(The Center Square) – A group that advocates for American energy independence is applauding President Donald Trump’s recent cabinet selections, including Saturday’s nomination of Chris Wright as secretary of the Department of Energy. Environmental advocates, on the other hand, criticized the selection. Wright is founder, chief executive officer, and chairman of the board of Liberty Read More…
Legendary investor Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A, NYSE: BRK.B), continues to captivate the financial world with his investment moves. As of November 14, Berkshire’s Class A shares have delivered a staggering cumulative return exceeding 5,660,000% under Buffett’s nearly six decades of leadership. Recent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reveal Read More…
(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Defense’s annual audit once again resulted in a disclaimer. That means the federal government’s largest agency – with a budget of more than $840 billion – can’t fully explain its spending. The disclaimer this year was expected. And it’s expected again next year. The Pentagon previously said Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte announced today that Dustin Temple, director of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP), will retire at the end of the year after a distinguished 20-year career with the agency. “I am grateful to Dustin for his service to FWP for two decades and for the outstanding progress he has made at one Read More…
By Brett Rowland | The Center Square (The Center Square) – A new poll shows that Democrats and Republicans are concerned more about inflation than other potential crises, but voters from the two parties don’t see eye to eye on other concerns, including the potential of a terrorist attack on U.S. soil or potential chaos Read More…
As retired Montana judges, we join to endorse Judge Dan Wilson of Flathead County We hope you will join us in supporting Judge Dan Wilson for the Montana Supreme Court As retired Montana judges, we join to endorse Judge Dan Wilson of Flathead County in his bid for election to the Montana Supreme Court. This Read More…
Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s office has rejected a proposed ballot measure aimed at safeguarding access to abortion in the Montana Constitution. The ruling, issued this week, deems the proposed amendment legally insufficient, citing a violation of Montana’s requirement that unrelated constitutional changes be voted on separately. Advocated by Planned Parenthood Advocates of Montana, the measure Read More…
The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) has revealed plans to invest tens of millions in the re-election campaigns of Senators Jon Tester of Montana and Sherrod Brown of Ohio. The strategic move aims to fortify the Democratic Party’s slim majority in the upcoming November elections. The DSCC intends to allocate substantial funding, in the form Read More…
Fresh from securing the national college football championship, University of Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh passionately advocated for the right to life in the nation’s capital on Friday. Addressing a massive gathering at the annual “March for Life” rally on the National Mall, Harbaugh introduced former NFL tight end Benjamin Watson. In the midst of Read More…
Montana Democratic Senator Jon Tester’s reelection campaign has received substantial donations from two Chinese conglomerates that own U.S. farmland, despite Tester’s publicly expressed opposition to the sale of land to foreign adversaries. The campaign’s contradiction was highlighted when it launched a television advertisement in November, denouncing Chinese companies’ acquisition of American farmland and promoting Tester’s Read More…
(The Center Square) – With presidential primary season under way, the majority of Americans disapprove of the job President Joe Biden is doing as president, according to a new poll. The Center Square’s Voter’s Voice Poll found that 59% of likely voters disapprove of the job Biden is doing as president, while 39% say they Read More…
(The Center Square) – Money from Seattle’s tax on sweetened beverages is still below pre-COVID-19 pandemic levels, and city officials say they’ll push for a new revenue stream. In 2022, sweetened beverage tax revenues increased by about 11% [$2 million] from 2021 levels to approximately $21 million. The pandemic caused the tax revenue to drop Read More…
Last month, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-OH, told former White House aide Steve Bannon that some lawmakers want to reduce Social Security benefits so that the federal government can send more money to Ukraine, which Vance argued would flow through to Ukrainian President Zelensky’s underlings to “buy a bigger yacht.” While Vance’s statement may come Read More…
(The Center Square) – An illegal foreign national in Montana faces up to 40 years in prison after pleading guilty in Bozeman to mitigated deliberate homicide for stabbing a man to death. Francisco Padilla Canales initially pled not guilty and faced charges including deliberate homicide, aggravated kidnapping, tampering with witnesses and information, and aggravated burglary. Read More…
