The U.S. economy added 177,000 jobs in April, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday, surpassing Wall Street expectations and extending a run of stronger-than-forecast hiring that has characterized the labor market in early 2026. The headline number bested the consensus estimate among economists surveyed by Bloomberg, continuing what the White House described as a Read More…
A former state senator has publicly identified herself for the first time as the source of a confidential 2018 sexual harassment complaint against state Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, directly challenging his recent claims that allegations against him are part of a politically motivated smear campaign. Jennifer Gross disclosed Friday in a post on her Substack Read More…
Government programs often spiral out of control, harming the very people they were supposed to help. Obamacare was full of such perversities. The most obvious are skyrocketing prices caused by a law that claims to make care “affordable.” While fixing the structure requires action by Congress, the Trump administration has gone into the policy weeds Read More…
The final decision reverses a Biden-era authorization that allowed non-production bison to graze on more than 63,000 acres of federal land, ending a four-year legal and political fight by Montana’s governor, attorney general, and congressional delegation. The Bureau of Land Management issued a final decision canceling the American Prairie Reserve’s bison grazing permits on more Read More…
(The Center Square) – Advocates are calling for justices on the U.S. Supreme Court to clarify federal laws regarding climate change lawsuits. The Maryland Supreme Court on Tuesday blocked a lawsuit from Baltimore, Annapolis and Anne Arundel County seeking large damages from fossil fuel companies. The government entities claimed the companies misled the public in Read More…
For most of my career in public education, school choice was treated as a partisan issue. I served more than two decades as a public school teacher and school leader. During that time, I sat across the table from dozens of families whose children were struggling in the traditional school environment. Sometimes the issue was Read More…
South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden has signed five bills into law aimed at supporting agriculture and rural communities, including a measure to expand broadband infrastructure in underserved areas. Among the bills signed was House Bill 1048, which provides an appropriation for the expansion of broadband access, a priority Rhoden said is critical to strengthening opportunities Read More…
Attorney General Austin Knudsen praised the Helena City Commission after it voted Thursday night to rescind its immigration resolution, calling the move the right step to keep the community safe. “The commissioners made the right decision voting to keep the Helena community safe,” Knudsen said in a statement. “This resolution should never have been passed Read More…
The president on Thursday signed into law three measures authorizing the awarding of the Medal of Honor to U.S. service members for acts of valor in combat. Among the bills signed was H.R. 3377, which authorizes the president to award the Medal of Honor to James Capers Jr. for his actions while serving in the Read More…
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines is urging swift confirmation of Katie Lane to the U.S. District Court for the District of Montana, calling her a principled, Montana-rooted attorney who would bring integrity and constitutional focus to the federal bench. Lane, a Bozeman native and nominee of Donald Trump, appeared this week before the Senate Judiciary Committee Read More…
Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador has joined a coalition of 24 states in urging a federal appeals court to block a lower court order that could expand access to gender transition surgeries for prison inmates. The coalition, led alongside Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, filed an amicus curiae brief with the United States Court of Read More…
U.S. Sen. Tim Sheehy has introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at expanding access to cutting-edge medical treatments for veterans, particularly those suffering from mental health conditions such as PTSD and depression. The proposal, known as the Veterans Health Administration Novel Therapeutics Preparedness Act, seeks to ensure the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is equipped to evaluate Read More…
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte toured two Flathead Valley firearms manufacturers this week, promoting the state’s growing role as a hub for firearms and ammunition production and emphasizing support for Second Amendment-related businesses. During stops in Kalispell, Gianforte visited Invader Concepts and FALKOR Defense, two Montana-based companies producing firearm accessories and precision weapons systems, respectively. “Across Read More…
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon has decided not to move forward with the removal of Hot Springs County Commissioners Paul Galovich and Robert Aguiar after reviewing a complaint filed by county electors and information gathered through investigations by both the governor’s office and the Wyoming Attorney General. The complaint, filed Sept. 10, 2025, by six qualified Read More…
