KALISPELL, Mont. (AP) — Flathead County’s interim public health officer is resigning at the end of the year, saying she’s frustrated with the lack of support from county officials for any efforts to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Tamalee St. James Robinson submitted her letter of resignation Friday to the county commission and the Read More…
BOZEMAN — Well-known sources like sunlight, moving water and wind generate sustainable energy which can be stored for later use. But what if we could turn the air around us into usable fuel when the wind isn’t blowing? Montana State University researcher Michael Mock envisions a future in which homes have solar panels on the Read More…
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (Wyoming News Now) – On Thanksgiving day, U.S. Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyo.) shared dinner with Wyoming National Guard troops serving in Qatar. Senator Barrasso sat down with members of the 153rd Airlift Wing and 187th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, who are supporting airlift operations and medical evacuations in the Middle East. “Spending Thanksgiving with Read More…
TWIN FALLS, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) -The Idaho Transportation Department is looking at the possibility of building a third bridge to cross the Snake River canyon in Twin Falls and Jerome counties. ITD is exploring five potential areas in the Twin Falls and Jerome areas for a possible future bridge, but they stress that this is so Read More…
SANDPOINT, Idaho — A county commissioner in northern Idaho has proposed defunding the local health district after the district instituted a mask mandate to slow the spread of the coronavirus as it surges in the area. The Bonner County Daily Bee reports that Bonner County Commissioner Steven Bradshaw proposed the resolution Tuesday to pull Read More…
New state lawmakers take office this week during the Legislature’s organizational session, during which the governor will lay out his budget plans and lawmakers will decide on a legislative mask mandate. Among those swearing in will be a longtime, powerful state representative whom Gov. Doug Burgum sought to keep from another term. Business during Read More…
Sen. Marco Rubio suggested on Tuesday that he would oppose confirmation of President-elect Joe Biden’s national security team, presaging the first sign of potential Senate battles to come if Republicans maintain control of the Senate. Rubio (R-Fla.) said Biden’s selections “will be polite & orderly caretakers of America’s decline,” criticizing their professional credentials and Washington bona fides. Rubio Read More…
Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar are boosting a petition against Joe Biden nominating his former chief of staff to a new role in his administration, calling Bruce Reed a “deficit hawk” and criticizing his past support for Social Security and Medicare cuts. Why it matters: Progressives are mounting their pressure campaign after the president-elect did Read More…
The city of Fairbanks has petitioned the United States Supreme Court to review a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals decision allowing the Fairbanks Four to sue the city for wrongful imprisonment. The decision… READ FULL STORY
Comcast is adding a data cap for some of its home-internet plans starting in January. The telecommunications giant recently confirmed it’s introducing a limit of 1.2 TB on Xfinity Internet plans in 14 states and the District of Colombia. If customers that don’t have unlimited plans go over that cap, they must pay $10 for Read More…
The U.S. Supreme Court turned away a bid by Walmart Inc. to start selling liquor at its Texas stores, leaving intact for now a state law that bars such retail sales by publicly-owned companies. The rebuff, which came without comment, sends Walmart’s challenge back to a federal trial court, where the world’s largest retailer will Read More…
CASPER, Wyo. — The National Museum of Military Vehicles opened near Dubois this summer. The museum is among nominees to become USA Today’s “Best New Attraction 2020.” People are able to vote for the museum on the “USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice” website. As of noon Tuesday, the National Museum of Military Vehicles is in third place in Read More…
BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — You’ve waited years (decades for some) for this news, Treasure Valley. But, yes, In-N-Out says it’s officially coming to Boise. It’s fair to say that In-N-Out has a cult-like following — did you see the local, national or international news about 12-hour waits for some customers in Colorado after the burger joint opened a location in Read More…
BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho State Board of Education held a special meeting Monday, Nov 23. The board meeting started at 3 p.m. and was streamed live. Board members took four pending rules that will be submitted to the Idaho Legislature when next year’s session begins in January. The proposed rules have to Read More…
The now-former Washakie County Health Officer says he was let go over his support for a mask mandate. On Monday, KWOR reported the Washakie County Commission called a special meeting on Monday and unanimously voted to remove county health officer Dr. Ed Zimmerman. Commission Chairman Fred Frandson declined to go into details and simply told Read More…
Gov.-elect Greg Gianforte on Tuesday named the first member of his cabinet, announcing that outgoing U.S. Attorney for Montana Kurt Alme will be the new Republican administration’s budget director. Alme, who has degrees in law and business, just announced his resignation Monday from the U.S. attorney job in Billings. Gianforte said voters gave his administration Read More…
HELENA — Montana is known for its beautiful mountain scenery, and some would even consider it the best place on earth for fishing so when avid fisherman Patrick Hogan was out on the Missouri River near Townsend and saw it sprinkled with old water bottles, he couldn’t let it go. Hogan says, “When you put Read More…
Two U.S. citizens have settled a lawsuit with Customs and Border Protection after they were detained by a Border Patrol agent who heard them speaking Spanish at a convenience store in Havre, Montana, and demanded that they show identification. The monetary settlement was announced on Tuesday by the American Civil Liberties Union, which filed the lawsuit on Read More…
All tickets for the 2020 drawing of Montana Millionaire have sold out, once again selling out in record time. Tickets sold out before 5:00 p.m. on Monday Nov. 23, nine days earlier than 2019 and four days before the first early bird drawing. “Sales for Montana Millionaire have been more and more brisk every single Read More…
As Montana U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme prepares to step down Dec. 2, he spoke with MTN News about the biggest challenges facing his successor. First and foremost, the new U.S. attorney for Montana will be dealing with COVID-19 and its impact on Montana’s justice system, including an alarming jump in violent crimes. According to new data Read More…
OAKLAND, Calif. — As speculation grows that Gov. Gavin Newsom is leaning toward California elections chief Alex Padilla to fill the U.S. Senate seat of Vice President-elect Kamala Harris, a crowd of top Democratic donors and former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown are launching an aggressive campaign to argue that another woman of color should Read More…
Montanans voted to legalize recreational marijuana earlier this month, but there are still hurdles to overcome before people without medical marijuana cards can head to the pot shop. I-190, one of the two initiatives that legalized recreational marijuana in the state, may still be changed by the Montana Legislature during the upcoming 2021 session, Read More…
BILLINGS — Warrior Wishes Montana works to provide veterans in Billings and surrounding areas with assistance and connect them to the right resources, and veterans can come get the fixings for a warm Thanksgiving meal in Billings on Tuesday, November 24. “Warrior Wishes Montana is going to be giving our annual Vetsgiving Meals to the Read More…
The Montana Department of Commerce announced November 19th, 2020, it has completed a bond sale worth more than $52 million to help finance the construction of a new facility for Shodair Children’s Hospital. The bond issuance by the Montana Facility Finance Authority will support a new facility in Helena, which will include 82 private rooms Read More…
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Teachers, staff and school administrators in Fargo and West Fargo school districts will be the first to get rapid testing for COVID-19 this week. The districts are part of a pilot program with the North Dakota Department of Health to identify asymptomatic COVID-19 cases. READ FULL STORY
The impacts of Wyoming’s COVID-19 surge are being exacerbated by spikes in neighboring states and the concurrent strain on the region’s healthcare resources. Demand for Wyoming’s scarce hospital capacity is expected to build, at least in the short term: County health officers have counseled that the state could soon see 3,000 new cases a day Read More…