(The Center Square) – North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum appointed Brad Hawk to serve as the executive director of the Indian Affairs Commission and Wayne Salter as commissioner of the Department of Health and Human Services. Salter is the former deputy executive commissioner of access and eligibility services for Texas Health and Human Services, according Read More…
(The Center Square) – South Dakota moved ahead of 12 states to climb to 19th place in U-Haul’s Top Growth States report for 2023. U-Haul analyzes its records of one-way equipment rentals in a calendar year to determine which states are growing or shrinking based on each state’s gain or loss of one-way equipment. This Read More…
(The Center Square) – The South Dakota House Taxation Committee recommended that tax cuts enacted last year become permanent. The Legislature cut the sales tax from 4.5% to 4.2%, with the reduction expiring in four years, a move added by the Senate, according to Rep. Chris Karr, R-Sioux Falls, the bill’s sponsor. Karr cited a Read More…
(The Center Square) – Less than two months before implementation, a federal law impacting gig workers is being challenged in a Georgia court. Founders of Fight for Freelancers, a coalition of more than 2,500 independent contract workers in varying professions, seeks an injunction to prohibit enforcement of the new law announced this month by the Read More…
(The Center Square) – A coalition of Republican U.S. Senators called on Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday to go after the Hamas activists allegedly vandalizing veteran cemeteries. Earlier this month, a group of pro-Palestinian protesters allegedly vandalized the Los Angeles National Cemetery, where nearly 90,000 veterans are buried, spray painting symbols and phrases, including Read More…
BOZEMAN – Montana State University, the state’s largest research entity and a designated Carnegie R1 institution, has received a $500,000 grant from the National Science Foundation to significantly expand its computational infrastructure for research. The grant was awarded to MSU’s Research Cyberinfrastructure Core Facility, which manages the advanced information technology systems that support large research Read More…
(The Center Square) – A growing concern about progressive ideology on race and gender at all levels of the U.S. military has sparked outrage and became the center of a Congressional hearing. Critics have launched a barrage of attacks on the progressive ideology they say is infiltrating the ranks, calling it a waste of taxpayer Read More…
(The Center Square) – Since April 2022, more than 100,000 foreign nationals who have illegally crossed the border have been bused or flown from Texas to six sanctuary cities. This equates to roughly 5% of those who illegally entered Texas in fiscal 2023 alone, the highest number on record, The Center Square exclusively reported. Gov. Read More…
Human trafficking is not just a big city problem – it’s happening right here in Montana. Which is why, during National Human Trafficking Prevention Month, I’m encouraging Montanans to learn the signs of human trafficking and report it if they see it. If folks don’t know what it is and how to report it, they Read More…
judge in Gallatin County recently blocked two bills aimed at addressing Montana’s housing crisis, siding with a radical anti-housing interest group. The decision to block Senate Bill 323 and Senate Bill 528 is misguided and unfortunate. These bills passed with overwhelming bipartisan support and were signed into law by Gov. Greg Gianforte. Housing affordability is Read More…
Marcus Lashley, University of Florida They go by many names – pigs, hogs, swine, razorbacks – but whatever you call them, wild pigs (Sus scrofa) are one of the most damaging invasive species in North America. They cause millions of dollars in crop damage yearly and harbor dozens of pathogens that threaten humans and pets, Read More…
Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse, University of Pittsburgh Nearly three-quarters of high school students do not get enough sleep on school nights, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The National Sleep Foundation recommends that teens sleep for eight to 10 hours per night. But various factors hinder this, including early school start times and shifts Read More…
He is a refreshing reminder of all that is good about the Montana we know and love I am supporting Judge Dan Wilson for Montana Supreme Court Justice. If you have a chance to meet him, like I did, you’ll understand why. He is a refreshing reminder of all that is good about the Montana Read More…
Jordan Frith, Clemson University Few objects in the world are more immediately recognizable than the bar code. After all, bar codes are all around us. They’re on the books we buy and the packages that land on our doorsteps. More than 6 billion bar codes are scanned every single day. They’ve become such an accepted Read More…
GLENDIVE, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today welcomed Brixtel Defense to Montana, celebrating the global defense company’s $125 million investment in Dawson County. “Montana is proudly home to over 150 innovative firearms and ammunitions businesses – the highest per capita in the country,” Gov. Gianforte said. “We’re thrilled to welcome Brixtel Defense to Big Sky Read More…