“What is conservatism?” asked President Abraham Lincoln. “Is it not adherence to the old and the tried, against the new and the untried?” Defining conservatism is not an easy task. Even before the election of President Donald Trump, fierce debates existed within the conservative movement. President Trump’s rise has intensified those debates over what it Read More…
America’s small business owners pulled back slightly on their optimism in February, according to the latest data from the National Federation of Independent Business, with the group’s Small Business Optimism Index dipping to 98.8 — a modest retreat that nonetheless offered some encouraging signs beneath the headline number. The reading, which fell below the index’s Read More…
While Wall Street has been gripped by a broad selloff in 2026, one corner of the market has been quietly — and in some cases loudly — thriving. Energy stocks have emerged as the standout performers of the year, riding a wave of elevated oil prices, geopolitical tension, and a flight to safety that has Read More…
Federal Reserve Vice Chair Philip Jefferson issued a stark warning this week about the economic risks posed by surging energy prices, telling audiences that a sustained rise in oil and gas costs could simultaneously stoke inflation and drag on economic growth — a combination that would put the central bank in an increasingly difficult position. Read More…
Bank of America has agreed to pay $72.5 million to settle a federal class-action lawsuit accusing the bank of helping facilitate Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking operation — becoming the latest major financial institution to face accountability for its ties to the disgraced financier. Details of the settlement were presented Friday to U.S. District Judge Jed Read More…
It has been one of the most jarring weeks in recent memory for Micron Technology (Nasdaq: MU) shareholders — a story of blockbuster results overshadowed by a perfect storm of bad news. Micron released its fiscal second-quarter results on March 18, and they were nothing short of spectacular. Revenue nearly tripled year-over-year to $23.9 billion, Read More…
Microsoft is taking over a major AI data center expansion project in Abilene, Texas, after OpenAI decided not to move forward with the additional buildout, signaling a continued shift as the two companies increasingly pursue separate strategies in artificial intelligence infrastructure. Developer Crusoe said it is now working with Microsoft to construct two new “AI Read More…
The U.S. Department of the Treasury announced plans to include President Donald Trump’s signature on future U.S. paper currency, marking what officials say will be the first time a sitting president’s signature appears on American banknotes. The change is being made in recognition of the nation’s upcoming 250th anniversary, also known as the Semiquincentennial, with Read More…
The North Dakota Department of Commerce has opened applications for the state’s Legacy Investment for Technology, or LIFT, loan program, with submissions due April 23. State officials said the program continues to play a key role in helping North Dakota companies commercialize intellectual property and expand innovation-driven businesses across the state. “We are grateful to Read More…
U.S. Attorney Ron Parsons and South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced new coordinated efforts to combat government fraud during a joint press conference Thursday in Sioux Falls. The two offices emphasized a shared commitment to protecting taxpayer dollars, ensuring public funds reach intended recipients, and prosecuting individuals who defraud state, federal, or tribal programs. Read More…
It has been a week of mixed signals for Constellation Energy (Nasdaq: CEG), the nation’s largest nuclear power operator. A string of setbacks — regulatory delays, a major asset sale, a director departure, and a price target cut — weighed on shares even as analysts maintained an overwhelmingly bullish long-term outlook on the Baltimore-based company. Read More…
A federal appeals court has overturned a $16.1 billion judgment against Argentina tied to the nationalization of energy company YPF, delivering a major legal victory for the South American country and its government. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on Friday reversed a 2023 ruling that had ordered Argentina to compensate former Read More…
Golfer Tiger Woods was arrested Friday after a rollover crash near his home on Jupiter Island, Florida, in what authorities said was his second DUI-related arrest and at least the fourth high-profile auto incident of his career. According to authorities, Woods showed signs of impairment after his Land Rover struck another vehicle and rolled over. Read More…
The Montana Historical Society is accepting nominations for the 37th Montana Statehood Centennial Bell Award, which recognizes an outstanding schoolteacher for excellence in teaching Montana history. This year’s award will honor a teacher in grades 7 through 12 who has demonstrated exceptional work teaching Montana history during the 2025-26 school year. Nominations must be submitted Read More…
The Department of War announced a refined strategy this week designed to help the agency achieve a clean audit opinion by fiscal year 2028, marking what officials described as a significant step in strengthening financial accountability and reporting. The updated approach was outlined in a joint memo from the Office of the Under Secretary of Read More…
