Montana Highway Patrol troopers conducted a multi-day interdiction operation in St. Regis earlier this month aimed at combating criminal activity and removing illicit drugs from the community. The operation ran from Dec. 7 through Dec. 11 and involved MHP’s Criminal Interdiction Team (CIT) and Strategic Enforcement Traffic Team (SETT), working in partnership with the United Read More…
(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ action to bar “sex-rejecting” transgender procedures for minors has met with approval from groups that aim to protect children from harmful ideology, with some calling the move “long overdue,” stating that taxpayers should not be forced to pay for procedures that lack proven Read More…
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines on led a letter to major airline executives urging them to increase flight options from Montana to Nashville, Tennessee, ahead of the FCS National Championship Game. Daines was joined by Sen. Tim Sheehy and U.S. Reps. Ryan Zinke, R-MT-01, and Troy Downing, R-MT-02, in sending the letter to the CEOs of Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte announced that President Donald J. Trump has approved Montana’s request for a presidential emergency declaration to help the state respond to severe flooding in northwestern Montana. “Thanks to President Trump’s quick response, Montana is securing the additional resources our communities need to respond to this emergency,” Gianforte said in a statement. “While Read More…
The Washington Post’s recent series on campaign finance, beginning with the frighteningly titled “How billionaires took over American politics,” offers a dramatic narrative about money in politics. Unfortunately, the initial article predictably misunderstands campaign finance law and misrepresents the actual data regarding political spending. As someone who has spent decades studying and implementing campaign finance law, Read More…
U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., announced Friday that she will not seek reelection next year, setting the stage for an open-seat Republican primary in one of the nation’s most reliably red states. Lummis made the announcement after the Senate adjourned for the holiday recess, a decision that will end her tenure after a single six-year Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte on donated a quarter of his annual salary to the Mountain Shadow Association in Lodge Grass, marking the twelfth and final day of his fifth annual 12 Days of Giving campaign. The donation supports the nonprofit’s work strengthening families, restoring parent-child relationships, and advancing community-led healing and addiction recovery efforts in Lodge Read More…
Prosecutors in the Montana Attorney General’s Office filed official misconduct charges against state Sen. Jason Ellsworth, alleging he acted outside the scope of his lawful authority as a public servant and improperly handled a state contract. Prosecutors also asked the court to suspend Ellsworth from office pending final judgment. The charges stem from a Montana Read More…
A new research laboratory recently opened on the University of Montana campus to study the connection between hearing loss and brain function as people age. The Brain, Ear, and Aging Research (BEAR) Lab launched this fall in the basement of Curry Health Center, where the School of Speech, Language, Hearing, and Occupational Sciences is housed. Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen on Monday filed a lawsuit against Uber, alleging the ridesharing and delivery company engaged in unfair and deceptive practices tied to its Uber One subscription service. The lawsuit, filed in coordination with the Federal Trade Commission, 22 states and the District of Columbia, raises concerns about Uber’s enrollment, billing and Read More…
Montana middle school students interested in advanced mathematics are invited to register for a free competition to be held in January at Montana State University. The American Mathematics Competition 8, or AMC 8, is a competitive exam hosted by the Science Math Resource Center in the MSU College of Education, Health and Human Development. The AMC 8 is Read More…
(The Center Square) – Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1950, prompting strong backlash from medical, disability, religious and legal groups who say it was rushed and violates key ethical and legal protections. State Rep. Bill Hauter, R-Morton, a practicing physician, said Pritzker showed signs of hesitation but ultimately “his leftist ideology took over and he Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen will lead the Republican Attorneys General Association (RAGA) into what the group calls the most consequential election year in its history. Knudsen was unanimously elected chairman by his GOP attorney general colleagues on Tuesday, putting the second-term Montana Republican at the helm as the organization prepares for 30 attorney general Read More…
JPMorgan Chase (JPM.N) CEO Jamie Dimon signaled his backing for former Federal Reserve Governor Kevin Warsh as the next chair of the U.S. central bank, the Financial Times reported Friday. The comments come amid ongoing speculation over President Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Federal Reserve. Earlier Friday, Trump said he was leaning toward either Read More…
SpaceX is moving closer to a public listing, with a secondary share sale indicating a company valuation of $800 billion, according to a letter to shareholders from CFO Bret Johnsen reviewed by Reuters. The Elon Musk-led aerospace company is preparing to go public as early as next year. The move, potentially one of the largest Read More…
When James Straw graduated from high school, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and accomplished his lifelong goal to become a sniper. But Straw’s military career was sidelined after receiving a diagnosis for an autoimmune disease, setting him on a new path: Now he is the latest Marshall Scholar from the University of Read More…
(The Center Square) – A new bill protecting children was introduced this week by U.S. Rep. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas, called the National Educator Safety and Accountability Act of 2025. It aims to protect, prevent and respond to educator sexual misconduct in schools. The legislation would establish a National Educator Misconduct and Discipline Registry to track Read More…
A quiet but important shift is taking place in conservative energy policy. Across the center-right, a growing number of U.S. policymakers, business leaders, and investors are returning to classical principles — recognizing that markets, not government intervention, are the best way to secure America’s energy future. That’s what makes Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit Read More…
After Democrats got wiped out of every statewide office last year, most Montanans thought things couldn’t get any worse for their political party. Then the 2025 legislative session came and 10 Democratic state senators who will be up for election again voted three times to keep corrupt Republican Senator Jason Ellsworth from being expelled from Read More…
Bitcoin-focused company Strategy (MSTR.O) maintained its place in the Nasdaq 100 index on Friday, continuing its year-long presence in the benchmark despite growing questions from analysts over its business model. Some market observers have suggested that Strategy’s pioneering approach of buying and holding bitcoin, which has inspired numerous copycat firms, resembles an investment fund more Read More…
