(The Center Square) – Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan and sports broadcaster Michele Tafoya are neck and neck in the most-recent polling of Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race. Flanagan, a Democrat, leads Tafoya 44.8% to 43.3%, according to the average of the four most-recent polls compiled by 270toWin. There is a wider gap in the Minnesota gubernatorial Read More…
(The Center Square) – Fraud could cost federal taxpayers as much as $521 billion annually, according to a Foundation for Government Accountability report citing a federal estimate. The report estimates that improper payments by the federal government have totaled about $3 trillion since 2003. Liesel Crocker, the report’s author and senior research fellow at FGA, spoke with Read More…
HELENA—Gov. Greg Gianforte has named Larry Flynn director oAll Postsf the Montana Department of Transportation, elevating a longtime agency official who has spent more than three decades working for the department. Flynn replaces outgoing Director Chris Dorrington and takes over one of Montana’s largest state agencies, with more than 2,000 employees and an annual budget Read More…
MINNEAPOLIS—Laura Vedder has been appointed assistant vice president in Treasury Services at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, expanding her leadership role at the bank less than two years after joining the organization. In the new position, Vedder is responsible for Treasury Services’ compliance and risk program, including vendor management and Treasury-specific compliance efforts. She Read More…
Donald Trump Jr., the eldest son of President Donald Trump, decided against running for an open Senate seat in Wyoming in 2020, according to Politico. In an article detailing the political futures of the Trump family, specifically that of White House advisor Ivanka Trump, who is thought of as a potential Republican challenger to GOP Sen. Marco Rubio Read More…
HELENA — It’s been more than three years since the last store in Helena’s Capital Hill Mall closed its doors, and nearly two years since the former mall building was demolished. Now, the first new construction at the site is getting underway. Contractors are currently putting up the frame for a new building south of Read More…
HELENA, Mont. – Representative Matt Rosendale announced his support for two proposed amendments to the U.S. Constitution Thursday. The first amendment, H.J. Res. 12, would amend the Constitution to establish term limits for members of Congress. You can read the proposed amendment here. READ FULL STORY
BOZEMAN — A Montana State University nursing instructor has been recognized for her outstanding contributions made to professional nursing. Leesha Ford, clinical nursing instructor on the College of Nursing’s Bozeman campus, received the Distinguished Nurse of the Year award. The statewide award, which was founded in honor of nurse Trudy Malone, is given annually by the Montana Read More…
(CNN)A Montana Highway Patrol trooper is being praised for his heroic actions after pulling a driver from her submerged vehicle in the icy Yellowstone River Thursday. Trooper Connor Wager entered the near-freezing water after responding to a rollover crash south of the town of Emigrant, the Montana Highway Patrol said on Twitter. “After arriving on scene, Read More…
BILLINGS — Montana could be on the cusp of achieving something that has never happened before in U.S. history. In early March, state officials expect to find out if Montana’s population has grown enough to warrant a second seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. If that happens, it will be a first. “If we Read More…
Fast-food workers in 15 cities around the country will be walking out Friday in a strike for the federal government to increase the national minimum wage to $15 an hour. The strike is being organized by Fight for $15 and a union. “Fast-food workers are going on strike January 15, on what would be MLK’s 92nd Read More…
The new $1.9 trillion ‘rescue plan’ introduced by President-elect Joe Biden includes an additional $1,400 in direct payment to Americans. “We will finish the job of getting a total of $2,000 in cash relief to people who need it the most,” Biden said at an event in Delaware on Thursday evening. “The $600 already appropriated is simply Read More…
Washington, D.C., was quiet and state capitals across the country reported a few small protests Sunday as cities beefed up security and locked down capitol buildings for fear of widespread and violent protests. Small groups of demonstrators, some holding guns and rifles, gathered at several of the state capitol buildings that had been fortified and surrounded by Read More…
The Wyoming Highway Patrol says it’s prepared should any violence erupt at the Wyoming State Capitol next week. The FBI has warned of possible armed protests across the U.S. in the days leading up to President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, but WHP spokesman Sgt. Jeremy Beck says they’re “not anticipating” things to “go south.” READ FULL STORY
A House bill that would allow concealed carry on university campuses is a step closer to passage after receiving an initial vote of approval in front of the full chamber. The discussion and the 67-33 vote was along party lines, with Republicans speaking in favor of expanding concealed carry and Democrats opposing to it Read More…
