U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy’s bipartisan Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act is on its way to President Donald J. Trump’s desk after clearing the House of Representatives today. The legislation, introduced by Sheehy alongside Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) in January, aims to strengthen the nation’s wildfire suppression capabilities amid an increasingly dangerous wildfire season. The bill unanimously Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is spearheading a 28-state coalition backing a legal challenge to Maine’s newly enacted 72-hour waiting period for firearm purchases, calling the law an unconstitutional infringement on Second Amendment rights. In an amicus brief filed in Beckwith v. Frey, the coalition urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit Read More…
The U.S. Supreme Court issued a series of unanimous decisions this week, resolving contentious disputes and clarifying legal boundaries on discrimination, religious tax exemptions, gun manufacturer liability, and environmental regulations. Handed down by June 5, 2025, these rulings addressed pressing issues, shaping policies and lives across the nation. In Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte on Thursday praised the Trump Administration’s approval of a crucial mining permit for the Signal Peak Energy coal mine, calling the move a major victory for Montana coal miners and a lifeline for American energy independence. The U.S. Department of the Interior, under Secretary Doug Burgum, authorized Signal Peak to move forward Read More…
A terrifying scene unfolded at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday as former President Donald Trump narrowly escaped an apparent assassination attempt. Law enforcement officials confirmed that Trump was the target of gunfire during his speech, resulting in injuries to the former president. Trump, with blood visible on his ear, was swiftly whisked away Read More…
In a contentious legal battle unfolding in Montana, two organizations are taking the state’s Secretary of State to court over signature acceptance rules for proposed constitutional initiatives. These initiatives face uncertain prospects for appearing on the November ballot. The dispute centers on the inclusion of signatures from “inactive voters” — individuals who have not participated Read More…
(The Center Square) – President Joe Biden’s attempt to re-interpret Title IX and thereby implement a sweeping LGBTQ agenda at schools around the country may be put on hold after a few key court rulings. The Biden administration’s overhaul of Title IX is set to take effect Aug. 1, but a flurry of court decisions Read More…
(The Center Square) – As the 2024 election season gears up, a recently-released report predicts nationwide political spending will reach a record high $10.69 billion. The Political Projections Report predicts that California, Pennsylvania, and Arizona will have the highest levels of spending on advertising. The report was released on Monday by advertisement tracking company AdImpact. “This Read More…
(The Center Square) – Montana is receiving $40 million in federal funds due to legislation sponsored by U.S. Sen. Steve Daines. The “Endless Frontier Act” calls for increased investments in science and technology innovation as a way of strengthening the U.S. economy and national security to compete with China and other nations. “Montana continues to lead Read More…
In a bid to steady his reelection campaign following a widely criticized debate performance against former President Donald Trump, President Joe Biden addressed concerns and reaffirmed his commitment to staying in the race in an interview with ABC News aired on Friday. During the interview with George Stephanopoulos, taped earlier in the day, Biden attributed Read More…
The National Education Association Staff Organization, the union representing NEA employees, set up picket lines around the Pennsylvania Convention Center in downtown Philadelphia on Friday and had planned a three-day strike during the event. President Joe Biden canceled his scheduled address at the National Education Association’s annual conference in Philadelphia after union staff initiated a Read More…
Democratic Senator Jon Tester, currently in his bid for a fourth term in predominantly Republican Montana, faces a pivotal race in 2024. His reelection is crucial for Democrats, who are defending three Senate seats in states won by Donald Trump in both the 2016 and 2020 elections—Ohio and West Virginia being the others. Tester is Read More…
Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan strongly criticized her conservative colleagues on Friday for overturning the Chevron deference, a major decision that shifts power from federal agencies to the courts. In her dissent, Kagan condemned the majority’s action, stating that it effectively transforms the Court into the nation’s administrative czar. Alongside liberal Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Read More…
The Montana VA announced the appointment of Duane Gill as the new director for the Montana VA Health Care System. Effective June 30, Gill will officially take on the role of director, transitioning from his previous position as interim director, as stated in a news release. Expressing his commitment, Gill remarked, “I am honored to Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte continued his fourth annual 56 County Tour as governor, meeting with Montanans in Gallatin and Park counties. “Montana is home to a diverse range of industries, from pioneering research to small businesses that bolster tourism and the arts,” Gov. Gianforte emphasized. “Investing in our state laboratories and tourism sector is pivotal for Read More…
