Hi-Country Snack Foods, a nearly 50-year-old Montana jerky maker and one of the largest employers in the small mountain community of Lincoln, has paused production — a development that raises new concerns about the company’s future and the economic health of the town it has long anchored. The production halt comes less than a year Read More…
A lawsuit filed by the American Prairie, a liberal nonprofit,is setting up what state officials say could be a defining legal battle over the future of Montana’s public lands — and who gets to decide how they are used. American Prairie sued the Montana State Land Board and the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Read More…
Attorney General Austin Knudsen has sent a cease-and-desist letter to Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell demanding she reverse a policy that refuses to recognize U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement as a criminal justice agency entitled to receive confidential criminal justice information, giving her until Monday, April 6, to comply or face state action. The dispute Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced Thursday that fentanyl seizures in the state dropped sharply in 2025, falling 70 percent from the prior year and nearly 80 percent from the all-time high recorded in 2023 — though the decline in seized supply came alongside a troubling rise in fentanyl-linked deaths. Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Read More…
The Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing at Montana State University is set to nearly double its financial support for students after receiving a large grant from the Bedford Falls Foundation – DAF. The $2.5 million gift will go toward scholarships for students from Montana and student success efforts. The college and MSU Alumni Foundation expect the money to directly fund upward of 380 scholarships over five years starting this fall semester. The Bedford Falls Foundation seeks to remove financial Read More…
In just a few days, the floors, walls and ceiling of Schreiber Gym will seemingly fade away and transform into a vibrant century-old logging town brought to life with music, dancing, a jail, a chapel, a barbershop and more. It’s a tradition unique to the University of Montana, which has hosted the ever-vivacious Foresters’ Ball Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte announced the membership of the Licensing Reform Task Force, fulfilling his commitment to streamline state government and make it easier for Montanans to enter the workforce. Established by executive order in January, the task force is charged with identifying and recommending the elimination of unnecessary or redundant professional and occupational licensing requirements, Read More…
A class-action lawsuit filed by two Montana property owners alleges the Montana Department of Revenue (DOR) used illegal appraisal methods that artificially inflated property valuations statewide, forcing many taxpayers to pay more in property taxes than required by law. Attorneys from Silverman Law Office and Edwards & Culver filed the lawsuit Feb. 2 in Madison Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen joined a 22-state coalition urging the U.S. House Judiciary Committee to broaden its ongoing investigation into improper influence on federal proceedings to include the Federal Judicial Center (FJC), which recently published a climate change manual for judges that the coalition says is biased. In a letter sent Tuesday to House Read More…
he Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) announced Friday, Feb. 6, that it has signed an administrative consent order with Montana Resources (MR) to resolve a water backflow incident that occurred in Butte last summer. The agreement concludes DEQ’s enforcement investigation into the event. The consent order details actions Montana Resources has taken since the Read More…
Senator Tim Sheehy (R-Wyo.) announced that Montana will receive $32 million in the latest federal funding package, signed into law by President Trump. The funds are earmarked for critical infrastructure projects, health care initiatives, and community development across the state. “I’m proud to deliver on these commonsense investments to upgrade critical infrastructure, increase access to Read More…
Montana State Auditor and Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown announced that preliminary federal data indicates a slight decline in enrollment in Montana’s Health Insurance Marketplace for the 2026 coverage year. According to the early figures released by federal officials, overall Marketplace participation dipped modestly compared to the prior enrollment period. Brown emphasized that Read More…
From Vietnamese pho to Greek halloumi flatbread to French crepes, there will be something for everyone at Montana State University’s annual International Food Bazaar on Wednesday, Feb. 18. The event will be held in MSU’s Miller Dining Commons and Rendezvous Dining Pavilion from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. It is open to the public and requires paid Read More…
leven Montana communities will share $600,000 in grant funding through the Montana Main Street (MMS) Program to support revitalization projects aimed at strengthening downtowns and local businesses. “The MMS Program focuses on empowering communities to reinvigorate downtowns through locally led planning and implementation projects,” said Commerce Director Marta Bertoglio. “Competitive grant funding and additional resources Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte and Lieutenant Governor Kristen Juras presented Norma Smith with the Spirit of Montana Award in a ceremony at the Great Falls Rescue Mission, recognizing her decades-long contributions to Montana’s communities and her trailblazing career in broadcast journalism. “Service, resilience, and community are at the heart of who we are as Montanans,” Governor Read More…
