For Miss Montana 2023 Mady Rigg, failing to make Glacier High School’s volleyball squad her junior year opened a door she never imagined existed. “I was … a little devastated,” Rigg recalled late last month, not long after securing the title of Miss Montana. Still feeling the sting of not making the team she found Read More…
Yellowstone provides millions of visitors one of the greatest wildlife viewing displays in North America. In recent days, some actions by visitors have led to the endangerment of people and wildlife and resulted in the death of wildlife. The park calls on visitors to protect wildlife by understanding how their actions can negatively impact wildlife. Read More…
Montana children up to the age of five are now able to receive a free book each month thanks to Dolly Parton’s “Imagination Library” and a State of Montana partnership. “I’m so excited to be launching my Imagination Library statewide in Montana!” said Parton in a message announcing the expansion into Montana. “I want to Read More…
Over the weekend in Seattle, KTVQ brought home the Northwest Regional Emmy Award for Best Morning Newscast for work on our annual Pink Breakfast newscast. For 16 years Q2 News has opened its studios to breast cancer survivors and their caregivers to honor patients still battling and those who’ve beat cancer, by telling their amazing Read More…
A bear spray rental business in southwest Montana is marking its third year of operation. TrailQuipt has locations in Gardiner, West Yellowstone and outside Bozeman. The business rents bear spray canisters for two days for $16, which they call a cost-effective alternative to buying bear spray. The company is implementing an online reservation system this Read More…
Montana’s Democratic U.S. senator stood in favor of the debt deal, which was successfully passed late Thursday. Conversely, all of the Republicans in the state’s congressional delegation voted against the bill aimed at increasing the federal government’s borrowing limit for the next two years. The House saw a mixed bipartisan response, with a total of Read More…
Helena – Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced his participation, along with 17 other state attorneys general, in a lawsuit against the Biden administration. The lawsuit challenges the administration’s efforts to redefine certain illegal border crossings as “lawful pathways” into the country. Attorney General Knudsen believes that this proposed border policy will worsen the ongoing crises Read More…
Helena, MT – Susan Gianforte, in collaboration with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, has unveiled the Imagination Library of Montana, an initiative that will be implemented across the entire state. This non-profit endeavor aims to enhance early childhood literacy by offering complimentary, top-notch books tailored to the age of Montana’s children. “Literacy is critical for our Read More…
In a recent op-ed published in several newspapers, Montana Democrat minority leaders claimed “the harm done by a Republican supermajority drunk on power will continue to be felt for a long time.” The Democrat leaders should remember that it was Montana voters who gave Republicans a supermajority in the legislature, and for good reason. Montana Read More…
Efforts to pass privacy legislation at the state level are intensifying as progress on the issue remains stagnant at the federal level. Montana recently became the latest state to enact its own privacy law, with Governor Greg Gianforte signing SB 384 into law on May 19. Advocates claim that Montana’s privacy law is one of Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a coalition of 20 states against Mexico’s lawsuit against the American firearms industry. In an amicus brief filed Thursday, the 20 attorneys general seek to shield the law-abiding firearms manufacturers within their borders. The Mexican government is pursuing a $10 billion claim against multiple prominent U.S. firearms manufacturers, Read More…
The state of Montana is facing a setback in its attempt to enforce a newly created ban an abortion procedure used in the state after 15 weeks’ gestational age. District Court Judge Mike Menahan issued an order preventing the ban from taking effect, stating that Planned Parenthood of Montana has demonstrated “immediate and irreparable harm” Read More…
The expiration of Title 42, a COVID-era policy used to expel migrants, on Thursday has sparked concerns about the growing wave of migrants at the southern border. U.S. Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Steve Daines (R-MT) have both addressed the situation and raised alarms regarding the security at the border. The issue has drawn national Read More…
