The U.S. Senate passed the bipartisan Fire Ready Nation Act by unanimous consent, advancing legislation aimed at strengthening the nation’s ability to prevent, forecast, and combat wildfires. The bill, introduced in January by Senator Tim Sheehy (R–Mont.) and Senator Maria Cantwell (D–Wash.), formally establishes the Fire Weather Services program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Read More…
U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R–Mont.) emphasized the importance of expanding energy production in tribal communities during a Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearing this week. Speaking with David Conrad, Acting Director of the Department of Energy’s Office of Indian Energy Policy and Programs, Daines highlighted the potential for tribal energy projects to strengthen sovereignty and fuel Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a 27-state coalition urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Washington state’s ban on firearm magazines that hold more than 10 rounds. The coalition filed an amicus brief Monday in Gator’s Custom Guns, Inc. v. State of Washington, arguing the law violates the Second Amendment. In May, the Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte this week signed an executive order creating a new Energy Task Force charged with developing strategies to expand affordable, reliable energy production in Montana. “With increasing demand on our energy grid, we must meet the challenge head-on to ensure affordable, reliable power for Montanans now and into the future,” Gianforte said. “After Read More…
A California judge has dismissed a high-profile case alleging sexual abuse against Michael Goguen, a prominent venture capitalist and philanthropist whose local contributions include The Whitefish Trail and the Two Bear Air search and rescue program. In a lengthy Sept. 12 order terminating the case, retired Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Read Ambler, who is Read More…
Law enforcement officials said they’re seeing larger amounts of drugs coming into bigger and growing Montana cities. Capt. Ryan Stratman, commander of the Missouri River Drug Task Force, said the task force sees this trend in bigger, growing Montana cities like Bozeman, Livingston and Helena. “Gallatin County and Bozeman, especially — we’re growing so fast Read More…
Montana governor and 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Steve Bullock didn’t qualify for the debate stage in September, and he is polling near the bottom of the 20 remaining White House hopefuls. But at the American Federation of Teachers headquarters in Washington, D.C., Bullock said Thursday he can win back Trump voters from the American heartland while retaining support in traditional liberal strongholds. Read More…
At a hearing of the House Judiciary Committee, Congressman Greg Gianforte blasted committee Democrats for their focus on impeaching President Trump. He believes their priorities are misplaced. “The committee held its first hearing this week, and by all of observers, it was a circus,” said Gianforte. “There were clowns, tightrope walkers, firebreathers, and shell games. Read More…
A top official with the Federal Communications Commission says Montana needs to put $2 million back into the state’s 911 account. The funds in question were generated from 911 fees and placed into a state account that held $12 million in 2017. During that year’s regular legislative session, state lawmakers transferred $2 million out of the Read More…
A rig was drilling three new wells in North Dakota in this file photo. Oil and gas production broke another record in July in the state. North Dakota again posted records for oil and gas output in July, and Monday’s surge in oil prices could fuel further production gains in the coming weeks. Global oil Read More…
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon contacted the Mexican government about the possibility of using the country’s ports to export the state’s coal to markets overseas, an official with the Mexican consulate’s office in Denver said Tuesday. At a forum hosted by the Wyoming Business Alliance in Casper, Consul General Berenice Rendón-Talavera told the audience that the Read More…
Take a seat, Nancy Pelosi — you’ve been replaced. For years, the California Democrat has been the cornerstone of Republican negative attack ads and campaign rhetoric against her party. But as Republicans work to keep control of key statehouses this fall ahead of the all-important redistricting process that comes with the 2020 census, state and local GOP politicians are building a robust Read More…
The Justice Department filed a civil lawsuit Tuesday against former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden for violating his non-disclosure agreements with the CIA and the NSA by writing a new book about his leaks. Snowden’s memoir, “Permanent Record,” hit bookshelves Tuesday. Snowden, who famously leaked classified documents about government surveillance, has avoided prosecution by living in Russia. EDWARD Read More…
Robert Bialecki couldn’t get high-speed Internet when he moved to the outskirts of Great Falls a decade ago – so he figured out how to do it himself, through wireless Internet, and started a company to bring it elsewhere. “I thought, there must be a way to do it,” he told MTN News in a Read More…
