All posts by Big Sky Headlines

Attorney General Jackley Appoints Two New Special Agents in Charge at South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation

4 months ago   Featured, News, Regional News

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced today the promotion of two veteran law enforcement officers to newly created leadership positions within the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). Supervisory Special Agents Mike Hockett and Dane Rasmussen have been named Special Agents in Charge (SAC) for the Eastern and Western regions of the state, respectively. “Special Read More…

Knudsen Urges Gallatin County to Support ICE Partnership

4 months ago   Featured, Home Featured, Montana Politics, Politics

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is calling on the Gallatin County Commission to reject legal guidance from the Democrat county attorney and partner with the Trump Administration’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to detain undocumented immigrants with criminal backgrounds. In a letter sent Wednesday, Knudsen criticized a recent legal opinion from Democrat Gallatin County Attorney Read More…

Berkshire Hathaway Surpasses Federal Reserve in T-Bill Holdings

4 months ago   Business, Featured, Home Featured, National Business News

Berkshire Hathaway, the conglomerate helmed by legendary investor Warren Buffett, has become the largest private holder of short-term U.S. government debt — and now holds more Treasury bills than even the U.S. Federal Reserve. In its latest earnings report released Saturday, Berkshire revealed it now holds $314.1 billion in short-term Treasuries as of March 31, Read More…

Microsoft Marks 50th Anniversary

4 months ago   Business, Featured, National Business News

Microsoft the technology titan that reshaped personal computing, celebrated its 50th anniversary on April 4, 2025, reflecting on a storied legacy while charting an ambitious path forward in artificial intelligence and cloud computing. Founded in 1975 by Bill Gates and Paul Allen, the company has evolved from a scrappy software startup to a $3 trillion Read More…

Montana State professor Elizabeth Shanahan receives Fulbright Scholar Award for research in Australia

4 months ago   Montana News, News

Elizabeth Shanahan, a professor of political science at Montana State University, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to Australia, where she will investigate Australian public responses and policy development related to the prevention of emerging infectious disease. Shanahan will collaborate with a researcher in the University of Wollongong’s School of Health and Society Read More…

Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square Invests $900 Million in Howard Hughes Holdings

4 months ago   Business, National Business News, National News, News

Billionaire investor Bill Ackman, through his hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management, has made a significant move by investing $900 million in Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HHH), increasing his stake to 46.9% and positioning the real estate developer as a platform for a diversified holding company modeled after Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. The announcement, Read More…

‘We don’t want the money’: WA trucking industry resists EV mandate

4 months ago   Featured, Politics, Regional Politics

The Center Square) – The Washington State Department of Ecology is proposing updates to regulations that reduce pollution from new semi-trucks and other commercial vehicles sold in the state. Ecology contends the updates will increase flexibility and help the industry transition to zero-emission trucks. DOE is offering over $130 million in taxpayer funding to buy clean trucks and build charging infrastructure Read More…

Think tank: Trump’s minerals order could benefit Colorado, Arizona, Wyoming

4 months ago   Featured, News, Regional News

(The Center Square) – A recent Trump administration order that seeks to boost critical mineral production could be a boon for Colorado, Arizona and Wyoming, which are home to key critical minerals needed for clean energy technologies, a new report claims. President Donald Trump in March signed Executive Order 14241, citing the economic and national security Read More…

Lawmakers propose legislation to prevent China’s global military expansion

4 months ago   Featured, National Politics, Politics

(The Center Square) – As China continues to expand its military presence worldwide, a bipartisan group of senators is introducing legislation to counter potential risks. Sens. Tim Kaine, D-Va., Chris Coons, D-Del., and Pete Ricketts, R-Neb., introduced the Combating PRC (People’s Republic of China) Overseas and Unlawful Networked Threats through Enhanced Resilience Act. The senators Read More…

The U.S. steps forward for world peace

4 months ago   Opinion

“Better than a thousand hollow words is one word that brings peace.” – Buddha (560-483 B.C.) World War II changed the world forever. In 1945, the scars of the war were as fresh as many combat wounds. People feared another war and the United Nations was founded to prevent disputes. It included 57 nations that Read More…