The federal government’s crackdown on commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) for immigrants has uncovered problems in eight states, following a series of deadly crashes involving truck drivers who were not authorized to be in the U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has publicly threatened to withhold millions in federal funding from California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and New York Read More…
The U.S. House of Representatives passed a series of bills aimed at expanding the impact of the Working Families Tax Cuts by reducing regulatory barriers, streamlining permitting processes, and promoting economic growth. House Republicans framed the legislation as part of a broader pro-growth agenda to accelerate infrastructure, energy, and investment projects across the nation. “House Read More…
U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy has nominated four Montana students for admission to United States Service Academies, recognizing their academic achievement, leadership, and commitment to public service. Sheehy said the nominations reflect both the students’ accomplishments and the importance of military service to the nation. “My wife and I met at the Naval Academy, and we Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte praised President Donald J. Trump this week for signing two congressional joint resolutions that overturn a Biden administration rule he said threatened Montana’s coal industry and billions in funding for public education. The resolutions — Senate Joint Resolution 61, sponsored by U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., and House Joint Resolution 104, sponsored Read More…
U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy is leading a bipartisan effort in the Senate to expand free access to national parks and federal recreation lands for law enforcement officers and firefighters, including wildland firefighters. Sheehy, a Montana Republican, joined Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., in introducing the Law Enforcement Officer and Firefighter Recreation Pass Act, legislation that Read More…
Though Gwendolyn Cooper knew she wanted a career in research when she set out to earn a Ph.D. at Montana State University, she worried that the process of acquiring a doctoral degree might force her to narrow her research focus. “I’ve had this problem my whole life of being interested in everything,” said Cooper, who Read More…
A new Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation has uncovered massive fraud and systemic weaknesses in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace, including fake identities receiving subsidies, misuse of Social Security numbers, billions in unreconciled payments, and insurers collecting tax credits for deceased individuals. The report validates longstanding Republican concerns that the ACA subsidy system lacks Read More…
President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order this week aimed at creating a unified national policy framework for artificial intelligence (AI), addressing what the administration calls a patchwork of state regulations that threaten American innovation and competitiveness. The Order directs multiple federal agencies to take steps ensuring AI companies are not subject to inconsistent Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte has issued an executive order declaring a flooding disaster in northwestern Montana as historic rainfall and snowmelt swell local rivers. “Continued rainfall across northwestern Montana has flooded some of our communities, including the town of Libby,” Gianforte said. “This order will ensure resources are deployed quickly and effectively to protect Montanans and Read More…
President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order aimed at curbing the influence of proxy advisory firms that critics say have prioritized political agendas over the financial interests of American investors. The move is intended to protect retirement savings in 401(k)s, IRAs, and pensions from policies driven by “diversity, equity, and inclusion” (DEI) and “environmental, Read More…
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines announced hat President Donald J. Trump has signed into law legislation he led to roll back a Biden-era land management rule that restricted coal mining in Eastern Montana, a move supporters say will restore jobs, protect state revenue, and unleash Made-in-Montana energy. Daines was joined in advancing the measure by U.S. Read More…
Remember when Americans were told that the Affordable Care Act (also known as Obamacare) would lower health care costs and that if you liked your doctor, you could keep her? How things have changed over the past 15 years. Health care costs continue to rise faster than inflation and millions of Americans have discovered that Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has called on the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) and the Attorney General Alliance (AGA) to deny membership to Virginia Attorney General-elect Jay Jones, citing a series of “abhorrent” text messages Jones sent in 2022 that expressed violent fantasies toward his political opponent and the opponent’s children. The texts Read More…
More than 32,000 Montana businesses will see a reduction in unemployment insurance (UI) tax rates in 2026, resulting in over $23 million in savings, the Montana Department of Labor & Industry announced. “By reforming our tax code and cutting back the thicket of red tape tying up job creators, we’re helping Montana businesses grow and Read More…
Governor Armstrong voiced strong support for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Army Corps of Engineers’ proposed revision to the “Waters of the United States” (WOTUS) definition, calling it a common-sense approach that benefits North Dakota farmers, ranchers, energy producers, and businesses. The proposed rule, which is open for public comment through Jan. 5, Read More…
The U.S. trade deficit has narrowed to its smallest level since mid-2020, falling more than 35% compared with last year, underscoring the impact of President Donald J. Trump’s America First trade agenda. U.S. exports are up 6% over last year, reaching their second-highest value on record, while inflation-adjusted exports of consumer goods hit an all-time Read More…
The Israeli military announced that it killed senior Hamas commander Raed Saed in a strike on a car in Gaza City. Saed was reportedly one of the key planners behind the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel. The strike, which Gaza medics said killed five people, marks the highest-profile assassination of a senior Hamas figure Read More…
In a ruling that has drawn sharp criticism from Montana conservatives, the state Supreme Court has sided with backers of a proposed ballot measure requiring judicial elections to remain nonpartisan, overturning the decision of Attorney General Austin Knudsen. The initiative, Constitutional Initiative 131 (CI-131), is sponsored by Montanans for Fair and Impartial Judges (MFIJ), a Read More…
House Republicans unveiled the Lower Health Care Premiums for All Americans Act, legislation aimed at reducing health care costs, expanding access, and increasing transparency across the U.S. health care system. The bill is expected to be considered by the House next week. “Nearly 15 years ago, the Democrats’ Unaffordable Care Act broke the American health Read More…
North Dakotans can now review updated school accountability reports and the first results from the state’s new ND A+ summative assessment, State School Superintendent Levi Bachmeier announced Friday. The information—published on the state’s Insights education portal—comes as part of the federal Every Student Succeeds Act, which requires states to release annual accountability reports for every Read More…