A Livingston man has been sentenced to life in prison for the 2022 murder of a man, Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced Monday. Skyler Griebel, 33, was convicted in October 2025 of deliberate homicide following a nine-day trial. The case stemmed from a February 2022 incident in which Griebel threatened his girlfriend with a gun. Read More…
One month after historic wind and flooding events battered communities across Northwest Montana, state insurance officials returned to the region this week to hear directly from residents and provide guidance on recovery and future preparedness. Insurance Commissioner James Brown and staff from the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (CSI) held a community forum and Read More…
The University of Montana Esports team is stepping up to help raise funds for new playground equipment at Hawthorne Elementary School in Missoula. The school’s playground has seen much love and use over the last several years and is in need of replacement equipment as well as increasing accessibility for all students, as play comes Read More…
When his platoon was faced with impossible odds during an ambush in Vietnam, Army Lt. Col. Harold Arthur Fritz didn’t hesitate to do everything he could to save his fellow soldiers and stave off the enemy. He miraculously survived the fight. His bravery and actions that day earned him the Medal of Honor. Read More…
As a new graduate of Washington University in St. Louis with degrees in engineering and physics, Yves Idzerda considered himself an electrical engineer first. While interviewing for his first post-baccalaureate engineering job, however, he met the author of a classic book about an element of electronics that relies on quantum mechanics to work. Their discussion Read More…
The University of Montana and Northwestern Energy have reached a settlement agreement for the operation of UM’s combined heat and power plant. The settlement sets power rates for the backup and supplemental power Northwestern Energy will provide to the UM campus to compliment the new combined heat and power plant. As part of the settlement Read More…
Alaska Army National Guardsmen assigned to the 207th Aviation Troop Command medically evacuated an individual Jan. 21 from Southwest Alaska. In response to a request for assistance from medical staff at Kanakanak Hospital, Dillingham, Alaska, the Alaska Rescue Coordination Center opened a medevac mission for an individual experiencing a medical emergency. Daylight restrictions prevented local Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte presented the Spirit of Montana Award to Superior resident Dawn Bauer in recognition of her longstanding commitment to Superior Elementary School and her selfless service to the community during a recent severe windstorm that left much of the area without power. The award was presented during a ceremony at Superior Schools attended Read More…
The Montana Office of the Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (CSI) held a public administrative hearing on January 22, 2026, to examine a cybersecurity breach involving Health Care Service Corporation, a mutual legal reserve company doing business as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana (BCBSMT). The hearing moved forward after the Lewis and Clark County Read More…
The Montana Department of Justice’s Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) prevented Montanans from losing an estimated $1.67 million to scams and fraudulent business practices in 2025, according to figures released by Attorney General Austin Knudsen. Knudsen said the numbers underscore the growing sophistication of scammers and the importance of public awareness as technology continues to Read More…
A Montana jury has found the state’s child protection agency negligent for failing to promptly notify police after learning that a 12-year-old girl had been raped and became pregnant. The jury awarded $5.5 million in compensatory damages for emotional distress, mental anguish, and pain and suffering. The girl, now 23, was raped by her mother’s Read More…
Montana has formally opted in to a new Federal Tax Credit Scholarship Program, opening the door for taxpayers to receive a federal tax credit when they donate to nonprofit organizations that provide K–12 scholarships. State officials say the move will expand education options for families and build on Montana’s existing school choice initiatives. The program Read More…
Many of the thousands of people gathered on Main Street in downtown Bozeman Saturday morning came wearing blue and gold. There were adults and kids, college students and grandparents, babies and toddlers. They shook pom-poms and waved giant foam hands. They threw footballs and clanged cow bells. And they cheered and waved and took selfies and videos as a parade rolled east on Main Street – Read More…
Army Air Corps Brig. Gen. Kenneth Newton Walker participated in dangerous bombing missions alongside his air crews during World War II because he wanted to understand how to beat the enemy. Walker never came home from his last mission. He received a posthumous Medal of Honor and is credited with helping to create the blueprint Read More…
