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…
BOZEMAN — The Montana Board of Regents today approved Montana State University’s proposal to establish a new institute to help address the nation’s security needs through applied research, technology development and education for the next generation of leaders. The Institute for National Security Research and Education, or INSRE, will serve as a hub at MSU, Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte announced today that Dustin Temple, director of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP), will retire at the end of the year after a distinguished 20-year career with the agency. “I am grateful to Dustin for his service to FWP for two decades and for the outstanding progress he has made at one Read More…
Montana State University announced today that William Thomas, a seasoned administrator and faculty member from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has been selected as the new dean of the MSU College of Letters and Science. Thomas will officially assume his role on January 13, 2025. “William Thomas brings a wealth of experience as a scholar, educator, Read More…
In an already crowded landscape of yard advertising for political candidates, new signs are cropping up across the valley that have nothing to do with the general election, promoting messages such as “put patients before profits.” The signs are the result of unionizing nurses deciding to go public with their grievances amid collective-bargaining negotiations with Read More…
Veterans Administration Secretary Robert Wilkie visited the Missoula Veterans Clinic on Palmer Street on Monday along with Montana Senator Steve Daines to deliver a message to all the staff members and employees, to thank them for their hard work in serving the growing population of western Montana veterans, especially during the COVID 19 pandemic. “It Read More…
MISSOULA — Another feature film is looking for actors in the Missoula area. According to IMBD “Slant Streets” is a memory loss drama about a homeless Native American in Montana trying to put his life together, despite losing his memory. The website says it is in the pre-production stage. There is a casting call for actors Read More…
Montana has a 90.3% response to the census so far. The current deadline for responding is September 30. The national response to the census is 95.8%. You can respond to the census online at 2020census.gov, by phone at 1-844-330-2020 or in person with a census taker. A census taker will have a government ID with a Read More…
Violent crime is on the rise, and not just in America’s major cities. We’ve seen the violent rioting and looting spread to the suburbs in places like Kenosha, Wisconsin. Montana is also seeing an increase in violent crime, according to Montana’s US Attorney Kurt Alme. He joined us recently on the radio, and three things Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — Politicians and rail experts are backing the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority spearheaded by Missoula Commissioner Dave Strohmaier. They discussed the benefits of rail service at the Montana Passenger Rail Summit on Thursday, including improved economy, infrastructure and connectivity. READ FULL STORY
As wildfires rage across the state and country, a climate change report over a year in the making commissioned by Gov. Steve Bullock hopes to fight its effects in Montana. Bullock issued an executive order to create the Montana Climate Solutions Council in July 2019, with a final goal of developing a climate solutions plan Read More…
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The $2.7 billion future USS Montana fast attack submarine was christened Saturday at Newport News Shipbuilding, where it has been under construction since April 1, 2015. The Virginia-class sub is a product of a unique partnership between Newport News Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut. The two Read More…
BILLINGS- Beartooth Pass is completely open on both the Montana and Wyoming sides after being closed due to snow, ice and high winds September 7. The pass is scheduled to close for the season on the weekend of October 12, Columbus Day, however, the date can change depending on earlier adverse weather conditions. READ FULL Read More…
Families will be able to attend Laurel Schools sporting events. The Laurel School Board approved that plan 5-1 at a virtual speical meeting Wednesday night. It would allow four fans at games for each player, cheerleader, pep band member and coach. READ FULL STORY
The Lewis and Clark County Commission has approved a plan to place armed security officers at the county courthouse. On Tuesday morning, commissioners unanimously supported a contract with the security firm Securitas. The county will pay about $236,000 a year to place three officers in the courthouse on weekdays. The contract is set to run Read More…
LIVINGSTON – Two Park High School faculty members have tested positive for COVID-19 according to the Park County Health Department. The Montana State Health Lab reported the first result to the Park County Health Department Tuesday evening, and that through contact tracing, the additional positive test result was found Wednesday. Livingston School District and the Read More…
