Gianforte said. “By equipping students with hands-on skills and real-world experience, CTE and Read More…
Barrett Hospital & HealthCare in Dillon, Montana, is proud to announce its recognition as one of the 2025 Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. This prestigious honor, awarded annually, highlights outstanding performance among rural hospitals across the country based on the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®. “The Top 100 Read More…
U.S. Senator Steve Daines, Senator Tim Sheehy, Congressman Ryan Zinke, introduced a bicameral bill today aimed at protecting Montana mining jobs by prohibiting the import of critical minerals from Russia. The bill, which focuses on minerals such as platinum, palladium, and copper—resources that can be mined in the U.S.—seeks to reduce American reliance on foreign Read More…
In a cautious assessment of its business in China, Nvidia executives warned during the company’s quarterly earnings call Wednesday that the ongoing U.S.-China trade conflict is hurting its revenue, with tariffs and export controls adding significant uncertainty to its outlook. CEO Jensen Huang highlighted that Nvidia’s sales in China have been slashed by half since Read More…
The United States is falling behind in energy and infrastructure development, and the culprit is our own federal bureaucracy. This can change if Congress implements significant permitting reform, repeals decades of senseless and duplicative regulations, and restores regulatory order by returning power to the states as our founding fathers intended. While states like Texas can Read More…
Newly confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel begins his tenure with a 47% favorability rating, according to a recent national survey from Rasmussen Reports. The poll, conducted via telephone and online, reveals that 47% of likely U.S. voters hold a favorable view of Patel, with 29% expressing a very favorable opinion. In contrast, 36% of voters Read More…
Funding from the National Institutes of Health will allow a Montana State University research team to deepen explorations into a disease that is posing an increasing threat in the U.S. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks, and nearly 90,000 cases in the U.S. were reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Read More…