The Montana Historical Society is accepting nominations for the 37th Montana Statehood Centennial Bell Award, which recognizes an outstanding schoolteacher for excellence in teaching Montana history. This year’s award will honor a teacher in grades 7 through 12 who has demonstrated exceptional work teaching Montana history during the 2025-26 school year. Nominations must be submitted Read More…
State officials are inviting public input on a proposed overhaul of Montana’s workforce development strategy, aimed at better aligning education, job training, and industry needs across the state. The Montana State Workforce Innovation Board is seeking comment on proposed updates to the state’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) plan, part of a broader effort Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a 24-state coalition urging the Trump administration to investigate the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the National Science Foundation, and to cut off federal grant funding tied to a climate science chapter used in a judicial reference manual. In a letter sent this month to Read More…
Montana’s Land Board approved a series of revenue-generating actions at its March meeting expected to produce more than $1.63 million for the state’s trust beneficiaries, including support for public education. The actions approved by the board included an estimated $1,093,308 from timber sales and $532,944 from an oil and gas lease sale. Combined, the measures Read More…
FARMINGTON, Utah — Montana and Montana State will meet in their annual Brawl of the Wild football game March 27 in Missoula, the Big Sky Conference said Wednesday in announcing its six-game league schedule for spring 2021. The abbreviated slate is set to begin Feb. 27 and will culminate April 10 with two conference-wide bye weeks Read More…
GREAT FALLS — The four-member staff of a Montana county’s health department has resigned, citing a lack of support by the county in fighting the coronavirus. A letter from Health Department Director Nicki Sullivan to the Pondera County Commission highlighted the need for a fairer wage, more transparency and additional contact tracers and staffers. “I want Read More…
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…
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…
Passenger counts at Missoula International Airport continue to rebound from the deepest days of the pandemic, though they remain far below what they were at the same point last year. Still, the climbing numbers have airport officials feeling more optimistic than they were over the summer, when they were bracing for possible cuts to service. Read More…
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…
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…
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…
Montana gas prices are unchanged in the past week, averaging $2.25/g on Oct. 19, 2020, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 615 stations. Gas prices in Montana are 1.3 cents per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 47.3 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. According to GasBuddy price reports, the Read More…
The Cascade County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation into the death of Sally Jane Demarais-Smith, who was found dead on Sunday afternoon. At around 2:30 p.m., her body was found inside her 2005 Toyota Corolla in a storage unit at 3033 Malmstrom Drive, according to Cascade County Sheriff Jesse Slaughter. Although located near Malmstrom Read More…
Brucellosis research will expand to outdoor settings in the greater Yellowstone area, the United States Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday. USDA under secretary Greg Ibach announced the new research projects in front of stacks of hay at a ranch north of Belgrade. Ibach said the new testing guidelines will help the effort to eliminate brucellosis Read More…
MISSOULA — A federal judge convicted a Manhattan man of providing false information on a form when trying to buy a firearm, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said today. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen, on Oct. 1, found Joshua Rodney Meech, 29, guilty of false statement during a firearms transactions. The one-day bench trial was Read More…
The current U.S. poet laureate Joy Harjo will join Montana State University’s celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day on Monday. Harjo, the first Native American to hold the national title, will read and discuss her work during a virtual event at noon. Her memoir “Crazy Brave” won the PEN USA Literacy Award for creative nonfiction and Read More…
Three Montana groups will share $1,894,452 in Department of Justice grants to improve services for crime victims in Montana. U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said Wednesday that Montana Legal Services Association will get $1 million, the Montana Board of Crime Control will be given $500,000 and the Chippewa Cree Tribe will receive $394,452 The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, Read More…
HELENA — On Wednesday, Governor Steve Bullock held a press conference with state health leaders to address the rise in COVID cases, the status of Montana hospitals dealing with COVID and unemployment insurance funds. Montana crossed 16,000 covid cases this week, with 5,352 COVID cases active in the state on Oct. 7. 733 daily COVID Read More…
A recent economic report shows just how much money Montanans spend — and how much they’re losing — because of the lack of available child care in the state. The report, conducted by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research in Missoula and sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, found that 57% of Read More…
BOZEMAN- A Bozeman doctor admitted to pre-signing blank prescriptions while he was a medical director for two weight loss clinics. A release from the Department of Justice says in 2009, Doctor Ronald M. Buss became the medical director for Go Figure, a weight loss clinic in Bozeman, and became the director for Go Figure in Read More…
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…
HELENA — The Montana VA Health Care System (MTVAHCS) is excited to announce its flu clinic schedule at fourteen sites across Montana. Flu clinics and walk-in flu shots are available for Veterans in Anaconda, Bozeman, Billings, Cut Bank, Fort Harrison/Helena, Glasgow, Glendive, Great Falls, Havre, Hamilton, Kalispell, Lewistown, Miles City, and Missoula (Details for each site Read More…
More Montana kids who are fighting critical illnesses could have wishes granted, and it’s because of a partnership involving South Dakota. Make-A-Wish South Dakota has joined forces with Make-A-Wish Montana to form one chapter. The new chapter is called Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana. “So really we were presented with an opportunity to look at Read More…
The fight over gold mining in the mountains east of the Paradise Valley hit the Montana Supreme Court on Wednesday, with attorneys tangling over whether a 2011 amendment to state environmental laws is unconstitutional. Justices heard arguments over whether a Park County judge was right to invalidate Montana’s approval of an exploratory drilling permit for 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…