In a move aimed at improving services for veterans, the Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) is now accepting additional documentation for veterans to obtain a veteran designation on their state-issued driver licenses. Veterans can now use a current Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) or American Legion membership card, in good standing, to receive the designation. Read More…
Montana State University announced this week that Craig Ogilvie, dean of the Graduate School and associate vice president of research, will step down from his administrative role at the end of December. Ogilvie, who has led the Graduate School since 2019, will remain at MSU as a faculty member in the Department of Physics within Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration over its plan to halt federal coal leasing in the Powder River Basin, a region responsible for 85% of coal production on federal lands. Knudsen argues the decision will devastate Montana’s coal industry and harm the state’s economy. The lawsuit, filed in Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has announced the appointment of Lee Johnson as the new administrator for the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). Johnson, a veteran with over three decades of experience at DCI, previously served as the bureau chief of the division’s Investigations Bureau. “I’m confident Lee has the knowledge and experience required to Read More…
BOZEMAN – Montana State University scientist Blake Wiedenheft was recognized last month with a prestigious award from agricultural deans and directors around the Western U.S. Wiedenheft received the Agricultural Research and Innovation Award from agInnovation West, an organization made up of the experiment station directors and agriculture deans at land-grant universities in the western half Read More…
NorthWestern Energy has formally requested approval from Montana regulators to raise rates for its electric and natural gas customers, marking its first rate adjustment petition since its last review two years ago. NorthWestern Energy submitted its proposal to the Montana Public Service Commission (PSC) for an interim rate increase. The initial request outlines a $2 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…
Governor Greg Gianforte recently honored Sergeant Major Sean Gifford during a ceremony in Three Forks, presenting him with the 2023 Montana Governor’s Veteran Commendation. “Giving back and serving our neighbors is integral to our identity as Montanans,” Governor Gianforte remarked. “It’s a privilege to recognize Sergeant Major Gifford for his exceptional contributions to the Three Read More…
Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen headlined the Montana Chamber of Commerce’s “Big Sky, Bright Future Economic Summit,” where she engaged in a fireside chat with Chamber CEO Todd O’Hair on topics of work culture and leadership. “I take great pride in the daily efforts of the Secretary of State’s Office. Our team is dedicated Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte celebrated Montana’s recent ranking as the third most patriotic state in the nation ahead of Independence Day. “God bless America, and Montana,” Gov. Gianforte exclaimed. “This study confirms what I’ve long known: Montana is home to some of the most freedom-loving and patriotic individuals in our country. From our unwavering support for 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…
(The Center Square) – Illegal border crossings at the northern border continue to break records, according to the latest data released by U.S. Customs and Border Protection. A record-breaking 18,644, were apprehended illegally entering the U.S. at the northern border in May, the highest total for the month of May in recorded history. The northern 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…
Jenifer Powell has been named the 2024 Centennial Bell Montana History Teacher of the Year. Powell, who teaches seventh-grade social studies at Corvallis Middle School, was recognized for her exceptional dedication and passion for educating students about Montana’s history. “Jenifer excels at creating an engaging learning environment that promotes critical thinking, curiosity, and a deep Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte underscored Montana’s thriving economy and recent initiatives to enhance the state’s business environment during his address at the Big Sky, Bright Futures Economic Summit in Bozeman, where he joined the Montana Chamber of Commerce. “With record business creation and a historically high employment rate, Montana’s economy is moving forward,” Governor Gianforte emphasized. 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…
Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced today the appointments to the Montana Missing Indigenous Persons Task Force. The task force aims to overcome jurisdictional obstacles and identify underlying causes contributing to the issue of missing and murdered Indigenous persons. During the 2023 legislative session, Attorney General Knudsen supported House Bill sponsored by Rep. Tyson Running Wolf, Read More…
The Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) at the Montana Department of Justice has received reports of fraudulent activities where scammers impersonate law enforcement officers. These scammers contact unsuspecting Montanans, claiming there is an arrest warrant due to missed jury duty, and then coerce victims into transferring thousands of dollars. The scammers instruct individuals to visit Read More…