(The Center Square) — Pennsylvania’s influence on national and global energy markets has grown in recent decades, but oil and natural gas advocates warn that could change. The American Petroleum Institute’s annual State of American Energy address focused on production, national security, and improving infrastructure. “We produce more energy than any country in the world,” Read More…
(The Center Square) – A federal judge ordered a California school district to reinstate two teachers who had been placed on administrative leave for not following a gender secrecy policy adopted by administrators without school board or public input. U.S. District Court for Southern California judge Roger Benitez had already issued a preliminary injunction against Read More…
(The Center Square) – The U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security is holding its second hearing next week as part of its efforts to bring impeachment proceedings against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. The hearing will examine the human cost of the border crisis, and witnesses will testify as to how they’ve been Read More…
(The Center Square) – A bill introduced in the Washington State Legislature would ban the sale of new gas-powered small engines and equipment such as leaf blowers, which supporters say would lead to cleaner, quieter alternatives. Critics of House Bill 2051 argue that it could undermine small businesses that rely on them and inappropriately ties state Read More…
(The Center Square) — New Jersey has given labor unions the legal authority to file litigation against companies over alleged labor violations despite claims from business groups that it will result in a slew of lawsuits. The legislation, recently signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy, will allow unions to represent workers or a third party Read More…
(The Center Square) — New York City Mayor Eric Adams is considering a curfew at the city’s homeless shelters amid complaints about migrants shoplifting and wandering neighborhoods begging for money. The Adams administration is considering the plan as the ‘sanctuary’ city continues to wrestle with the influx of tens of thousands of asylum seekers arriving Read More…
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen testified Wednesday at a U.S. House of Representatives impeachment hearing against Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. During the House Committee on Homeland Security hearing, entitled “Havoc in the Heartland: How Secretary Mayorkas’ Failed Leadership Has Impacted the States,” Attorney General Knudsen outlined how Mayorkas’ refusal to Read More…
New data suggests incidence of violent crimes in the state, revealing a notable decline in various criminal activities based on data provided by the Montana Board of Crime Control. The most significant drop was observed in the number of murders, which decreased by 38.6% from 57 cases in 2022 to 35 cases in 2023. This Read More…
In a significant development ahead of the 2024 elections, Montana is witnessing a redrawing of precinct lines for legislative races for the first time in a decade. This adjustment is a consequence of substantial changes in House and Senate district boundaries, prompting counties to meticulously redraw precincts. Connor Fitzpatrick, the elections supervisor for Lewis and Read More…
(The Center Square) – A coalition of more than two dozen state attorneys general have voiced their support for former President Trump after the U.S. Supreme Court announced it would review the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision to remove Trump from the ballot for his connection to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. The state leaders have Read More…
(The Center Square) – The U.S. House Homeland Security Committee will be holding a hearing next week as part of its chairman’s stated plan to impeach U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. Chairman Mark E. Green, R-Tenn., said the Wednesday hearing will be held to evaluate the impacts on the country of” Mayorkas’ Read More…
On a single night in 2022, 582,462 people experienced homelessness in the United States, and numbers are on the rise. Since 2017, there has been a 6% increase in homelessness. About six in 10 of the people experiencing homelessness in 2022 had access to emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, or safe havens, while the remainder Read More…
The U.S. defense budget topped $850 billion in fiscal 2022, more than the combined military spending of the next 10 countries combined. This money goes to fund a wide range of obligations, from operations to payroll for troops and civilian defense personnel. The bulk of the U.S. military budget, however, is spent on contracts with Read More…
(The Center Square) – The Texas economy grew at a much faster rate than nearly all U.S. states in the third quarter in 2023. Texas also surpassed national growth rates in all categories and grew faster than the nation for five quarters in a row, according to U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis data. Real gross Read More…
(The Center Square) – At a community college in suburban Philadelphia, President Joe Biden kicked off his reelection campaign by decrying Donald Trump as a threat to American democracy. “Trump talks about the blood of America being poisoned, echoing the same exact language used in Nazi Germany,” Biden said of his White House predecessor. “He proudly Read More…