Massachusetts U.S. Attorney, Rachael Rollins, will step down after a Justice Department inspector general investigation into her involvement in a political fundraiser and other ethics-related matters. Although the report has not been released yet, Rollins’ attorney confirmed that she will be sending a resignation letter to President Joe Biden by the end of business on Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte announced an advisory council to assist in reviewing qualified candidates to fill the district court judge vacancy in the Thirteenth Judicial District (Yellowstone County). “I look forward to hearing the recommendations of these qualified professionals, community members, and leaders as they help me identify the best candidates to serve as their new Read More…
The recent revelations that Montana Senator Jon Tester has allowed industry lobbyists to craft legislation that benefits them contradict his campaign promise not to depend on lobbyists to make decisions. Emails obtained by Politico show that hemp industry lobbyists proposed and created a bill introduced by Tester in March to change regulations that benefit industrial Read More…
My top priority as Attorney General is the safety and security of Montana communities. The bills the Department of Justice brought and supported during the recently concluded legislative session to combat human trafficking, the missing and murdered Indigenous people crisis, illicit drugs, and sex crimes and gives law enforcement and prosecutors new tools to keep Read More…
If you’re running a small business, you might feel the pressure of uncertainty in our current economy. And because the range of possible outcomes can seem vast, is it even worth planning to manage your business differently during economic uncertainty? Or should we brace for impact and hope we’re still standing when it blows over? While Read More…
Small businesses – the heartbeat of the U.S. economy – are beginning to feel the pinch of tighter credit conditions as the Federal Reserve continues to increase borrowing costs. A flurry of headlines in recent weeks has suggested a credit crunch – meaning the availability of lending gets scarcer – is already happening. That’s in large part brought on by the actions of Read More…
Mullinax Irrigation & Construction Supply, which provides irrigation solutions and construction products from their headquarters in Sheridan, WY, recently announced the sale of their business to a new generation of ownership. Kevin Beagle and Dustin Frost, an Army and a National Guard Veteran, both with connections to the Billings business community, have purchased the company Read More…
Fintel reports that on April 28, 2023, Keefe, Bruyette & Woods maintained coverage of First Interstate BancSystem Inc. – (NASDAQ:FIBK) with a Market Perform recommendation. Analyst Price Forecast Suggests 40.35% Upside As of April 24, 2023, the average one-year price target for First Interstate BancSystem Inc. – is 37.01. The forecasts range from a low of 31.31 to a high of Read More…
NorthWestern Corporation d/b/a NorthWestern Energy (Nasdaq: NWE) today announced that Sherina Maye Edwards has been elected by the company’s shareholders to the Board of Directors, bringing extensive regulatory, legal, utility infrastructure and executive experience to the independent board. Edwards is the former Chief Strategy Officer of MasTec, Inc., a NYSE-listed infrastructure construction company and former Read More…
Oklahoma’s treasurer announced that the state will stop doing business with more than a dozen financial firms over accusations that they “boycott” the energy industry. Oklahoma Treasurer Todd Russ revealed the list of blacklisted firms on Wednesday and emphasized that they will end up losing access to billions of dollars from government entities as a result of the judgment. The Read More…
One of my 2023 energy predictions was “Total U.S. oil production will again rise, and set a new annual production record.” The previous annual record was set in 2019 at 12.3 million barrels per day (bpd). By the end of 2022 monthly production was just about back to that level following the devastating impact from Covid-19 in Read More…
The Supreme Court on Monday allowed lawsuits brought by municipalities seeking to hold energy companies accountable for climate change to move forward in a loss for business interests. The court turned away oil company appeals in five cases involving claims brought by cities and municipalities in Colorado, Maryland, California, Hawaii and Rhode Island as part of efforts to Read More…
ChatGPT, a conversational AI model built by OpenAI, is the most talked-about technology of 2023. And it has caught the attention of payments services providers keen to unlock the potential of the generative AI that powers it. Generative AI is set to revolutionize various sub-verticals within the payments industry. The most significant impact is expected Read More…
Two people familiar with the company told Business Insider that the headcount is “much lower” than the 1,500 employees CEO Elon Musk had told BBC News remained on staff, particularly when excluding remaining contract workers. The billionaire did not specify whether his total included such employees. The outlet said getting closer to 1,000 means Twitter’s workforce is Read More…
