For some students, earning an undergraduate degree can create financial pressure to enter the workforce immediately, putting graduate school – and the specialized knowledge, research experience and expanded career opportunities an advanced degree can provide – seemingly out of reach. In this MSU file photo, a student works in a lab in MSU’s Norm Asbjornson Read More…
WHITEFISH—Republican congressional nominee Aaron Flint and Flathead County Sheriff Brian Heino joined local residents in Whitefish on Friday for a rally supporting Border Patrol and local law enforcement, while Flint used the event to criticize Democratic opponent Sam Forstag’s lobbying record on immigration and criminal-justice issues. The gathering drew roughly 40 people near the Whitefish Read More…
WASHINGTON—The federal government is putting greater emphasis on investing, digital finance and fraud prevention as part of an updated national strategy aimed at improving Americans’ financial knowledge and decision-making. The Financial Literacy and Education Commission released its 2026 update to the U.S. National Strategy for Financial Literacy, establishing four priority areas: youth financial capability, saving Read More…
WASHINGTON—Montana Sen. Tim Sheehy is calling for greater congressional scrutiny of former special counsel Jack Smith as lawmakers consider changes to the rules governing secret government demands for private records. Sheehy’s comments follow disclosures from the Senate Judiciary Committee’s investigation of Arctic Frost, the federal inquiry that ultimately became part of Smith’s investigation of President Read More…
An intense manhunt is underway following a deadly shooting at The Owl Bar in Anaconda, Montana, on Friday morning, August 1, 2025, in which four people were fatally shot. Authorities have identified the suspect as 45-year-old Michael Paul Brown, a former U.S. Army soldier and local resident who reportedly lived next door to the bar. Read More…
The North Dakota Department of Commerce announced today that six companies have been approved for a total of $2.16 million in loan funds through the North Dakota Development Fund, Inc. NDDF) during the second quarter of 2025. The loans target key sectors including child care, technology, and value-added agriculture across multiple communities in the state. Read More…
(The Center Square) – Congress has created several programs to allow illegal border crossers claiming to be minors to remain in the U.S. Despite years of documented abuse of the programs, Congress continues to fund them to the tune of billions of dollars. One is the failed unaccompanied minor program, with decades of documented reports Read More…
Montana’s unemployment rate held steady at a remarkably low 2.8% in June, marking the ninth consecutive month below 3% and extending a historic run of four straight years with unemployment at or below 3.4%, according to Governor Greg Gianforte. “With more Montanans working now than ever before and historically low unemployment, we’re seeing the results Read More…
(The Center Square) – The nation’s largest nurses’ union is blasting Kaiser Permanente for pausing gender-affirming surgeries for patients under 19 starting next month, due to pending litigation and pressure from the Trump administration. “As the legal and regulatory environment for gender-affirming care continues to evolve, we must carefully consider the significant risks being created Read More…
The University of Montana (UM) and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) have announced the creation of the Center for Hunting and Conservation, a pioneering initiative dedicated to advancing science, research, education, and outreach focused on land and wildlife management across the United States. The new center builds on the longstanding partnership between UM’s top-ranked Read More…
The S&P 500 rose 2.3% for the week, its best five-day stretch since early June. The Nasdaq Composite surged 3.1%, driven by blowout results from Alphabet (GOOGL) and Tesla (TSLA), while the Dow Jones Industrial Average added a more modest 1.4%, hampered by lagging industrials and healthcare names. Tech Earnings Deliver — and Then Some Read More…
Sixty-six newly trained law enforcement officers graduated today from the Montana Law Enforcement Academy (MLEA), ready to serve in 35 agencies across the state. The MLEA, a division of the Montana Department of Justice, provides both basic and advanced training to state, county, city, and tribal law enforcement personnel. Attorney General Austin Knudsen was on Read More…
The North Dakota Department of Commerce announced today that two innovative tech companies have been approved to receive a combined $345,000 in funding through the North Dakota Development Fund Inc.’s Angel Match Program (AMP) during the second quarter of 2025. The Angel Match Program is designed to support early-stage, high-growth businesses by matching private angel Read More…
The Idaho Department of Fish and Game, in partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, will begin Phase 1 of a long-term restoration effort in Binarch Creek this summer, aimed at removing non-native brook trout to support the recovery of native westslope cutthroat trout. The removal project, located in North Idaho’s Kootenai National Forest, will use Read More…
The Wyoming Transportation Commission has awarded a $16.43 million emergency contract to address critical repairs in the westbound Green River Tunnel on Interstate 80, following damage to the tunnel’s lining and lighting systems. The contract was approved during the Commission’s regular business meeting on July 17, held virtually via Zoom. Casper Electric Inc., a Wyoming-based Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte has urged Congress to support two joint resolutions aimed at overturning a Biden administration policy that threatens Montana’s coal industry and could cost the state’s public schools over $4 billion in future revenue. In a letter to lawmakers, Gianforte expressed strong backing for Senate Joint Resolution 61 (S.J.Res.61) and House Joint Resolution Read More…
