Featured Articles in Montana News

Montana State awarded $1.1 million to expand facility for photonics research and development

The Montana Microfabrication Facility at Montana State University recently received a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration through its Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs program. The funding will support current and new Montana Microfabrication Facility customers to rapidly develop, assemble and test photonic integrated circuits, or PICs. In this 2023 file photo, Read More…

Original Governor’s Mansion to Close for Major Restoration Work

The Original Governor’s Mansion will temporarily close to public tours beginning November 1, 2025, as contractors begin a series of critical exterior repairs aimed at preserving one of Montana’s most cherished historic landmarks. The restoration effort, funded through the Governor’s Long-Range Building Program, will address both the mansion and its adjacent historic carriage house. Planned Read More…

Montana DOJ, Billings Police Warn of Carfentanil Surge in Yellowstone County

The Montana Department of Justice (MTDOJ) and Billings Police Department (BPD) are alerting residents of Yellowstone County about an increased presence of the deadly synthetic opioid carfentanil. The warning follows a significant seizure by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force, which confiscated 5,300 pills suspected of being trafficked into Montana Read More…

Missoula Artist Creates UM’s Latest Native Griz Design

As an Indigenous artist, Kendallynn Charging has admired the Native Griz designs created the past three years for the University of Montana’s Nike N7-inspired campaign, which honors Native culture and heritage in Montana. When the University asked for applications from Indigenous artists this spring for its fourth version of the Native Griz design, Charging was Read More…

All in: Montana News

University of Montana reports enrollment increase

MISSOULA — The University of Montana is reporting that for the first time in a decade, more students are enrolled than the previous year. UM officials say a 30% increase in the incoming class, as well as continued improvement in the retention rate, is responsible for the rise in enrollment. READ FULL STORY

Pfizer booster shots to begin in Flathead County

Flathead City-County Health Officer Joe Russell said the health department will begin giving Pfizer booster shots, now that the Centers for Disease Control’s independent advisory committee has recommended certain people get a booster shot at least six months after the completion of their Pfizer vaccine primary series. Russell provided information from the Advisory Committee on Read More…

Man admits trafficking meth on Blackfeet Reservation

MISSOULA, Mont. — A Browning man, Steven Ray DeCarlo, has admitting to dealing methamphetamine on the Blackfeet Reservation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The following was sent out by U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Montana: A Browning man accused of being a methamphetamine dealer on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation admitted to a trafficking crime today, Read More…

Logan Health Nurses Ratify First Union Contract

After two years of negotiations mired in deep division and characterized by back-and-forth public accusations, Logan Health administrators and unionized nurses found themselves in agreement last week when both sides expressed satisfaction with the union’s first contract. SEIU Healthcare 1199NW, which is representing Logan Health’s bargaining unit of 650 unionized nurses, announced that nurses voted Read More…

Elk rut gives Yellowstone NP visitors a scary thrill in Mammoth village

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Every year in Yellowstone National Park, huge bull elk perform loud and wild mating rituals. Sometimes the crazed animals pose a threat to nearby people, and much of the activity happens right in one of the most-visited parts of the park, the Mammoth village. The rut, or elk mating season, peaks in September, and people flock Read More…

Ambassador of Ireland visits Montana

BUTTE, Mont. — The Ambassador of Ireland to the United States, Daniel Mulhall, was in Montana last week visiting different parts of the states. One of the places he stopped in was Butte to see what future partnerships it could hold. “Mainly because of the presence here in the 19th and 20th centuries,” said Mulhall. “Tens Read More…

Former Whitefish Police Chief Faces Allegations Of Misconduct

Montana’s agency responsible for certifying law enforcement officials alleges a former Whitefish Police chief engaged in a wide range of misconduct. The Flathead Beacon first reported the allegations. The 12-page complaint from the standards and training bureau within the state justice department alleges former Police Chief Bill Dial engaged in, condoned and/or failed to disclose acts Read More…

Masks required at Bozeman Public Schools

BOZEMAN, Mont. – The Bozeman School Board voted 7-1 to update the face-covering policy which requires a mask to be worn inside school district buildings. The new policy is effective as of Tuesday, Aug. 24 and requires face coverings for all students, faculty, staff, parents, volunteers and visitors on campus. Enforcement of any masking requirement will not Read More…

Meth dealer sentenced to prison

A Washington state man who admitted to selling methamphetamine on the Flathead Indian Reservation was sentenced Tuesday to 10 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Dana Christensen. Alberto Escareno-Sanchez, 27, of Sunnyside, Washington, pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute meth. Escareno-Sanchez also will be on probation for five years, according Read More…

Montana State University says students, employees ‘need’ to wear masks, but stops short of a mandate

Montana State University issued a stronger message urging people on campus to wear masks indoors but again stopped short of mandating face coverings ahead of the Aug. 25 start to the semester.   MSU President Waded Cruzado in a letter sent to students, parents, faculty and staff on Tuesday evening urged them to voluntarily wear masks “because Read More…

93 People cost Billings’ taxpayers over $10 million in 2020 per Billings Police

BILLINGS, Mont. – A new community impact study by Billings Police downtown resource officers said 93 people cost Billings’ taxpayers $10,327,665 in 2020. A link to the full study is available here. Officer Brad Mansur with the Billings Police Department said the cost comes from frequent contacts with law enforcement and visits to the hospital. A community Read More…

Conservatives are moving to Billings, Montana, from coastal cities to be around people who share their views, the mayor says

The mayor of Montana’s most populous city, Billings, says some people have moved from coastal states to the area because they want to be around other conservatives. Bill Cole told TIME magazine that he believed three major factors had brought newcomers to the city: affordable housing, people prioritizing their family and community over their work, and politics. Read More…

MT ANG is getting C-130 upgrades

GREAT FALLS — Not many planes come through Great Falls. They certainly don’t come or go as fast as the fighter jets that used to occupy the tarmac years ago, but now the Montana Air National Guard is going through another aircraft conversion. They are transitioning from C-130 H1 models to newer H3 models, which Read More…

Montana fishing store sets the record straight after trending visit from Fox News host Tucker Carlson

LIVINGSTON, MT- There’s a video going viral right now and chances are you’ve seen it, it’s of Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson in Livingston Montana shopping at Dan Bailey’s Outdoor Co. the video gets heated quickly. It was posted by a man named “Dan Bailey,” but the important distinction here is that Bailey shares no Read More…