(The Center Square) – House Oversight Chair Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., has opened an investigation into the Federal Emergency Management Agency over reports that it discriminated against supporters of Donald Trump. Comer said whistleblower reports suggest anti-Trump discrimination is rampant and has been going on for years. “[O]n the condition of anonymity, a FEMA official Read More…
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has expressed strong support for President-elect Donald Trump’s nomination of former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi as the next U.S. Attorney General. “I served with, and was impressed by, Pam as Florida’s Attorney General,” Jackley said in a statement. “She is an experienced prosecutor who will strengthen the relationship Read More…
The Idaho Army National Guard inducted 10 new honorary unit commanders during a ceremony on Friday, continuing its tradition of fostering strong ties with the community. These honorary commanders, selected from local business, education, and civic leaders, will gain a deeper understanding of the Guard’s mission, policies, and programs. “Our Honorary Unit Commander Program is Read More…
he Montana Department of Commerce announced today that 26 rural safety agencies will receive more than $1.4 million in grant funding to enhance emergency service capabilities in areas experiencing increased tourism. The funding, allocated through the Montana Emergency Tourism Assistance Grant Program (METAP), aims to strengthen public safety across rural communities. “Emergency services are critical Read More…
A bill that would decimate Bozeman’s affordable housing ordinance received overwhelming support in the Montana House of Representatives on Monday. House Bill 259 would prohibit local governments from requiring developers to pay a fee that would go to providing homes at specified prices or for people in specific income levels or from dedicating property for Read More…
BILILNGS — MSU Billings released its spring 2021 enrollment data, which showed an increase in undergraduate student enrollment and graduate degree program enrollment, particularly in healthcare support programs such as clinical rehabilitation, special education in applied behavior analysis, and health administration. At its official 15th class-day count 3,987 students were enrolled with 2,263 at University Campus and 1,724 Read More…
As the number of patients with mental health needs steadily increases, Bozeman Health Deaconess Hospital is adding two rooms dedicated to emergency behavioral health patients. A lack of mental health and substance abuse services were flagged in two recent community health needs assessments, which Bozeman Health does every three years to ascertain where their services Read More…
HELENA — The Gianforte administration is updating a program to distribute at least $44 million in federal rent assistance to Montanans harmed financially by the Covid-19 pandemic – but the money has yet to be authorized by the Legislature. And that money is part of Montana’s total federal share of $200 million for rental assistance, Read More…
Thomas Donohue, the president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce, will reportedly be leaving his role. The chamber is expected to name Suzanne Clark as his successor, according to Axios, which cited people familiar with the matter. Donohue, a longtime confidant of Republican presidents who has been at the Chamber of Commerce since 1976, faced criticism Read More…
Tesla announced Monday it has bought $1.5 billion worth of bitcoin. In a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the company said it bought the bitcoin for “more flexibility to further diversify and maximize returns on our cash.” Tesla also said it will start accepting payments in bitcoin in exchange for its products “subject to applicable Read More…
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon is pushing to build up the state’s economic recovery through proposals and initiatives that he said would add value to the agriculture, tourism, and energy sectors. Taking an “all the above” approach, Gordon said he would seek to further bolster Wyoming’s energy and mining sectors. The governor supports bills allowing severance Read More…
A New York judge issued a restraining order Friday afternoon that prohibits the state from imposing its 10 p.m. curfew on dozens of restaurants in Erie and Monroe counties. The order, which took effect immediately, comes 10 days after about 90 Erie County establishments filed a lawsuit challenging a Cuomo administration order that directs establishments to Read More…
SEATTLE (Reuters) – Freed from his daily obligations at Amazon.com Inc, Jeff Bezos is expected to turn up the heat on his space venture, Blue Origin, as it faces a pivotal year and fierce competition from Elon Musk’s SpaceX, industry sources said. The 57-year-old Bezos, a lifelong space enthusiast and the world’s second-richest person behind Read More…
PIERRE | Gov. Kristi Noem’s proposal to put $50 million toward a need-based scholarship endowment cleared its first test in the Legislature on Monday. South Dakota is the only state without a significant scholarship endowment for low-income students. Noem wants to create a $200 million fund by combining the state money with $150 million Read More…