Antonio Conigliaro, an 86-year-old former captain of the Genovese crime family known as “Tony Cakes” and “Tony the Dessert Man,” tragically lost his life last week in Brooklyn. He was fatally struck by a New York City Department of Transportation truck while crossing a street on June 12. Authorities reported that Antonio Conigliaro, 86, was Read More…
Billings City and Billings Logan International Airport have jointly announced the commencement of seasonal air service to Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport, facilitated by Sun Country Airlines. The service is set to commence this Wednesday, June 19, and will operate through late August. The inaugural flight from Minneapolis-St. Paul is scheduled to arrive just after 12 Read More…
Glendive Police Chief Jeremy Lee Swisher is facing potential felony charges following allegations of hunting violations on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation and tampering with witnesses, according to court documents filed last Thursday. The filings detail accusations that Swisher possessed three mule deer buck racks harvested illegally on the reservation. An investigation conducted by Montana 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…
BOZEMAN – The U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates that in 2023, nearly 5.3 million acres of wheat, 1.2 million acres of barley and more than 1 million acres of pulse crops were planted in Montana. At Montana State University’s Central Agricultural Research Center, scientists are aiming to maximize the yield and profit that come from 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…
CONRAD, Mont. – Continuing his 56 County Tour in Pondera County, Governor Greg Gianforte last week visited Frontline Ag Solutions in Conrad and heard from farmers in the area. “I was glad to get an update from our producers in Montana’s Golden Triangle, home of the production of our world-class grains,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Agriculture Read More…
U.S. Senator Steve Daines joined his Republican colleagues in calling out the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employee corruption and sending a letter to the VA demanding the department repay nearly $11 million in unjustified bonuses that were distributed to senior executives within the VA and calling for the immediate dismissal of the responsible officials. “The egregious mishandling 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…
SHELBY, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte yesterday continued his fourth annual 56 county tour as governor in Toole County, visiting Adent Mills at the Port of Northern Montana in Shelby to celebrate increasing trade opportunities for Montana producers. “One of our greatest sources of pride in Montana is our world-class products that we grow here Read More…
HELENA– Jason Allen Miller was sentenced to life without parole for running over and seriously injuring Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Lewis Johnson in February 2023. In April, Miller was found guilty on all counts including attempted deliberate homicide, criminal endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal possession of dangerous drugs, aggravated kidnapping, and a sentencing enhancement for the Read More…
DRUMMOND, Mont. – Joining Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) Director Christy Clark, Governor Greg Gianforte earlier this week continued his 56 County Tour visiting Farmer Boy Eggs in Granite County to highlight a true come home Montana story about the Verlanic family. “For too long, Montana’s most valuable export has been our kids and grandkids,” 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…
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…
BOZEMAN — A graduate student at Montana State University has been awarded a distinguished fellowship from NASA. Haley Ketteler, who is expected to graduate with a master’s degree in electrical engineering later this year, will use the Space Technology Graduate Research Fellowship to pursue her doctorate in mechanical engineering at MSU. “Being selected as a 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…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has taken a stand against the Biden administration’s contentious Title IX rule, leading a coalition of attorneys general in filing a lawsuit aimed at protecting the rights and safety of girls and young women. This lawsuit marks the 44th legal action initiated by Attorney General Knudsen against the Biden administration. 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…
Helena—On Friday, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) published a draft permit and environmental assessment for a proposed discharge at Spanish Peaks Mountain Club associated with their Snowmaking Project to be located in Madison and Gallatin Counties, near Big Sky, Mont. Cross Harbor Spanish Peaks Acquisitions (CHSP), LLC, applied to DEQ for a Montana Read More…
Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced Thursday that a Three Forks man, Zachary Eugene Norman, has been found guilty in Gallatin County District Court on one count of deliberate homicide. The verdict follows Norman’s involvement in the murder of Chase Eastbrook in January 2022, occurring outside a residence in Three Forks subsequent to visits to several 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 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…