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Micron Earnings in Focus as AI Memory Demand Drives Expectations Higher

BOISE, Idaho — Micron Technology is scheduled to report fiscal fourth-quarter results Sept. 30, with investors looking for another quarter of rapid growth as artificial-intelligence spending continues to fuel demand for high-performance memory. The Boise-based semiconductor company has already set a high bar. Micron reported fiscal third-quarter revenue of $41.46 billion, up 74% from the Read More…

Montana Highway Patrol Commissions Seven New Troopers

BOULDER, Mont. — The Montana Highway Patrol commissioned seven new troopers during the 84th Montana Highway Patrol Advanced Academy graduation ceremony. For the first time, the graduation was held at MHP headquarters in Boulder. Montana Highway Patrol Col. Kurt Sager and Montana Supreme Court Clerk Bowen Greenwood addressed the graduates before the swearing-in and badge-pinning Read More…

Outside Spending Intensifies as Montana Senate Race Enters Final Stretch

HELENA, Mont. — Montana’s U.S. Senate race is entering its final stretch with millions of dollars in outside spending, a dispute over a television advertisement targeting Republican Kurt Alme and growing scrutiny of independent candidate Seth Bodnar’s record leading the University of Montana. The four-way contest to replace retiring Republican Sen. Steve Daines includes Alme, Read More…

Montana Land Board Approves Oil and Gas Lease Sale Generating $2.1 Million

HELENA, Mont. — The Montana State Board of Land Commissioners has approved an oil and gas lease sale expected to generate more than $2.1 million for state trust lands, with the proceeds benefiting public education. The sale included 12 tracts in Musselshell, Sheridan and Toole counties. A single tract in Sheridan County generated a $2.14 Read More…

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Tester among Senate Dems examining waiver decision for Pentagon pick

MISSOULA, Mont. — Sen. Jon Tester is one of several Democratic senators who isn’t an automatic yes on giving President-elect Joe Biden’s defense secretary nominee a congressional waiver. Retired Gen. Lloyd Austin is up for the position, but the National Security Act requires civilian control at the Pentagon, meaning someone has to have been retired from Read More…

Missoula County to award COVID-19 small business job retention grants

Missoula County will distribute up to $625,000 in grant funding to help local businesses impacted by the pandemic retain jobs for low- and moderate-income employees through the COVID-19 Small Business Job Retention Fund. Qualifying businesses will be able to submit applications this week, and grant funding will be awarded and distributed in January. The application Read More…

Helena considers revising gun ordinance after ballot measure limits local regulations

The city of Helena is looking at modifying its firearm ordinance, after Montana voters approved a measure that limits how local governments can regulate guns. During an administrative meeting Wednesday, city attorney Thomas Jodoin told the Helena City Commission that the existing ordinance will have to be narrowed to bring it in line with Legislative Read More…

Wyoming Gets Its First Electric Bus

A couple weeks ago, the City of Jackson, Wyoming’s START bus system got something new: an electric bus from Proterra. The system plans on getting at least 7 more of the vehicles. START hosted Proterra representatives for a small ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 12, but due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, they were unable to Read More…

2 Bozeman schools move to remote learning

MISSOULA, Mont. — Starting Wednesday, through next Tuesday, Bozeman School District administrators say Meadowlark Elementary will be on a remote learning format. Officials say a large number of staff members have to quarantine, so there is not enough coverage for classes and other positions. READ FULL STORY

Bullock Suggests Pulling From Rainy Day Fund To Avoid Cuts, Protect Services

Montana Gov. Steve Bullock proposed a two-year state budget on Nov. 16 that he says preserves essential services while boosting education and infrastructure spending. YPR News’ Kevin Trevellyan reports it’s the two term Democratic governor’s final budget proposal. During a news conference at the capitol, Bullock proposed using $75 million, or two thirds of the state’s rainy Read More…