The major averages turned lower following Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s press conference. Investors seemed to have turned their attention to Powell’s comment that the rate-setting committee has “a view that inflation is going to come down not so quickly.”“It will take some time, and in that world, if that forecast is broadly right, it would Read More…
Over the past three decades, the local adoration for Homeboy Industries has nearly been matched by the nonprofit’s innovation and ability to form high-level connections. Founded by Father Gregory Boyle in East Los Angeles in 1988 with the aim to help gang members change their lives, it has gained legendary status. The program that early on was Read More…
The Federal Reserve raised the target range for its benchmark interest rate by 0.25% on Wednesday while leaving its options open on future rate hikes. The central bank’s move pushed its benchmark policy rate, the fed funds rate, to a new range of 5%-5.25%, the highest since September 2007. The Fed said future rate hikes Read More…
A McDonald’s franchisee in Kentucky employed two 10-year-old children in violation of federal labor laws, the Department of Labor said Tuesday. Bauer Food, LLC, a Louisville-based operator of 10 McDonald’s franchise locations across two states, employed the children, the DOL said in a news release. Officials said the children were not paid, yet sometimes worked as late Read More…
In a rare show of solidarity, an eclectic group of lawmakers including Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. D-N.Y., and Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., announced a bipartisan bill restricting members of Congress from trading individual stocks. Sponsored by GOP Reps. Gaetz and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., and Democratic Reps. Ocasio-Cortez and Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., the Bipartisan Restoring Faith in Government Act aims to Read More…
California’s reparations task force is considering its most generous recommended payouts yet, including up to $1.2 million for some longtime black residents. The task force laid out the latest numbers in a draft plan that members will discuss at their monthly meeting on Saturday. According to the report, based on input from economic advisers, the Read More…
Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R-VA), fresh from a trade mission to Taiwan and Japan, called for a national policy this week to restore American manufacturing dominance and end reliance on communist China. “We need an American Revolution in order to no longer depend on Chinese manufacturing,” the governor said to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Read More…
After First Republic Bank was seized and sold to JPMorgan Chase on Monday, new concerns are mounting over the state of the U.S. economy. Former Vice President Mike Pence slammed the Biden administration’s economic policies on “The Brian Kilmeade Show,” arguing that rampant spending and bailouts have created the economic conditions for bank failures and Read More…
The Chinese government of Xi Jinping has indicated, by word and deed, the intention of pursuing world hegemony—through its military buildup, aggressive posture toward Taiwan, and the Belt and Road initiative that extends across central Asia and beyond. It is also creating what sinologist Steven Mosher calls a world of “Sino States” from Cuba to Read More…
Joe Biden’s appointment to lead the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) – recently appeared twice on Capitol Hill to argue in favor of that agency’s funding and to answer questions about its priorities and activities. During those appearances he repeatedly underscored he is not a firearms expert and could not himself define what an “assault weapon” is. These were Read More…
After 75 days and 990 bills, the 2023 Legislative Session has come to an end in North Dakota. The 2023 Legislature was memorable. How it’ll be remembered probably depends on your political leanings. Maybe you’ll remember it as the session where lawmakers finally did away with abortion, or the session where the majority of North Read More…
As the subject of electric vehicles becomes central to environmental agendas, lawmakers wonder if the batteries’ adverse effects can weather political dependencies and a tight time. “The administration is getting the cart before the horse. We have to create an environment where we are harvesting those raw materials to build the EV batteries here in Read More…
Wyoming is home to a wealth of mining and coal-fired power generation infrastructure that will eventually be decommissioned, razed and shipped away, even as the state courts dozens of new manufacturing and other industrial projects. But a new report finds opportunity in repurposing such facilities — which include railspurs and industrial-scale connections to the power Read More…