BILLINGS — Outdoor retailer REI is building a new store at the corner of Shiloh Road and King Avenue West Billings West End, city building officials said Tuesday. The company plans to build a 23,457 square-foot retail building on the northwest corner of the intersection, according to a permit filed with the city. Kent, Wash-based Read More…
On the same day and in the same area, three hunters in Montana were injured in two separate grizzly bear attacks, state wildlife officials said. Officials have not determined if the same animal was involved in both attacks this week in the Gravelly Mountains, which are southwest of Bozeman. The three hunters suffered injuries described Read More…
An internet safety report published by safewise shows that Montana has a lot of work to do to make the online experience safer for children. Montana earned a D when it comes to current measures in place to protect kids online. That’s the lowest grade awarded by the safety and security brand. The cowboy state Read More…
Jeff Bridges is urging people to donate to his “good buddy,” Steve Bullock, so the Montana governor can make it onto the next Democratic presidential debate stage. “I don’t care if you vote for somebody else,” the “Big Lebowski” actor said in a video posted on Twitter on Monday. “But it’s so important to have Steve Bullock’s Read More…
If you’ve been paying attention to the news, it’s clear that the 2020 election cycle is upon us. This includes our own governor’s race. For the last 16 years, we have sent a Democrat to Helena, to be our state’s chief executive, and the results have been clear. A less than stellar economy which causes Read More…
Banks are getting back into the business of building mortgage bonds, laying the groundwork for a market that stands to grow as the Trump administration tries to reduce the government’s role in housing finance. Citigroup Inc., Goldman Sachs Group Inc., Wells Fargo & Co., and JPMorgan Chase & Co. over the past year have restarted Read More…
Andrew Yang’s surprising debate gambit — giving away $120,000 to 10 families over a year to highlight his universal basic income proposal — helped the outsider candidate raise $1 million in the 72 hours since the debate and collect more than 450,000 email addresses from people who entered the online raffle, the presidential campaign told Read More…
DETROIT — The music and chants from outside a General Motors assembly plant at midnight Monday could be heard from several blocks away as United Auto Workers members picketed the plant. “No contract, no cars!” chanted dozens of workers outside GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly, on the outskirts of the city. Others yelled, “No more tiers,” in reference to Read More…
Ari Emanuel’s company Endeavor detailed its plans Monday to go public, listing 19.4 million Class A shares, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The global entertainment, sports and content company expects to price its initial public offering at $30 to $32 a share, hoping to raise more than $600 million. Endeavor is planning Read More…
BISMARCK — Five educators in North Dakota are finalists for the state’s 2020 Teacher of the Year award, the state superintendent announced Friday, Sept. 13. The finalists are: Jessica Brandt, Title 1 English and reading teacher at Central Cass Public School in Casselton. Karyn Chiapella, special education teacher and intervention specialist in the Scranton public Read More…
Legislative leadership voted Thursday to create a special committee of lawmakers to try and stem losses from future coal company bankruptcies for both miners and the state. Priorities for the new committee include securing taxes owed to Wyoming counties, getting the Wyoming attorney general’s office to assist county officials in bankruptcy court and trying to Read More…
If it wasn’t clear before, it should be clear now: If you’re a candidate looking for financial support from the Wyoming Democratic Party, you better be sure you’re: A) a Democrat; and B) actually living in Wyoming. Last month, the party’s central committee unanimously passed a resolution declaring it would only offer resources of time, Read More…
KALISPELL, Mont. — In August, an all-girls robotics team won at a NASA competition. On Saturday, they showed off their skills to U.S. Senator Steve Daines. The challenge included flying a drone and using a moon map. The moon map pays homage to the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing. The girls made lots of Read More…
Six weeks after entering Montana’s 2020 U.S. Senate race, outdoor writer Jack Ballard on Friday pulled out, citing health reasons. Ballard, 56, said in a statement that he’s been diagnosed with a heart condition that is not life-threatening but that must be “carefully monitored and makes it medically imprudent to continue the campaign.” He said Read More…
Montage International, the hotel and resort management company behind the brand, Montage Hotels & Resorts, will open a resort with a hotel and residences in Big Sky, Montana. Currently under construction, Montage Big Sky will be the first ultra-luxury five-star resort in the entire state. Located at Spanish Peaks Mountain Club, a private ski and golf course community set on more Read More…
