All posts by Big Sky Headlines

Republican who lost Montana Senate bid to run for House next year

Montana State Auditor Matt Rosendale (R), who narrowly lost a Senate race last year, announced on Monday he will run for the state’s at-large House seat in 2020. Rosendale is seeking the seat being vacated by Rep. Greg Gianforte (R-Mont.), who recently announced his bid for governor. Rosendale narrowly lost against Sen. Jon Tester (D-Mont.) during the 2018 election cycle. “I’m Read More…

Leadership Montana Graduates Classes Of 2019

Forty-four Montanans Complete Premier Leadership Development Program, 19 Complete new Masters Class BOZEMAN – Leadership Montana announced the graduation of 44 community, business, education, healthcare, nonprofit and government leaders from across the state for the Class of 2019 of its flagship leadership program. Leadership Montana presents an annual seven session program of leadership development, education about Read More…

Daines, Tester advance bill in Senate to federally recognize Little Shell Tribe

Montana’s congressional delegation made a successful bipartisan push Wednesday to advance legislation that would, for the first time, federally recognize the Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians. According to a press release sent to MTN News, Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester have stapled their tribal recognition bill as an amendment to must-pass defense spending Read More…

Senators Cramer, Daines introduce constitutional amendment allowing Congress to ban flag desecration

BISMARCK, N.D. – On Flag Day, senators Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and Steve Daines, D-Mont., introduced a constitutional amendment that would allow Congress to prohibit the desecration of the American flag. In a press release Friday, Cramer said “A flag worth dying for is a flag worth protecting. While we should always be mindful of First Amendment rights, Read More…

Gianforte: Business experience sets him apart in Republican race for MT governor

HELENA – Congressman Greg Gianforte, Montana’s lone U.S. House member, has officially launched his 2020 campaign for governor. Gianforte, a Republican, made the announcement during a speech at the Montana Republican Party’s state convention in Helena. He told the group that he had heard from people around the state, asking him to consider running for governor. “They’ve Read More…

Mark Zuckerberg contacts Nancy Pelosi after Facebook refused to take down manipulated video; still waiting on response

Facebook chief executive Mark Zuckerberg reached out to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., in recent weeks to discuss how his company handles viral misinformation, but she has not called him back or personally replied, according to two people familiar with the exchanges. Pelosi’s decision not to engage with Zuckerberg, one of the most powerful technology Read More…

North Dakota Democrats chair one interim committee, call it ‘unfortunate’

State lawmakers finalized the interim committee assignments today. The groups will look at various issues over the next 18 months, but today’s meeting might have created another one. Democrats wanted to chair three or four committees and ended up with one. House Minority leader Josh Boschee, D-Fargo, says they had an agreement with republican leadership. Read More…

Jon Tester endorses fellow Montana Democrat Steve Bullock for president

Gov. Steve Bullock got a boost in his bid for the White House on Sunday with the endorsement of fellow Montana Democrat Sen. Jon Tester, who, like Bullock, has managed to win several statewide elections in a deep-red, predominantly rural state. Bullock unveiled the endorsement on “Face the Nation” Sunday, saying he’s “awfully excited” about the announcement. Read More…

Montana boaters face new inspection rule

MISSOULA – Montana boaters will see another mandatory inspection this summer. A new aquatic invasive species (AIS) rule calls for all watercraft with ballast tanks or bladders to be decontaminated upon entering the state or crossing the Continental Divide into the Columbia River Basin. READ FULL STORY

Former Democratic legislator to run for Montana governor

The first Democratic candidate for Montana governor has filed her paperwork with state regulators. Former state Rep. Reilly Neill registered Saturday with the state commissioner of political practices office. She pledges to carry on Gov. Steve Bullock’s legacy on her campaign website . The 45-year-old Neill represented Livingston in the Montana House between 2013 and Read More…