Attorney General Knudsen spearheaded a coalition of 24 states urging the Supreme Court to overturn the lower court’s decision in March. On Friday, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a previous ruling by a lower court that prevented states and local governments from enforcing laws aimed at preventing public spaces from turning into homeless encampments. Following Read More…
Two recent court rulings will temporarily prevent the Biden administration from implementing further parts of the president’s student loan repayment plan, which has already lowered or eliminated monthly payments for millions of federal student loan borrowers. These decisions put the SAVE Plan, introduced by President Joe Biden, into uncertainty, causing borrowers to once again face Read More…
(The Center Square) – Fentanyl has been a problem in Montana for years, and 2024 appears to be no different. Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (RMHIDTA) task forces seized 163,184 dosage units of fentanyl in Montana during the first quarter of this year. That is compared to 65,142 during the same period last year, an Read More…
BOZEMAN – Science teacher Doree Thilmony jumped at the chance when she learned last fall that Montana State University could help her put on a summer camp to teach geospatial skills in her rural community. “I teach drones, so I know they are used a lot for mapping,” said Thilmony, the science teacher at Thompson Read More…
(The Center Square) – Wyoming transportation officials believe a temporary detour can be built around where Highway 22 in Teton Pass collapsed once the area is secured, the Department of Transportation said on Monday. The pass, which connects Jackson, Wyoming to Victor, Idaho, was closed Thursday following a landslide that caused cracking in the road. Read More…
Zachary Eugene Norman, 26, of Three Forks, received a 110-year prison sentence in Gallatin County District Court on Monday for the murder of Chase Estabrook in January 2022, Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced. Norman was convicted in May of deliberate homicide with a weapons enhancement for fatally shooting Chase Estabrook outside a Three Forks residence. Read More…
The Milk River Project announced on Monday a “catastrophic failure” of the St. Mary siphon located on the St. Mary Canal, north of Babb. According to reports, the incident occurred while personnel from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation were monitoring a crack in the structure. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, but the damage is described Read More…
The economy is set to be a pivotal issue in the 2024 presidential election, highlighting the stark differences between President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Consider the American economy as a bag filled with a variety of policies and economic indicators, with inflation being a prominent one. Although inflation has retreated from its Read More…
(The Center Square) – Vermont is the first state to enact a law requiring the fossil fuel industry to pay for “climate change cost recovery.” The bill became law without Republican Gov. Philip Scott signing it. In a May 30 letter to the Vermont General Assembly, he explained why. “Vermont – one of the least Read More…
U.S. Senator Steve Daines Joined a group of his Republican colleagues in a commitment to block President Joe Biden and Senate Democrats’ agenda that is threatening the Montana way of life. “Enough is enough. Joe Biden and his Democrat allies weaponized our judicial system and undermined the American people’s trust in our government. I will Read More…
Hunter Biden received guilty verdicts on all three felony charges tied to his 2018 gun purchase. Prosecutors asserted that the president’s son falsely claimed on a mandatory gun-purchase form that he wasn’t illegally using or addicted to drugs. During the three-hour deliberation over two days, Hunter Biden maintained a stoic demeanor. Upon hearing the verdict, Read More…
On Sunday morning, Democratic U.S. Senator Jon Tester and his Republican challenger Tim Sheehy squared off in their first general election debate, set to be one of the most closely monitored races this year. The hour-long debate, hosted by the Montana Broadcasters Association and the Greater Montana Foundation, took place at Fairmont Hot Springs in Read More…
HELENA – The Supreme Court ruled in favor today of the National Rifle Association (NRA), in its case against a New York state official who trampled on the organization’s First Amendment right to free speech. In response to the NRA v. Vullo ruling, Attorney General Austin Knudsen released the following statement: “The Supreme Court made Read More…
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced Jeremiah Sifuentez, of Busby, as the winner of the third annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Poster Contest, during National Police Week. Jeremiah is a fifth-grade student at Spring Creek School in Decker. In his artist statement Jeremiah said he made the poster because, “I know without law enforcement Read More…