GREAT FALLS — The powerful winds that rocked most of Montana on Wednesday caused widespread damage – tipping semi trucks, toppling trees, ripping roofs, and more. The National Weather Service in Great Falls said: “This is an extreme wind event even for this area.” The NWS said that three locations set new January wind speed Read More…
(Bloomberg) — While the jury is still out on whether Bitcoin is a bubble, one thing is certain: it’s unlike any other bubble we’ve seen. Previous speculative asset-inflation episodes were either a one-off, like tulip mania in the 17th century, or the boom-doom cycle took many years, like gold. Bitcoin, by comparison, has survived three Read More…
(CNN) — They’re watching you, wherever you walk. They know exactly where you pause, when you slow down and speed up, and they count you in and out of the city. What’s more, they’re tracking your phone, so they can tell exactly how many people from your country or region are in which area, at which Read More…
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) claimed without evidence during an hour-long Instagram post Tuesday that Southern states are not “red states,” but rather “suppressed states” that need to be liberated to “heal” America. “That’s what we got to do. We got to organize. And I think what we saw in Georgia is a really good example Read More…
PIERRE, S.D. — An annual report documenting alleged violations of free speech on public university campuses across South Dakota turned up only a single complaint, a grievance over “Hobo Days” as the name of South Dakota State University’s homecoming celebration, according to the state’s Board of Regents. Nathan Lukkes, the Board of Regents’ counsel, presented Read More…
RIVERTON, Wyo. — Have you ever wanted to start your own business? If so, then you’re in luck! Central Wyoming College is teaming up with the University of Wyoming to offer a six-week Entrepreneurial Essentials Course starting on January 29 that will provide Wyoming residents with the knowledge and tools to become successful entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurial Essentials Read More…
North Dakota activists are gearing up for a push to put marijuana legalization on the state’s 2022 ballot. A measure to allow adults 21 and older to possess and cultivate cannabis for personal use was submitted to Secretary of State Al Jaeger on Monday. If it’s accepted, the campaign will be able to start signature Read More…
CASPER, Wyo. — The Wyoming Legislature convened their 2021 General Session on Tuesday, Jan. 12. Both the Senate and House of Representatives elected new leadership during their respective virtual meetings. Sen. Dan Dockstader was elected new president of the Senate. Dockstader represents Senate District 16, which covers portions of Lincoln, Sublette and Teton County. READ Read More…
BOZEMAN, Mont. – Despite the increase in air travel over the holidays the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) still reported a 43.5% decline in passenger numbers in 2020 compared to the record 2019 year. On a national basis, the Transportation Security Administration reported a 60.7% decline in passenger throughput across 440 U.S. airports. Bozeman Yellowstone Read More…
Fort Worth-based BNSF Railway has proposed a plan to reduce the number of grizzly bears killed by its trains in Montana. In 2019, BNSF trains killed eight grizzlies. That year, one of its locomotives killed a cow and that carcass attracted grizzlies. Two of them died in train collisions and three others were killed by Read More…
GREAT FALLS — It’s not quite time yet, but some Montana school districts have begun planning to administer COVID-19 vaccinations to their teachers and staff when they are available. According to the latest draft of the state’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan, Frontline Essential Workers will receive the vaccine in Phase 1c. The Centers for Disease Control Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. – The Missoula County Commissioners provisionally voted to expand the vape ban five miles beyond city limits in effort to reduce kids’ access to vape products. The ordinance restricts self-service display of tobacco products and prohibits the sale of flavored tobacco products, which are common in e-cigarettes. Right now, over half of Montana Read More…
HELENA — Montana lawmakers heard testimony Tuesday on a bill that would put limits on the governor’s powers during an extended emergency – a response to the orders the previous governor put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. The House State Administration Committee held a hearing on House Bill 122, sponsored by Republican Rep. David Read More…
MENLO PARK, Calif. – Facebook has reportedly sent out an internal memo about employee safety, warning staff to avoid wearing or carrying company branded items in public. According to Business Insider, the Menlo Parked-based social media company sent out the memo on Monday, stating, “In light of recent events, and to err on the side of caution, global Read More…
Travelers will have a new nonstop route this summer to fly between Las Vegas and Wyoming. Allegiant Air will kick off a new nonstop route from Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport to Jackson Hole, Wyoming, starting June 4. To mark the new route, Allegiant is offering one-way rates starting at $49. “We’re thrilled to announce Read More…