Great Falls Rep. Casey Schreiner announces he’s running for Governor of Montana

GREAT FALLS- State Rep. Casey Schreiner announced he’s running for the 25th Governor of Montana. He’s the second Democrat to announce a big for the race, after Livingston’s Reilly Neill. A native to Great Falls and a representative in Montana State Legislature House District 26, Schreiner made his announcement on Facebook this morning, June 11th, Read More…

Why a GOP super PAC is bothering to attack Steve Bullock’s bid for president

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock isn’t one of the leading Democratic contenders for the 2020 presidential nomination, but he’s learning how to turn a Republican attack into an asset for his campaign. On May 29, the GOP-affiliated Senate Leadership Fund started a television ad campaign in the Missoula media market, according to Kantar/CMAG, and the message went Read More…

CHEYENNE MAYOR ACCUSES WYOMING GOVERNOR OF ‘TEMPER TANTRUM’; GORDON ‘OFFENDED’

Cheyenne Mayor Marian Orr is accusing Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon of using profane and misogynistic language toward her in an effort to intimidate her during a meeting on Friday. Gordon responded Monday that Orr mischaracterized the meeting, although he apologized for using an obscenity. “At no time during the conversation was I standing up or using Read More…

Leadership South Dakota names 43 selected for program

Leadership South Dakota has named those selected for the 8-month leadership program. The class includes 43 members and begins in September. Leadership South Dakota is a statewide program meant to provide South Dakotans with the background, experiences and insights to assume leadership positions at the local, state and national levels. READ FULL STORY

Lawsuit says state hospital violated patient rights

BOZEMAN, Mont. — NBC Montana recently obtained surveillance video from a 2016 lawsuit involving the Montana State Hospital for allegations of violating patients’ rights. Disability Rights Montana is a federally-mandated organization that oversees the Montana State Hospital and represents the disabled in court cases. Courts documents said plaintiff and Montana State Hospital patient Ryan Bragg broke Read More…

Wyoming National Guard unit deploying to Kosovo

CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Wyoming Army National Guard soldiers deploy this week for a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo. Community members are invited to attend a ceremony for the 297th Infantry Regiment on Tuesday afternoon at Star Valley High School in Afton. National Guard officials say this is the first time the Wyoming infantry unit is deploying Read More…

Montana Rep. Greg Gianforte may run for governor, opening up at-large House seat

Republican Rep. Greg Gianforte, Montana’s lone House member, is planning to announce a 2020 run for governor, according to the state’s MTN News network. Gianforte, who was first elected to the House in a 2017 special election, would be the sixth Republican to enter the race to succeed Democratic incumbent Steve Bullock, who is term-limited and running for president. Republicans last captured Read More…

Montana homeless population survey numbers released

KALISPELL, Mont. — Montana’s homeless population has decreased from last year, according to recently released data. Point-in-Time survey numbers from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development show decreasing populations across many of the state’s cities and towns. The Point-in-Time survey attempts to count every homeless person across the country during the last week of Read More…

Former Montana State, NFL linebacker Dane Fletcher bringing high school football combine to Bozeman

BOZEMAN — Dane Fletcher didn’t need to go far to earn a college football scholarship. The former Bozeman High School standout caught the attention of former Montana State head coach Mike Kramer and his staff in the early 2000s, keeping the all-state linebacker and tight end in Bozeman. Fletcher made the most of the opportunity, Read More…

Apple takes swipe at Samsung and Huawei

As both Samsung and Huawei are left reeling from various troubles, Apple is taking the opportunity to kick its opponents while they are down. And only a few weeks ago it seemed like Apple was being crushed by the competition. Speaking to The Independent, Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, lifts the lid Read More…

North Dakota DOT kicks off $370 million construction season

BISMARCK — North Dakota state transportation officials kicked off a $370 million highway construction season Wednesday, May 22, months after lawmakers rejected a gas tax increase to boost road funding.   The plans include reconstructing and rehabilitating sections of Interstate 94, reconstructing parts of Interstate 29 between Fargo and Wahpeton as well as reconstructing and rehabbing U.S. Read More…