The North Dakota Legislature has held its regular sessions every other year since statehood, but backers of a bipartisan bill say it’s time to change that. Lawmakers for decades have consistently rebuffed attempts to hold annual regular sessions, arguing that doing so would grow government and turn lawmaking into a full-time job. But advocates Read More…
At least four bills that would specifically regulate public health orders have been introduced in the Wyoming Legislature this session. The tenor of the proposals ranges from broad legislative oversight of public health orders to more minor specifications regarding timing and executive approval. Several of the bills are similar but propose different degrees Read More…
The Wyoming Republican party on Saturday voted to censure Congresswoman Liz Cheney over her vote to impeach former President Trump. Cheney, the third-ranking Republican in the House, said Saturday that her vote to impeach was “compelled by the oath I swore to the Constitution.” The Wyoming GOP approved a censure resolution by a vote of 56 to 8. Read More…
It’s been a whirlwind first month in office for Montana Governor Greg Gianforte. The Bozeman businessman inherited the Treasure State’s highest office in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the early stages of vaccine distribution. One of his first acts repealed pandemic-related capacity and curfew restrictions on businesses across Montana, and he said the state’s mask Read More…
Former Montana Gov. Steve Bullock has a new gig in politics. Bullock was one of three Democrats named as co-chairs to lead American Bridge 21st Century, a group aiming to support President Joe Biden’s agenda and maintain Democrats’ slim majorities in the U.S. House and Senate in the 2022 midterm elections, according to The Washington Post. Read More…
BILLINGS – As marijuana becomes legal in Montana with certain guidelines, there’s new concern among law enforcement roughly one month since the measure took hold. That’s because in a state already plagued by a drunk driving epidemic, new projections coming from the Montana Department of Justice show that DUI’s could increase due to marijuana use. Read More…
GALLATIN COUNTY — Body-worn cameras on law enforcement officers are becoming more and more common across the country. In a three-part series, MTN’s Gaby Krevat talks to a few Montana agencies leading the charge on body-worn cameras; a Montana city preparing to invest in the technology, and civil rights and racial equity advocates to hear Read More…
A bill would legalize marijuana for recreational use in North Dakota — but with some restrictions. House Bill 1420 would allow recreational weed to be sold at dispensaries, where medical marijuana is already available for those who qualify in the state. Under the legislation, those 21 and older could purchase or possess an ounce or less and Read More…
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) – A bill introduced in the South Dakota Legislature Wednesday would require student athletes across the state to sign a document stating their biological sex. It would also limit who can play in girls and women’s sports. House Bill 1217 is being called ‘an act to promote continued fairness in women’s sports.’ Read More…
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – Twelve North Dakota communities will be receiving upgrades, thanks to the Main Street Initiative Vibrancy Grant. Grant funding goes to nonprofit organizations and local governments to work on projects that will make the city more vibrant. The North Dakota Department of Commerce selected Bismarck as a recipient of the funding to Read More…
Congressional Democrats and Joe Biden made the $15 minimum wage a key part of their 2020 platform. But it’s now at risk of exclusion or being watered down in Biden’s coronavirus package, a potential letdown for progressives who have fought for years to raise wages. Democrats’ first obstacle: The plan to include it in their Read More…
White House climate czar John Kerry traveled to Iceland by private jet in 2019 to accept an environmental award and defended his transportation choice to a reporter at the time by calling it, “the only choice for somebody like me.” Kerry flew to Iceland in October, 2019 to receive the Arctic Circle award, an iceberg sculpture, for Read More…
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on Thursday that she and financial market regulators needed to “understand deeply” what happened in the trading frenzy involving GameStop Corp and other retail stocks in recent days before taking any action. READ FULL STORY
Dr. Anthony Fauci warned Americans on Wednesday that large Super Bowl parties could turn into “super-spreader” events for COVID-19. During an interview on the Today show, the chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden and the director of the National Institute for Allergies and Infectious Diseases urged football fans to keep gatherings small for Sunday’s game. Read More…
A long-standing real estate company has changed ownership after 61 years. The announcement was made Wednesday afternoon that Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Floberg Real Estate has been sold. Charles and Beth Smith became the owners on Jan. 1, 2021. READ FULL STORY