(The Center Square) – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a coalition of states in defending American firearm makers from being held responsible for Mexico’s gun violence. The government of Mexico says gun companies should be responsible for gun violence there because manufacturers know some of their products are trafficked into Mexico. In January, the First Read More…
After navigating the legal system for a year, the lawsuit challenging Montana’s TikTok ban is now officially on hold until courts resolve the federal law concerning the app. Originally scheduled for a federal appeals court hearing in September, the case involves TikTok, a group of Montana-based content creators, and Attorney General Austin Knudsen. All parties Read More…
In addition to the array of statewide elections on the ballot, Montanans will cast their votes for 125 state lawmakers this year, comprising half of the Montana Senate and the entire Montana House of Representatives. The upcoming 2025 legislative session is already set to see significant changes, partly due to the new legislative district lines Read More…
BOZEMAN — The Montana State University student chapter of the American Marketing Association earned a Top 10 designation out of more than 350 chapters at the annual AMA International Collegiate Conference, which was held in New Orleans this spring. In addition to the chapter’s Top 10 designation — its fifth straight — the MSU AMA Read More…
(The Center Square) – Lawmakers will grill President Joe Biden’s Energy secretary at a newly announced oversight hearing scheduled for Thursday. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is expected to face lawmakers for questions amid elevated gas prices, a depleted strategic petroleum reserve, and ongoing criticism of Biden’s energy policies. According to AAA, the average national price Read More…
BOZEMAN – At the end of the game, Chris Kelley didn’t know the final score. But he knew Montana State’s men’s lacrosse team had scored more goals than the University of St. Thomas, and that was what mattered. Next came the frigid deluge of a cooler of Gatorade dumped over his head. “I about dropped to Read More…
MISSOULA – In early 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic began to make people feel isolated, University of Montana alumna Syann Stevens created a platform to connect residents, businesses and organizations across Missoula. Stevens founded TAPMissoula, a local social-media hub that offers a safe, virtual space for individuals, existing networks and community groups to stay connected. Read More…
BOZEMAN — The finals of the fifth annual $100K Venture Competition, hosted by Montana State University’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship and the MSU Blackstone LaunchPad, were held April 24 in Inspiration Hall at MSU. During the competition, the finalists pitched their innovative business ideas to a panel of five judges and answered Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte inaugurated his fourth annual 56 County Tour as governor, engaging with residents of Meagher, Judith Basin, and Fergus counties. “The most rewarding aspect of my role is connecting with Montanans in their hometowns and workplaces,” remarked Gov. Gianforte. “Launching our 2024 tour is an opportunity to spotlight the innovative small businesses and Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen spearheaded a coalition of 21 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s recent assault on Americans’ Second Amendment rights. This legal action marks the 45th lawsuit initiated by Attorney General Knudsen against the Biden administration. The lawsuit challenges the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Read More…
A coalition of 25 Republican governors joined forces to issue a collective statement urging President Joe Biden to lift the current pause on new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export approvals. The governors expressed deep concern over the administration’s decision, emphasizing its adverse impact on both economic and national security, as well as the security of Read More…
A recent federal jury ruling has shed light on the enduring consequences of asbestos exposure in the small town of Libby, Montana, as BNSF Railway has been found partially responsible for the deaths of two individuals who were exposed to asbestos decades ago. The jury’s decision, handed down after careful consideration, awarded $4 million each Read More…
The emergence of fentanyl as a deadly drug threat has placed Montana at the forefront of trafficking activities, driven by the staggering profit margins associated with this potent substance. With just a two-milligram dose capable of proving lethal, the economic allure for traffickers is immense. A kilogram of fentanyl, which can potentially result in the Read More…
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (NASDAQ: LEE),has announced that its Board of Directors approved a limited-duration shareholder rights plan (“Rights Plan”). Effective immediately, the Rights Plan will remain in effect until March 27, 2025. However, the Board retains the option to terminate the Rights Plan earlier if deemed necessary. The decision to implement the Rights Plan comes Read More…
Earlier this month, a Montana environmental activist group took legal action against the state Department of Justice, alleging a violation of their constitutional right to access information by withholding communications between the department and a Canadian coal mining company. The Montana Environmental Information Center (MEIC)has long fought natural resource development in Montana. The group has Read More…