Governor Kelly Armstrong has appointed Andrew Eyre, an experienced prosecutor with over a decade of service in the Grand Forks County State’s Attorney’s Office, to the bench of the Northeast Central Judicial District. The appointment becomes effective August 29. Eyre, who has served as Assistant State’s Attorney for Grand Forks County since 2013, currently leads Read More…
Governor Brad Little has appointed Regina McCrea, a seasoned civil litigator with more than two decades of legal experience, to serve as a district judge in Idaho’s First Judicial District, filling a newly created position chambered in Kootenai County. McCrea, the owner and principal attorney of McCrea Law, has practiced law in North Idaho since Read More…
U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) has introduced bipartisan legislation to end wage discrimination against workers with disabilities and support their transition into competitive, integrated employment. The Transformation to Competitive Integrated Employment Act seeks to phase out the use of subminimum wages for individuals with disabilities—still legal under federal law—and invest in programs that promote inclusive Read More…
Congressman Ryan Zinke (R-MT), former Secretary of the Interior, and Senator Tim Sheehy (R-MT) today unveiled new legislation aimed at shoring up funding for America’s national parks by charging most foreign tourists a dedicated entry fee. Joined by Representative Riley Moore (R-WV) and Senator Jim Banks (R-IN), the group introduced the Protecting America’s Treasures by Read More…
Western Montana Congressman and former U.S. Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke announced a series of major victories for Montana in the Fiscal Year 2026 Interior, Environment, and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill. The legislation, which passed out of full committee markup this week, includes several of Zinke’s top priorities—ranging from rural water infrastructure funding to Read More…
U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) today introduced the Stop Anarchists from Endangering (SAFE) Cities Act, a bill aimed at cutting off federal taxpayer dollars to cities that, in Sheehy’s view, “weaken their police departments, ignore civil unrest, and allow violent criminals to have free rein.” The legislation would require the U.S. Attorney General to identify Read More…
Small business owners across the nation are showing renewed confidence in the economy, according to CNBC’s latest Small Business Survey, coinciding with the implementation of President Donald J. Trump’s landmark One Big Beautiful Bill and his broader pro-growth policies. The survey reveals a significant upswing in optimism: Nearly half of small business owners now rate Read More…
Montanans have a long and proud tradition of insisting that judges serve the law—not political parties, special interests, or ideological causes. But if we want that system to actually mean something, we need more than rules on paper. We need judicial candidates who are honest with voters—especially about their own political histories. Judge Amy Eddy, Read More…
President Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill is a tremendous win for Montana. It will spur economic growth, strengthen border security as well as expand Montana’s energy sector and provide much-needed funding for our military. And thanks to the diligent work of the entire Montana congressional delegation, we defeated attempts to sell our public lands. Nearly every Read More…
BOZEMAN — Two graduate students at Montana State University recently gave presentations at an international conference on a unique carbon fiber composite that could one day reduce manufacturing and operational costs of airplanes, helicopters and other flying forms of transportation by making them significantly lighter without compromising their strength. Montana State University masters student Cooper Read More…
(The Center Square) – The Small Business Administration has established a Center for Faith as well as eliminated the Biden regulation that banned faith organizations from receiving disaster relief. The Small Business Administration (SBA) is a cabinet-level federal agency intended to provide “counseling, capital, and contracting expertise” for small businesses, according to its website. The Read More…
North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong testified before the U.S. Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, calling on lawmakers to maintain strong federal funding for transportation infrastructure, provide greater flexibility to states, and enact permitting reforms to accelerate project delivery and reduce costs. Speaking on behalf of the National Governors Association during a hearing titled Read More…
North Dakota Governor Kelly Armstrong joined former President Donald Trump at the White House today for the official signing of the HALT Fentanyl Act, landmark legislation aimed at cracking down on the trafficking of deadly fentanyl analogues. Armstrong, who co-sponsored an earlier version of the bill during his tenure in Congress, praised the measure for Read More…