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – Two South Dakota law enforcement officials want the courts to overturn a citizen-approved constitutional amendment legalizing marijuana in the state. Pennington County Sheriff Kevin Thom and South Dakota Highway Patrol Superintendent Rick Miller filed a lawsuit Friday challenging the constitutionality of the amendment. READ FULL STORY
CASPER, Wyo — Liz Cheney, Wyoming’s sole delegate and third-ranking Republican in the U.S. House of Representatives, has called on President Donald Trump in a statement to either back up his claims of voter fraud or respect the “sanctity of our electoral process.” “America is governed by the rule of law,” Cheney wrote. “The President Read More…
GILLETTE — The son of a Wyoming state representative who opposed COVID-19 public restrictions said his father was positive for the coronavirus when he died. Roy Edwards, 66, died Nov. 2 at Wyoming Medical Center in Casper after being hospitalized for more than a week with illness that was not immediately disclosed, The Gillette Read More…
The highest legal needs in Wyoming are family law, medical debt and housing issues – and the coronavirus pandemic has the potential to create an even greater need in each area for Wyoming’s low-income population. Equal Justice Wyoming, the Equal Justice Wyoming Foundation and Legal Aid of Wyoming recently partnered to conduct and fund a Read More…
As COVID cases surge across the US, Waffle House CEO Walt Ehmer does not want to shut down indoor dining. And, he really does not want the government to force him to do so. “A lockdown is going to put a lot of people out of work,” Ehmer told Business Insider. “It’s really not about Read More…
The Trump campaign is mulling a recount request in Wisconsin after a statewide canvass showed the president trailing President-elect Joe Biden there by 20,608 votes. All 72 counties in Wisconsin have now completed their canvassing process, The Associated Press reported. The final tally shows Biden, who has been projected president-elect, with a lead of about 0.6 percentage points, or roughly Read More…
Dustin Johnson may be the champion of the moment, but the golfer’s future father-in-law knows more than a thing or two about winning. Wayne Gretzky — known to hockey fans as The Great One — is an NHL icon, winning four Stanley Cups during his illustrious career. He’s also the father of Paulina Gretzky, who Read More…
LIMA, Peru — Peru’s political crisis appeared on the verge of resolution Monday as Congress cleared the way for an elder statesman and consensus candidate to become the country’s third president in a week. People waved the nation’s red-and-white flag and blared horns outside the gates of Congress as Francisco Sagasti of the centrist Purple Read More…
GREAT FALLS — Blackfeet Tribe business owners can now apply for grants to help them make up for some of the money they’ve lost this year due to the pandemic. Application are being accepted through December 11. As of Tuesday, about two dozen businesses had submitted applications. The committee overseeing the grant was still in Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — Starting Wednesday, through next Tuesday, Bozeman School District administrators say Meadowlark Elementary will be on a remote learning format. Officials say a large number of staff members have to quarantine, so there is not enough coverage for classes and other positions. READ FULL STORY
Governor-elect Greg Gianforte unveiled advisory teams on Monday that will help him find new directors for the Department of Commerce, the Department of Labor and Industry and Fish, Wildlife and Parks. Gianforte was elected governor Nov. 3 and takes the oath of office Jan. 4. All members are voluntary and are not compensated. Last week, Gianforte Read More…
Montana Gov. Steve Bullock proposed a two-year state budget on Nov. 16 that he says preserves essential services while boosting education and infrastructure spending. YPR News’ Kevin Trevellyan reports it’s the two term Democratic governor’s final budget proposal. During a news conference at the capitol, Bullock proposed using $75 million, or two thirds of the state’s rainy Read More…
BOZEMAN, Mont. – Governor-elect Greg Gianforte today announced his joint-transition advisory team for the Department of Commerce and the Department of Labor and Industry. The advisory team will identify and review candidates to serve as the next directors of Commerce and Labor. The team will forward their recommendations to Governor-elect Gianforte. “For too long, Montanans Read More…
HELENA – The Montana Chamber Foundation announced today its plans to host The Prospects, a statewide high school business plan and pitch competition. As a part of Envision 2026, the Montana Chamber of Commerce’s ten-year strategic plan, the organization is working to build an opportunity for business growth and prosperity by improving Montana’s talent pipeline Read More…