A new three-year, $475,000 grant from the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation will expand the University of Montana School of Journalism’s Youth Voices project, bolstering its capacity to teach young people journalism skills that enable career success. The award will increase the number of Youth Voices program partners, provide new professional credentials and improve opportunities Read More…
The Montana Highway Patrol announced that troopers will begin accepting Montana Mobile IDs, as well as other states’ mobile driver licenses, during routine traffic stops, offering motorists a secure, convenient alternative to traditional physical IDs. The announcement follows last year’s launch of Montana Mobile IDs by the Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD). The digital IDs Read More…
The Montana Department of Commerce announced the launch of a new online mural project showcasing exterior murals located in communities participating in the Montana Main Street Program. The new webpage features an inventory of murals from Montana Main Street Program communities and is designed to promote visitation while highlighting local culture, history, and artistic expression. Read More…
Montana’s State Historic Preservation Office and State Historic Preservation Review Board will hold their first meeting of 2026 on Jan. 23, with members set to review historic site nominations from across the state. During the virtual meeting, the board will consider and vote on five nominations, including one multiple property document, for potential listing in Read More…
U.S. Sen. Steve Daines of Montana is calling on President Donald Trump to prioritize improved market access for Montana pulse crop producers in any future trade agreements with India, citing recent tariffs that have placed U.S. farmers at a competitive disadvantage. Daines, joined by Sen. Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, sent a letter to the Read More…
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled this week that Anaconda police officers did not violate the Fourth Amendment when they entered a man’s home without a warrant during a suspected mental health emergency, delivering a major legal victory aligned with arguments advanced by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and sharply rejecting a dissent by Montana Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte recognized ten Montana youth during a ceremony at the State Capitol, celebrating the winners of his fourth annual Youth Hunting Story Contest and highlighting the state’s long-standing hunting traditions. The contest, created by Gianforte in 2022, is open to Montana resident youth and apprentice hunters between the ages of 10 and 17. Read More…
The Montana Department of Commerce announced that the Colstrip Hospital District has been awarded $120,000 in grant funding to support the implementation of an electronic records management migration aimed at improving health care coordination and patient services. The funding was allocated through the Montana Coal Board, which provides impact grants to support communities affected by Read More…
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has announced a new low-interest loan program aimed at reducing energy costs and improving efficiency in existing multifamily affordable housing across the state. The Multifamily Energy Retrofit Loan program, known as MERL, will provide financing to owners of multifamily housing facilities seeking to make energy efficiency upgrades. The program Read More…
The Montana Department of Justice is seeking applications to fill a vacancy on the Tow Truck Complaint Resolution Committee, representing the Montana Highway Patrol. The committee reviews and resolves complaints related to tow truck operations across the state. Members serve a three-year term. The six-member committee includes: Two representatives from the tow truck industry One Read More…
Montana’s unemployment rate increased to 3.3 percent in November, continuing a streak of more than four consecutive years with unemployment at or below 3.4 percent, state officials announced. The state’s jobless rate remained well below the national unemployment rate of 4.6 percent for November, leaving Montana about 1.3 percentage points lower than the U.S. average. Read More…
Montana State University alumna Alicia Crane won a 2025 National Area Health Education Center Organization Alumni/Advocate of the Year Award this winter to honor her efforts supporting rural health care in the Treasure State. The annual award recognizes individuals who demonstrate sustained, exceptional service in support of the AHEC mission. AHEC is an organization that receives funding from the U.S. Read More…
MoFi, a nonprofit community development financial institution serving Western states, has received an $85 million New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocation from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund. The award comes as part of a record $10 billion allocation round that included 142 organizations nationwide. The New Markets Tax Read More…
Montana Supreme Court Justice Laurie McKinnon is facing a misdemeanor charge of reckless endangerment of emergency personnel stemming from a November traffic stop in Broadwater County, a case that has drawn added scrutiny because of her public comments and separate, pending ethics complaints. McKinnon, 66, was cited after a Broadwater County sheriff’s deputy alleged she Read More…
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is inviting public input on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed North Plains Connector Project. The comment period is open now through February 23, 2026. The Draft EIS evaluates potential environmental impacts associated with the North Plains Connector, a proposed 525-kilovolt (kV) high-voltage direct-current (HVDC) Read More…