House Speaker Mike Johnson sharply criticized Democrats following a House vote on funding for the Department of Homeland Security, accusing them of prioritizing immigration-related policies over national security and public safety. Johnson’s remarks came after what he described as the third vote in which a bipartisan majority of House members supported funding DHS operations, while Read More…
Bozeman-based Texbase Inc. has announced the release of a new platform capability designed to streamline product compliance reporting for consumer brands and retailers. The new feature, Texbase for eFiling, allows companies to prepare and submit certified product data directly to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Product Registry, integrating compliance data, testing results, and certification Read More…
Montana Knife Company has opened a new 51,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Missoula, marking a major expansion for the fast-growing knife maker and underscoring its commitment to American-based production and job creation. The new headquarters represents the company’s third phase of growth since its founding in 2020 and significantly increases its production capacity while allowing the Read More…
State officials are inviting public input on a proposed overhaul of Montana’s workforce development strategy, aimed at better aligning education, job training, and industry needs across the state. The Montana State Workforce Innovation Board is seeking comment on proposed updates to the state’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) plan, part of a broader effort Read More…
U.S. stocks closed the week with mixed results, as gains in large-cap technology companies helped offset broader weakness across financials, energy, and industrial sectors. The S&P 500 finished little changed for the week, while the Nasdaq Composite posted modest gains, supported by continued strength in artificial intelligence and semiconductor names. The Dow Jones Industrial Average Read More…
(The Center Square) – The majority of voters across the country support state bans on transgender athletes competing in girls’ and women’s sports, according to The Center Square Voters’ Voice Poll. The Voters’ Voice Poll found that 68% of registered voters support allowing the Supreme Court to uphold state bans on transgender women competing in Read More…
(The Center Square) – With the ongoing partial government shutdown now the second-longest in American history, irritated Republicans are berating Senate Democrats, who for the fifth time Friday blocked the advance of the Department of Homeland Security funding bill. The failed vote highlighted how firmly Democrats are entrenched in their opposition to any fiscal year Read More…
The high-stakes partnership between Microsoft and OpenAI is showing fresh signs of strain after reports that Microsoft is weighing legal action over a massive cloud agreement between OpenAI and Amazon. According to a report cited this week, Microsoft is considering whether a reported $50 billion deal involving Amazon Web Services and OpenAI could violate its Read More…
U.S. stocks fell again this week, extending Wall Street’s losing streak to four straight weeks as rising oil prices, stubborn inflation concerns and fading hopes for near-term Federal Reserve rate cuts pushed investors into a more defensive posture. By Friday’s close, the S&P 500 had fallen 1.9% for the week, while the Dow Jones Industrial Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is accusing Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen of trying to mislead voters with a new ad in the increasingly heated Republican primary for Montana’s 1st Congressional District, as the fight over President Donald Trump’s backing becomes a central issue in the race. Jacobsen’s latest ad has drawn criticism from Flint Read More…
The Trump administration on Friday rolled out a sweeping national legislative framework for artificial intelligence, outlining a broad federal agenda aimed at boosting U.S. competitiveness, protecting free speech, supporting families and securing American leadership in the global AI race. The White House said the framework is designed to give Congress a roadmap for tackling the Read More…
The U.S. Senate has passed Sen. Tim Sheehy’s bipartisan VA Home Loan Awareness Act as part of the broader 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act, marking an early legislative win for the freshman Montana senator. The bill, which Sheehy introduced as his first piece of legislation in the Senate, is aimed at helping more veterans Read More…
Congressman Ryan Zinke traveled to Bozeman and Seeley Lake to mark the delivery of more than $11.1 million in federal funding for water infrastructure and law enforcement projects in Gallatin, Beaverhead and Missoula counties. The funding is part of more than $35 million Zinke secured for Montana in the fiscal year 2026 appropriations process. The Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a 24-state coalition urging the Trump administration to investigate the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the National Science Foundation, and to cut off federal grant funding tied to a climate science chapter used in a judicial reference manual. In a letter sent this month to Read More…
First Interstate and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines are providing $700,000 in combined support to 34 nonprofit organizations across South Dakota, expanding funding for groups working on some of the state’s most pressing community needs. The total includes a $200,000 contribution from First Interstate, matched up to three times through FHLB Des Read More…