An environmental law firm has appealed a federal district court judge’s decision to dismiss its lawsuit challenging three timber projects in southwest Montana. John Meyer, attorney for the Cottonwood Environmental Law Center, filed an appeal with the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals last Friday over a district court judge’s decision not to block Read More…
HELENA — The two Republican members of Montana’s congressional delegation have introduced bills to reverse President Biden’s decision to halt construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline. And, the delegation’s only Democrat – U.S. Sen. Jon Tester – wrote a letter this week to the president, asking him to reconsider his order canceling Keystone’s cross-border permit. Read More…
KALISPELL — The Flathead County Sheriff’s Office reports they are still searching for Nassem Ali Saleh Mohammed who illegally crossed the United States and Canadian border on the weekend of Jan. 23. Flathead Sheriff Brian Heino said Mohammed was taken into the custody of the Border Patrol in Whitefish, as the patrol agents were scanning Mohammed’s Read More…
BILLINGS, Mont.- Montana Highway Patrol Captain Keith Edgell said 50% of the deaths on Montana highways this year have involved people driving under the influence. There have been 17 deaths on Montana Highways so far in 2021. There were 209 deaths on Montana Highways in 2020. Ninety-one of those were linked to DUI. “You know, over the Read More…
BOZEMAN — As Montana State continues to search for its head football coach, one coach who had been a part of Jeff Choate’s staff since 2019 is packing his bags and heading to the NFL. MTN confirmed that Erik Frazier, the Bobcats’ wide receivers coach and pass game coordinator, has taken a position with the Read More…
A U.S. federal judge has ruled that Indian Health Service must make a report public, which details how the agency failed to stop pediatrician Stanley Patrick Weber from sexually abusing Native American children for decades, on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota. The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times sued the federal government in April Read More…
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) -Some South Dakota voters are filing ethics complaints with the South Dakota Secretary of State’s office. The complaints have to do with a text message sent out last Wednesday, targeting a Republican lawmaker from Rapid City who is the sponsor of a bill that would require the governor to release the amount Read More…
Uber on Tuesday announced an agreement to buy Drizly, a Boston-based alcohol delivery startup, for $1.1 billion in cash and stock. Why it matters: This could represent a strategic departure for Uber, in that Drizly doesn’t hire delivery drivers itself. Instead, it provides the backend infrastructure for local liquor stores to provide their own delivery services. Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — The Missoula City Council agreed to sign the city on to an interlocal agreement with Missoula County, Bozeman and Helena to hire a green tariff consultant. A green tariff is a rate, not a tax, offered to people who want to opt into receiving 100% clean, renewable energy. The consultant will help leaders Read More…
HELENA, Mont. — Montana House lawmakers voted to advance a bill that would protect businesses and health care providers from coronavirus-related lawsuits. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte endorsed the bill last week, saying it was necessary to remove a statewide mask mandate put in place by his Democratic predecessor. READ FULL STORY
(Bloomberg) — Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez detailed the moment she feared for her life during the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, disclosing that she’s the survivor of a past sexual assault to drive home her accusation that some Republicans have been dismissive of her trauma. The New York Democrat described on Monday her growing Read More…
Backers of an effort to recall Gov. Gavin Newsom are still collecting signatures, but rivals are already announcing their intention to run. Former San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer plans to challenge the governor if the recall qualifies for the ballot this year, or in 2022 if it does not. In an interview with The Times, Read More…
Jalina Porter, who has been named deputy spokesperson for the U.S. State Department under President Biden, once wrote that the largest threat to U.S. national security may be a domestic one. In a 2016 Facebook post, Porter wrote that U.S. cops posed the largest national security threat, greater than that of both Russian hackers and ISIS, because of killings Read More…
Bryan Moss could be the luckiest man in Idaho. The dad from Meridian just won the lottery – for the sixth time. Moss won the Idaho Lottery Scratch Game $250,000 Crossword on Thursday, the lottery said in a press release. Moss plays the lottery regularly because it benefits Idaho schools. Since 1989, the Idaho Lottery has Read More…
With the Wolverine State going live last week, five states now offer licensed and regulated online poker – Nevada, New Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Michigan. If State Rep. Jim Kasper has anything to say about it, North Dakota will be added to the list. Earlier this month, Kasper, a Republican who has represented District 46 (Fargo) since 2001, has introduced House Read More…