Montana State Research Development Team Earns National Innovation Award

4 months ago   Montana News, News

Montana State University’s Office of Research Development has received national recognition for its innovative efforts to strengthen research collaboration across universities in the western U.S. At the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP) annual conference held April 28–May 1, MSU’s research development team was presented with the prestigious Innovation Award. The award honors individuals Read More…

Montana Expands Conduit Bond Financing

4 months ago   Montana News, News

The Montana Department of Commerce announced a major expansion in financing options for businesses and nonprofits today, following the enactment of Senate Bill 104, which significantly broadens the reach of the Montana Facility Finance Authority (MFFA). Signed into law by Governor Greg Gianforte on April 16, 2025, the legislation allows the MFFA to issue conduit Read More…

Gianforte Launches Fifth Annual 56 County Tou

4 months ago   Featured, Montana News, News

Kicking off his fifth annual 56 County Tour, Governor Greg Gianforte hit the road this week, visiting Montanans in Sheridan, Daniels, Roosevelt, McCone, and Richland counties, spotlighting legislative wins, economic development, and investments in education. “Over the course of the next few months, we’ll hit the road visiting each of Montana’s 56 counties to celebrate Read More…

Miles City Student Wins Statewide Law Enforcement Appreciation Poster Contest

4 months ago   Featured, Home Featured, Montana News, News

Attorney General Austin Knudsen has announced Jordyn Muggli, a fifth-grade student at Lincoln Grade School in Miles City, as the winner of the 2025 Law Enforcement Appreciation Poster Contest, held annually during National Police Week. Jordyn’s artwork was selected from more than 175 entries submitted by students across 35 classrooms throughout Montana. In her artist Read More…

Daines Joins Push to Reverse Biden-Era IRS Initiative Targeting Small Businesses

4 months ago   Featured, Home Featured, Montana Politics, Politics

U.S. Senator Steve Daines is calling on the U.S. Department of the Treasury to reverse a Biden-era Internal Revenue Service (IRS) initiative that he and several Republican colleagues argue unfairly targets Main Street businesses. In a letter co-signed by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.), Daines criticized the creation of Read More…

UM and Blackfoot Communications Launch Cybersecurity Partnership

4 months ago   Featured, Home Featured, Montana News, News

The University of Montana and Blackfoot Communications have joined forces to launch a critical new initiative aimed at bolstering cybersecurity defense in Montana’s rural communities. Announced this week, the partnership marks the first corporate collaboration for the Public Infrastructure Security Cyber Education System (PISCES) in the state. The program will provide cyber threat monitoring and Read More…

Montana Department of Justice Issues Warning on Dangerous Surge of Carfentanil in Billings

4 months ago   Featured, Home Featured, Montana News, News

The Montana Department of Justice (MTDOJ) and Billings Police Department (BPD) are alerting the public to a significant and alarming increase in the presence of the deadly synthetic opioid carfentanil in the Billings area. The warning follows a major drug seizure by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force, which uncovered Read More…

Governor Gianforte Signs Ban on Lab-Grown Meat

4 months ago   Featured, Home Featured, Montana Politics, Politics

Governor Greg Gianforte has signed House Bill 401 into law, banning the manufacture, sale, and distribution of lab-grown meat in Montana. The legislation, aimed at safeguarding the state’s ranching industry, takes effect October 1, 2025, and positions Montana as a staunch defender of traditional agriculture. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Braxton Mitchell (R-Columbia Falls), prohibits Read More…

Montana Attorney General Leads 26-State Coalition Challenging Hawaii Gun Ban at Supreme Court

4 months ago   Featured, Home Featured, Montana News, News

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a 26-state coalition urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a Hawaii law that imposes broad restrictions on where law-abiding citizens can carry firearms. The coalition filed an amicus brief in the case Wolford v. Lopez, arguing that Hawaii’s so-called “sensitive places” firearm restrictions violate the Second Amendment. Read More…