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – A Kansas woman was executed Wednesday for strangling an expectant mother in Missouri and cutting the baby from her womb, the first time in nearly seven decades that the U.S. government has put to death a female inmate. Lisa Montgomery, 52, was pronounced dead at 1:31 a.m. after receiving a lethal injection at the federal Read More…
Sheldon Adelson, who rose from selling newspapers on Boston street corners at age 12 to one of the most successful luxury resort developers, philanthropists and political influencers of his generation, died Monday night at his home in Malibu, California. He was 87. Adelson founded and served as chairman and CEO of Las Vegas Sands Corp., Read More…
In times of social crises in America, big tech billionaires are often amongst the first to speak up—though how they do so varies. Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, unlike many of his peers, didn’t directly speak about the riot that erupted in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday afternoon. But the second-richest man in the world Read More…
CARSON CITY — A Las Vegas assemblyman investigated by police over allegations of misused campaign funds has resigned from his seat in the state Legislature. Gov. Steve Sisolak’s spokeswoman confirmed in an email Tuesday that Sisolak’s office had received a letter of resignation from Democratic Assemblyman Alexander Assefa, who represents District 42 in the Spring Read More…
BOISE, Idaho (KBOI) — A man from Boise, Idaho who was photographed dropping down into the U.S. Senate chamber from the gallery during Wednesday’s riot at the Capitol has apologized for his actions. Photos from Wednesday’s siege of the U.S. Capitol building showed Josiah Colt climbing down the balcony onto the Senate floor. KBOI-TV News has Read More…
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – January is Human Trafficking awareness month. Since 2016, 31:8 Project has worked with the North Dakota Human Trafficking Task Force to help 514 people connect with resources. One survivor shared her story publicly for the first time. Human trafficking can happen to anyone. Nikki Blowers walked these very streets hoping to Read More…
More North Dakotans are participating in the medical marijuana program than the state Department of Health expected. “We have just under 4,400 patients that have a medical marijuana card,” Medical Marijuana Division Director Jason Wahl told Prairie Public. He had earlier projected about 4,000 patients by the summer of 2021, based on the experience in Delaware, Read More…
CHEYENNE — Governor Mark Gordon signed an Executive Order (EO) December 21 that will prevent large increases in Unemployment Insurance (UI) taxes for businesses that were directly impacted by the statewide health orders enacted to slow the spread of COVID-19. The Department of Workforce Services (DWS) is removing UI benefit charges from the UI policies for Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — Gallatin County is working to get an interim sheriff in place after Gov. Greg Gianforte nominated Brian Gootkin to lead the Montana Department of Corrections. Gootkin had served 27 years with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office. READ FULL STORY
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines called Twitter’s Friday ban of President Donald Trump “censorship,” and demanded in a letter to the social media giant that the account be reinstated. Daines, a Montana Republican and Trump ally, said the move to ban a public official from the platform eliminates Americans’ access to important information and hinders their Read More…
HELENA – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced his appointment of Misty Kuhl to lead the Department of Indian Affairs. “Misty shares my commitment to create new partnerships and build stronger bridges with our eight tribal nations,” Governor Gianforte said. “I campaigned on the promise of bringing new and greater opportunities to Indian country, and I Read More…
BILLINGS — Applications are open for Montana business owners to receive a second round of Paycheck Protection Program loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, with a few more caveats in the application for second-time borrowers this go-around, said Kevin Kraft, president of the Shiloh branch of Yellowstone Bank Sunday. “The biggest difference is you have to Read More…
PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) — The governor wants the Legislature to provide more than $4 million for state government to start preparing for medicinal and recreational marijuana in South Dakota. Legislation was pre-filed Thursday that would appropriate $4,026,253 to the state Department of Revenue and $135,249 to the state Department of Health. The Senate Appropriations Committee agreed Read More…
U.S. Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., objected to counting Pennsylvania’s Electoral College votes hours after a violent mob supporting President Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol, causing significant damage, leading members of the U.S. Congress to seek shelter and delaying the certification of President-elect Joe Biden’s November victory by nearly six hours. Lummis, sworn in Read More…