BILLINGS, MONTANA, September 16, 2019 — The Montana Red Cross is partnering with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during its Day of Service to install free smoke alarms in Billings homes. On Sept. 21, the Red Cross, church members and community volunteers will go door-to-door installing free smoke alarms and teaching families about Read More…
UPDATED- U.S Senator Steve Daines meet with Montana AARP members today in Bozeman about a new bill he is helping to put forth regarding the reduction of prescription drug pricing The average senior takes four prescription drugs and the average medicare user makes $26,000 a year. The price of prescription drugs went up 8% in Read More…
Last summer, a group of the country’s largest telecom providers, including CenturyLink, filed a petition with the Republican-led Federal Communications Commission (FCC) in Washington, D.C., to cut off access competitive broadband providers have to portions of their networks. Independent broadband providers like Blackfoot Communications rely on portions of CenturyLink’s network to provide network connections to Read More…
BOISE, Idaho — If a government agency in Idaho violates the Idaho Public Records Law, there’s only one thing you can do: Go to court. Under the law, that’s the “sole remedy.” You get a lawyer and file a lawsuit. It doesn’t happen often, and it’s obvious why not: Getting a lawyer and going to Read More…
The former South Dakota lawmaker gunning for Theresa Stehly’s spot on the Sioux Falls City Council has some heavy-weight endorsements in his corner. Alex Jensen, the 32-year-old banker and former real estate broker who earlier this year filed his candidacy for the at-large seat that will be up for grabs next year, last week announced Read More…
BISMARCK — A federal judge blocked the state of North Dakota from enforcing a new law requiring physicians to inform patients that it may be possible to reverse a drug-induced abortion Tuesday, Sept. 10, ruling that it violates doctors’ First Amendment protections against “compelled speech.” U.S. District Judge Daniel Hovland sided with the American Medical Read More…
A second Wyoming man has filed a federal lawsuit against agribusiness giant Monsanto, alleging its popular weedkiller brand Roundup caused him to develop non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Gerald Kubena, of Casper, alleges in the lawsuit filed last week that he used Roundup from 2009 through 2018 on his property. He was diagnosed with the lymphoma in Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — U.S. Senator Steve Daines returned Monday after leaving for a trip to China on Saturday. Daines says he met with top Chinese officials and urged them to rebalance their trade relationship. Daines says for decades, China has practiced unfair trade policies and has stolen much of American’s intellectual property. He says his ideal Read More…
BUTTE – Montana often ranks high for workplace injuries. “Montana for years has been an inherently unsafe place to work. We injure more employees in Montana than almost any other state year after year after year,” said Mark Rosenleaf with Montana State Fund. For the past three years Montana State Fund has been giving away Read More…
The United States Air Force announced Monday it will be conducting military exercises in parts of the Powder River Training Complex this week. The training complex is a massive airspace that stretches over southeast Montana, northeast Wyoming, southwest North Dakota, and northwest South Dakota. The exercise, called “Combat Raider,” is set to begin Tuesday and Read More…
Former state Republican Party Chair Debra Lamm announced Monday that she’s running for Montana’s U.S. House seat in 2020, becoming the fifth Republican to vie for the open seat. Lamm said the upcoming election is a battle over a future “defined by socialism or American exceptionalism,” and that as a member of Congress she would Read More…
The edge of downtown Bozeman will get another new hotel. The Bozeman City Commission unanimously approved plans Monday for Bozeman Residence Inn, a four-story, 104-room hotel just off East Main Street. The building will go on roughly 1.74 acres at 815 E. Main St., just behind Jackpot Casino and with Town Pump to the west. Read More…
Whitefish City Manager Adam Hammatt tendered his resignation Sept. 6, stepping down as the city’s top administrative officer after less than three years on the job. Mayor John Muhlfeld announced Hammatt’s resignation in a press release but provided no additional details behind the decision. “Mayor Muhlfeld, Whitefish City Council and city staff wish Mr. Hammatt Read More…
Looming among our neighbors to the north is an invasive species Montana experts say would cause extensive environmental degradation to the Big Sky state, should they ever successfully saunter across the border. And they’re edging closer every year. Large populations of feral hogs throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta have been slowly encroaching on the Montana-Canada border, Read More…
BISMARCK — North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum named Jace Beehler as his new policy director Thursday, Aug. 29. Beehler will take over for Levi Bachmeier, who took a new job as business manager for West Fargo Public Schools. Beehler is currently a policy adviser for the Republican governor. READ FULL STORY