Congressman Greg Gianforte on Sept. 1 toured Montana State University’s new COVID-19 testing site for students, as well as a lab that tests hundreds of samples from around the state in a day. Next to a big white tent at Bobcat Stadium, Director of Emergency Management Haylee Gerow says students with COVID-19 symptoms can walk Read More…
MONTANA — The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that the eight tribal nations in Montana will receive a share of $160,000 to support small businesses through economic and business development organizations. Each tribal community will receive $20,000 to support the development of Native-owned small businesses through Commerce’s Native American Business Advisors program. The program Read More…
BOZEMAN — A Montana State University professor and her collaborators have received a grant worth nearly $1 million to create a program for Apsáalooke youth that they hope will ultimately spark interest in STEM fields and lead to cleaner water for the Apsáalooke nation in southeast Montana. Vanessa Simonds, associate professor in the Department of Health Read More…
BILLINGS, Mont. – You may have seen these Strongman competitions on TV, but have you ever seen them in person? Residents of the Magic City got their chance Saturday with Ron Wilson’s Iron Barn Gym hosting Montana’s first-ever strongman competition. When you think about lifting weights, many people may think of lift barbells or dumbbells, Read More…
Montana airports might have been spared the worst damage from the COVID-19 pandemic this summer. According to a new analysis from industry group Airlines for America, Montana experienced the smallest percentage decline in passenger flights out of any state in the country when compared to July of last year. Montana saw a 25% reduction in Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — The Teton County Health Department confirmed Montana’s first case of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children, otherwise known as MIS-C, associated with COVID-19. In a press release, officials say the patient is a resident between 10 to 19-years-old. They added that the patient was hospitalized in Salt Lake City, and is now recovering at Read More…
Morgan Rose rode horses for as long as she wanted growing up. She woke up early in the morning and basked in life on her parents’ ranch in Dillon. Rose knew what she wanted to do when she was older: live on a ranch, raise cattle and pursue a career in agriculture. “You think this Read More…
FORSYTH — Lance Lawrence received more than a hero’s welcome last Friday. The Forsyth 5-year-old with the Iron Man mask got a welcome-home parade fit for the superhero he’s become. “The parade was pretty awesome, the amount of people that came out. We’re like, ‘They’re here for you, you know that?’ He’s like, ‘Yeah, I Read More…
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines has weighed in on whether Montana schools should allow fans at sporting events. In a recent Facebook post, Daines said parents should be allowed to watch their children play fall sports. Daines called on Gov. Steve Bullock, who is challenging him for his Senate seat in the upcoming election, to develop Read More…
Montana’s tourism industry might not be seeing the complete “pandemic devastation” we feared in early spring. But University of Montana researchers say 2020 is still shaping up as one of the worst tourism business years in a decade. If there was ever a year for camping in Montana, this is it. The re-opening “COVID cascade” Read More…
U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Jon Tester have announced that the Economic Development Administration (EDA) will be directing $3,900,000 through the EDA’s CARES Act Recovery Assistance program and $11,209,000 through the EDA’s CARES Act Recovery Assistance Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) to support Montana communities, small businesses and jobs amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “This funding Read More…
Several communities across southwest Montana are beginning to see smoke move in from wildfires in northern California. Fine particulate levels in Bozeman shifted into the unhealthy category around 8 a.m. Saturday, according to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality’s air monitoring website. Butte’s air quality also shifted into unhealthy territory around 10 a.m. Hamilton, Dillon Read More…
HELENA, Mont. — Actress Sharon Stone is criticizing the availability of COVID-19 testing in Montana, where her sister and brother-in-law are hospitalized with the respiratory virus. Stone posted a video on Instagram on Sunday expressing frustration at a lack of testing for front-line workers and people who have been on contact with someone who has COVID-19. Read More…
The state of Montana has applied for federal grant money to add $400 per week to individual unemployment benefits. President Donald Trump ordered the boost in payments a week ago. People had been receiving an added $600 per week in unemployment payments under the CARES Act, but that expired at the end of July. Trump Read More…