The State of Idaho wrapped up its fiscal year on June 30 with a balanced budget and an impressive $345 million surplus, according to updated revenue figures released today by the Division of Financial Management. The report confirms the state’s continued streak of strong fiscal health, powered by conservative budgeting, steady economic expansion, and record Read More…
The J.R. Simplot Company and Clarebout Potatoes announced this week Simplot’s intention to acquire the operating business of Clarebout, in a move that unites two family-owned leaders in the frozen potato industry. The transaction, expected to close in 2025 pending regulatory approvals, will significantly expand Simplot’s footprint in Europe and enhance its global processing and Read More…
KRAMBU, Inc., a sustainable high-performance computing infrastructure company, announced this week the development of a next-generation AI data center campus in Montana—what the company is calling the world’s most sustainable “AI Factory.” The project is designed to redefine the future of artificial intelligence infrastructure by integrating direct liquid cooling (DLC) technology, renewable energy sources, and Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte and Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) Commissioner Sarah Swanson announced a $4 million federal grant to establish Montana’s first registered teacher apprenticeship program, a major step toward strengthening the state’s education workforce and addressing critical teacher shortages, particularly in rural and underserved areas. “Preparing the next generation of Montana’s workforce and Read More…
(The Center Square) – Across the country, federal agents are arresting members of the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) U.S.-Salvadoran transnational gang designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration. In January, President Donald Trump issued an executive order directing transnational gangs and cartels to be designated as foreign terrorist organizations. In February, eight were Read More…
The “One Big Beautiful Bill” (OBBB) passed by Congress and signed by President Trump is a game changer that will benefit middle-income, working-class Montanans. Yet Montana Senate Minority Leader Pat Flowers (Montana’s top Democrat) said “I just think it is a betrayal of working Montanans and Americans,” mirroring national Democrats’ political talking points. One must Read More…
(The Center Square) – Sunday marks the first anniversary of the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump during a campaign rally in Butler, Pa. Despite the life-altering milestone, the president appears to be keeping it quiet. After touring the devastation in Texas on Friday along with First Lady Melania Trump, the first couple is scheduled Read More…
Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder today announced the appointment and reappointment of three distinguished individuals to the Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board: Steve Lupien, Jill Bramlet, and Joe Feiler. “Steve, Jill, and Joe are all independently qualified charter school advocates,” Superintendent Degenfelder said. “Each brings unique and exceptional expertise to the board through Read More…
Texas State Senator Angela Paxton filed for divorce Thursday from her husband, Attorney General Ken Paxton, ending nearly four decades of marriage between two prominent Republican political figures. The filing, made in Collin County, cites adultery and irreconcilable differences as grounds for the split. Angela Paxton publicly confirmed the divorce on the social media platform Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a 23-state coalition in a federal court case defending parental rights after a Delaware father alleged that school officials violated his constitutional rights by concealing his child’s gender identity decisions from him. The coalition filed an amicus brief Monday in Heaps v. Delaware Valley Regional High School Board Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte continued his 56 County Tour today with a stop in Chouteau County, where he held a ceremonial bill signing for legislation aimed at strengthening Montana’s water rights system and improving water administration across the state. Standing along the banks of the Missouri River, the governor was joined by Department of Natural Resources Read More…
(The Center Square) – Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown proposed several measures on Monday to “jumpstart” the city’s affordable housing supply with hopes of building more than 22,000 units by 2046. The proposals build on Brown’s H.O.M.E. Starts Here initiative, which the Spokane City Council passed last month as part of her overhaul of the local homelessness Read More…
(The Center Square) – As lawmakers begin crafting the 12 annual appropriations bills to fund the federal government in fiscal year 2026, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has implied that his party will refuse to cooperate in the process if Republicans revoke billions in funding from previous years. The Senate is set to vote Read More…
Travelers heading to Montana this summer may face sticker shock at the rental car counter. Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) has been named the most expensive airport in the country for car rentals, according to a new survey from travel website Cheapcarrental.com. The survey, which analyzed rental rates across 100 U.S. airports for the peak Read More…
Governor Brad Little and Lieutenant Governor Scott Bedke welcomed top officials from the Trump administration to Idaho this week for a wildfire preparedness roundtable and the Governor’s annual trail ride, bringing together state, federal, and local leaders to coordinate efforts ahead of the 2025 wildfire season. The visit included senior leaders from the U.S. Department Read More…