The GOP Will Control Montana’s State Government For The 1st Time In 16 Years

This year in Montana, Republicans swept every statewide and federal race, while also increasing their majority in the statehouse by 10 seats. Montana, once dubbed a purple state for its split-ticket voting, is now deep crimson. After four terms of a Democratic governor, a Republican will sit in Montana’s governor’s mansion for the first time Read More…

Montana Rail Link releases new locomotives honoring veterans, essential workers

MISSOULA – Montana Rail Link (MRL) announced Wednesday they released a special locomotive last week honoring veterans for Veteran’s Day. Additionally, MRL is also releasing a locomotive showing appreciation for essential workers amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “Essential workers have played a critical role in keeping our communities healthy and safe during the COVID-19 pandemic,” MRL Read More…

New group challenges Montana’s COVID mandates and plans to defend affected businesses

HELENA — A new grassroots organization has been created to help individuals and businesses challenge COVID mandates in Montana for what they call government overreach. The Freedom Protection Project was created by the organizers of the “Let Freedom Ring” concert that was held at the beginning of October in the Helena Valley. “A lot of Read More…

2 lawsuits filed to stop Ninemile logging project over grizzly bears

Two environmental groups have filed separate lawsuits to stop the Soldier-Butler timber project in the Ninemile Valley after U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service decided there was no long-term harm to grizzly bears. On Monday, the Flathead-Lolo-Bitterroot Citizen Task Force sued the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Missoula federal court Read More…

High Demand and High Prices for Forest Products

As the unpredictable nature of the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect every industry differently, sawlog prices in Montana are reaching record levels, said F.H. Stoltze Land and Resource Manager Paul McKenzie. “The product demand has increased dramatically in general forest products,” he said. According to the University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research Read More…

Montana Army National Guard to assist with operations at Montana State Prison

Responding to a request from the Montana Department of Corrections, Governor Steve Bullock and Major General Matthew Quinn have activated the Montana Army National Guard to provide operational assistance at Montana State Prison, where staff and inmates have been impacted by COVID-19. The facility saw its first positive cases among staff and inmates earlier in Read More…

GOV. BULLOCK, FELTON ANNOUNCE INCREASED ENFORCEMENT OF HEALTH ORDERS

In a press conference today, Governor Steve Bullock joined Yellowstone County Public Health Officer John Felton to announce increased enforcement of health officer orders, along with a website for residents to file complaints. “Just one business not complying with the public health measures, puts an increased risk on everyone else who is doing their due diligence to Read More…

Montana DPHHS announces COVID-19 vaccination plan has been submitted to CDC

HELENA, Mont. – The Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) Director Sheila Hogan announced Monday that Montana has submitted its draft COVID-19 vaccine distribution plan to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for review. “This is a critical step, and I’m pleased with where we’re at this point in the process,” Read More…

U.S. charges Russian hackers with sweeping campaign of cyberattacks

A federal grand jury has charged six Russian nationals with a wide-ranging campaign of cyberattacks — including a highly destructive global malware rampage and a 2018 attack on the Winter Olympic Games — that reflects the scope and intensity of Russia’s digital aggression. As officers of Russia’s GRU military intelligence agency, the six defendants launched Read More…

Montana Senate Poll: Daines 52 Percent, Bullock 43 Percent

A new poll of the Montana Senate race, conducted October 5–7 by Emerson, shows Republican incumbent Steve Daines leading his Democratic challenger Steve Bullock by 9 points: Republicans have been worried about the Montana Senate race because the state has a robust recent history of ticket-splitting. Bullock, the sitting Democratic governor, won reelection in 2016 even as Read More…

Health officer says he’ll issue new restrictions if COVID infections don’t slow in Yellowstone County

Yellowstone County Health Officer John Felton said Monday he will increase restrictions on businesses, churches and group gatherings at the end of October if COVID-19 infection rates continue to rise countywide. Felton said in a news conference that health officials are monitoring one key metric: the daily rate of infections per 100,000 residents. Restrictions will Read More…