Senator Daines Introduces Bill to Support Montana Trucking and Agriculture

4 months ago   Montana Politics, Politics

U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) has introduced new legislation aimed at protecting Montana’s trucking and agriculture industries from what he calls a “dangerous and unnecessary” federal mandate. The bill, titled the Deregulating Restrictions on Interstate Vehicles and Eighteen-Wheelers (DRIVE) Act, seeks to prevent the Biden administration from enforcing a rule that would require commercial trucks Read More…

Wyoming Air National Guard to Receive C-130J Super Hercules Upgrade

4 months ago   Featured, Home Featured, News, Regional News

The Wyoming Air National Guard has been selected to receive the C-130J Super Hercules, a modern upgrade to replace its aging fleet of C-130H aircraft. This announcement marks a significant milestone for the 153rd Airlift Wing and recognizes the exemplary performance of Wyoming’s Airmen in supporting critical missions both domestically and globally. A total of Read More…

Brown Announces Settlement with Vanguard Over Target Retirement Fund

4 months ago   Featured, Montana News, News

Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown announced a significant settlement with Vanguard Marketing Corporation and The Vanguard Group, Inc., resolving an investigation into unexpected capital gains tax distributions from Vanguard’s Target Retirement Funds in 2021. The settlement addresses concerns that affected Montana investors and others nationwide. The investigation, conducted alongside the U.S. Securities Read More…

Construction Begins on New Signal Peak Energy Ice Arena in Billings

4 months ago   Featured, Home Featured, Montana News, News

Community leaders, local businesses, and young athletes gathered this week to break ground on the highly anticipated Signal Peak Energy Ice Arena, a new multi-sport facility set to transform youth athletics and recreational opportunities in Billings. The arena, which will be built at Amend Park, will feature two full-sized ice sheets, indoor sports courts, outdoor Read More…

Zinke and Vasquez Launch Bipartisan Congressional Caucus to Safeguard America’s Public Lands

4 months ago   Featured, Montana Politics, Politics

In a rare display of cross-party collaboration, U.S. Representatives Ryan Zinke (R-MT-01) and Gabe Vasquez (D-NM-02) have announced the formation of the Public Lands Caucus, a bipartisan coalition of lawmakers dedicated to conserving America’s public lands and expanding access for all Americans. The new caucus aims to champion practical, consensus-driven policies that support land conservation, Read More…

Daines, Cornyn Introduce Bill Seeking Death Penalty for Illegal Immigrants Convicted of Killing Americans

4 months ago   Featured, Montana Politics, Politics

U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) joined Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and several Republican colleagues in introducing legislation that would allow the death penalty for illegal immigrants convicted of murdering American citizens. The proposed legislation, titled the Justice for American Victims of Illegal Aliens Act, aims to codify a previous executive order issued under President Donald Read More…

Knudsen Marks MMIP Awareness Day

4 months ago   Featured, Home Featured, Montana News, News

In recognition of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen reaffirmed his office’s commitment to addressing the disproportionate impact of violence on tribal communities across the state. “I have had a front row seat to the devastation inflicted on Montana’s tribal communities by the missing and murdered Indigenous persons Read More…

Gov. Armstrong Meets with EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin

4 months ago   Featured, News, Regional News

Governor Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota met with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin today to discuss critical issues affecting the state’s energy and agriculture sectors. The meeting focused on collaborating with the federal government and industry partners to protect North Dakota’s natural resources while fostering responsible energy development and economic growth. Armstrong Read More…

Poll: Democratic voters want their congressional leaders to fight Trump more

4 months ago   Featured, National Politics, Politics

(The Center Square) – As congressional Democrats push back against second-term Republican President Donald Trump’s policies, from border security and his mass deportation efforts to tariffs and energy policies, nearly 3 in 4 Democratic voters say their elected representatives in Congress aren’t doing enough. Only Democrats were asked: “Should Democrats in Congress fight Trump more Read More…

First do no harm begins with our diet

4 months ago   Opinion

The Make America Healthy Again movement has gained significant attention throughout the nation and many of the top initiatives highlighted have found their way into state legislatures this session. Louisiana is no exception and Senator Patrick McMath, R-Covington, has, via Senate Bill 14, proposed a significant cleanup of our food supply, especially focused on kids. Read More…