The state health department is abandoning a proposed rule that would have banned the sale of flavored vaping products in Montana. The contentious rule was supported by health care advocates and others who cited studies showing that flavored vaping products enticed young adults and led to a lifetime of tobacco use. Vape shop owners opposed the rule, saying that Read More…
HELENA – The Montana Department of Commerce’s Office of Tourism and Business Development have launched a campaign to help slow the spread of COVID-19. The ‘Montana Aware’ Campaign promotes Safety First, Adventure Second. With this slogan, the message they want to get across is safe and responsible behavior to those who are traveling in the state. The public health initiative aims to educate residents and Read More…
MISSOULA — The popular “Yellowstone” series featuring Kevin Costner announced Friday it plans to move its production to the Missoula Valley and surrounding locations later this month. The series was formerly shot in Utah and will be filmed solely in Montana for the first time in its history, according to Friday’s announcement. The production secured Read More…
NorthWestern Energy is warning that scammers are likely to use the end of the temporary moratorium on service disconnections to steal money from Montanans. NorthWestern Energy voluntarily stopped service disconnections for non-payment in March to assist customers financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Several additional tools are in place now to assist customers who may Read More…
With the stroke of President Donald Trump’s pen, the biggest land conservation legislation in a generation became law Tuesday morning, prompting widespread praise on a measure that sets a new standard of stewardship for public lands. The bill, called the Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA), authorizes billions in funding for two major conservation needs — Read More…
Despite clouds of uncertainty hanging over higher education from the coronavirus pandemic, Montana State University took an optimistic step Tuesday by celebrating the completion of its new $50 million freshman student dormitory, Hyalite Hall. President Waded Cruzado and other officials, all wearing face masks and sitting at a distance, gathered outside the new six-story, Read More…
Jessica Dehn had been thinking for a few years about what kind of school she might want to run. After four and a half years directing a childcare center, Dehn put together the pieces in June to focus on launching a new school. In September, just three months later, she plans to open Explore Academy. Read More…
This story is part of an NPR nationwide analysis of states’ revenue and budgets during the pandemic. Montana’s finances are somewhat stable despite the economic hit the state has taken during the coronavirus pandemic. That’s the word from the state’s budget office. “This is essentially a manageable situation, which is pretty remarkable in the face of a Read More…
The letters of three Montana women politicians offer historic insight as the nation celebrates the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment in August, which gave women the right to vote. Women’s earliest known role in Montana politics began in 1882 when Helen Piotopowaka Clarke was the first woman and first Native American elected as county Read More…
Flathead County health officials say with the rise in COVID-19 cases is becoming harder to trace within the community. Interim Flathead County Public Health Officer Tamalee Robinson explained to MTN News that with the busy tourist season in the Flathead Valley has seen an increase in virus cases. She says that many locals and visitors Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — A homeless camp along Missoula’s North Reserve Street continues to grow amid the coronavirus pandemic. In the winter, officials estimate 15 to 20 people were living along the banks of the Clark Fork. That number grows every summer, but due to the pandemic they now estimate 60 to 80 people are living there. Read More…
The warning had been in place for a long time: The 100-year-old St. Mary River diversion system was likely to fail at any moment. On May 17 it happened. A concrete structure on the St. Mary Canal near Glacier National Park crumbled and washed downstream, shutting off flow to the Milk River and leaving the Read More…
BILLINGS, Mont. – There have been reports of Montanans getting unsolicited packages in the mail from china containing packets of seeds. We reached out to a local botanist at MSUB to find out why it’s important not to plant or throw away any unsolicited seeds you may have received in the mail. Dr. Jason Comer Read More…
The old federal building in downtown Missoula may soon be declared a national monument. Missoula County Commission chair Josh Slotnick agreed to sign the official letter to the General Services Administration asking for the building to be turned over to local government. The county wouldn’t have to pay for the building as long as they Read More…