Featured Articles in Montana News

Commissioner Brown secures more than $160,000 in restitution for Montana investors

Montana State Auditor and Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown announced that thousands of Montana investors will receive more than $160,000 in restitution following enforcement actions against several national brokerage firms accused of charging unreasonable commissions on certain equity transactions. The cases involve small principal equity trades conducted between May 2020 and the end Read More…

Department of Livestock reports brucellosis-affected herd in Gallatin County

The Montana Department of Livestock (MDOL) has confirmed that an animal from a Gallatin County livestock herd within Montana’s Designated Surveillance Area (DSA) tested positive for brucellosis, marking the second detection of the disease in Montana livestock in 2025. State officials said the affected herd has been placed under quarantine and an epidemiological investigation is Read More…

Supreme Court Dismisses Disciplinary Case Against Attorney General Knudsen

The Montana Supreme Court has rejected a recommendation that Attorney General Austin Knudsen be temporarily suspended from office, ruling that the misconduct proceedings against him violated his due process rights. In a 149-page decision issued Wednesday, the court concluded a five-year legal dispute rooted in a broader separation-of-powers conflict between Montana’s legislative and judicial branches. Read More…

Montana Revokes License of Doctor Accused of Unnecessary Cancer Treatments

The state of Montana has revoked the medical license of Dr. Thomas Weiner, the former director of St. Peter’s Health Cancer Treatment Center, following findings that he harmed patients through unnecessary treatments and violated professional standards of care. The Adjudication Panel of the Montana Board of Medical Examiners voted unanimously last week to revoke Weiner’s Read More…

All in: Montana News

Victim of fatal hit-and-run in Butte identified

The name of a pedestrian killed in an early Saturday morning hit-and-run incident in Butte was released Sunday. The victim was 39-year-old Duncan Brass of Butte, authorities said. He was positively identified by the Butte-Silver Bow Coroner’s Office with help from Butte police and the Montana Highway Patrol. Police say Brass was struck and killed Read More…

Montana State graduate students see carbon fiber reshaping flying transportation

BOZEMAN — Two graduate students at Montana State University recently gave presentations at an international conference on a unique carbon fiber composite that could one day reduce manufacturing and operational costs of airplanes, helicopters and other flying forms of transportation by making them significantly lighter without compromising their strength. Montana State University masters student Cooper Read More…

Native American-owned dispensary, N8V Grown, opens new location near Billings

N8V Grown, a Native American-owned and operated recreational marijuana dispensary, opened its first Billings-area storefront Friday, bringing the company’s signature high-potency products to Montana’s largest city. The shop — located at 7342 Eggebrecht Lane — is the sixth N8V Grown location statewide and the first near an urban center. Recreational cannabis shops are legal in Yellowstone Read More…

‘Great day to be a Bobcat’: Brock Tessman welcomed as MSU’s 13th president

Lilly Keller Bozeman Daily Chronicle More than 700 faculty, students, staff and community members packed the Strand Union Ballroom on Wednesday evening to welcome Brock Tessman, Montana State University’s 13th president, in his first public appearance. The event marked a new chapter for MSU. Tessman steps into the role after the departure of Waded Cruzado, Read More…

Fiber broadband expansion continues in Whitehall

Officials gathered Wednesday to celebrate the completion of a fiber broadband project in Hardin and construction underway in Butte and Whitehall. Gov. Greg Gianforte announced the expansion of the fiber broadband network in collaboration with Visionary Broadband during a ribbon-cutting ceremony held in Whitehall. Gov. Gianforte and Visionary Broadband CEO Brian Worthen during a ceremony in Read More…

Governor Gianforte Honors Four Montana Veterans with Veteran Commendation

Governor Greg Gianforte this week honored four Montana veterans with the Governor’s Veteran Commendation, recognizing their exemplary military service and continued dedication to their communities. Ceremonies were held in Chouteau, Hill, and Valley counties as part of the governor’s ongoing commitment to celebrating Montana’s veterans. “Montana veterans don’t just serve in uniform, they serve for Read More…

Department of Commerce Relaunches Wood Products Loan Fund

The Montana Department of Commerce has officially reopened the Wood Products Revolving Loan Fund (WP RLF) to new applicants, unveiling a series of major updates aimed at increasing access to capital and strengthening the state’s wood products industry. The relaunch comes with revised program guidelines, adopted earlier this month, that streamline the application process, expand Read More…

Red Bottom Celebration Held In Frazer

Editor’s Note: This story was originally published in the June 26, issue of the Northern Plains Independent. The story is being republished with permission. The 122nd Red Bottom Celebration was held in Frazer June 19-22. Attendees were treated to a mix of rain and sunshine, as well as a wide array of dance competitions and Read More…

Law Enforcement Report

For the week of June 30 through July 6, there were 51 motor vehicle stops, four reports of loose dogs, two reports of missing dogs, one report of a barking dog, one report of loose livestock, and two reports of deer/antelope being removed from the ro…

Yard Of The Week

Cindy Taylor’s yard at 321 4th Avenue North is a testament to her neighbors’ love for Cindy as much as their continuing care for her yard while she is away getting treatment. The neighbors pitched in time and money to buy plants and then take care of…

Reds Drop Two At Home

Between July 8 and July 9, the Glasgow A Reds hosted the Billings Cardinals at Bill Connors field here in Glasgow. Glasgow would only manage to take one of the three games against the Cardinals in the home-stand. In the first game on July 8, Glasgow…

Darlene Mae Demko

With heavy hearts, we share the passing of Darlene (Murch) Demko, who left us on Monday, July 7, 2025, in Great Falls, Mont., surrounded by her loved ones, at the age of 89 years old. No services are planned. Born in Hinsdale, Mont., to Harold and Beatrice Murch, July 24, 1935. She grew up and Read More…

‘We’re all immigrants:’ Roughly 50 people become American citizens in Billings ceremony

In what’s a usually quiet and restrained space, cheers and applause rang out in an American flag-adorned courtroom as immigrants became official United States citizens in a ceremony Wednesday. New U.S. citizens attend a Naturalization Ceremony at the United States District Court in Billings on Wednesday. Citizens of 15 countries attended the morning ceremony with Read More…

State Announce $4 Million Grant to Launch Montana’s First Teacher Apprenticeship Program

Governor Greg Gianforte and Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) Commissioner Sarah Swanson announced a $4 million federal grant to establish Montana’s first registered teacher apprenticeship program, a major step toward strengthening the state’s education workforce and addressing critical teacher shortages, particularly in rural and underserved areas. “Preparing the next generation of Montana’s workforce and Read More…

UM Researcher Studies How Ads Distract From Side Effects

Most people would agree that television commercials are an irritant at worst and beverage break at best. For University of Montana marketing researcher Jesse King, commercials – namely pharmaceutical advertisements – are intensely interesting and a focal point of his studies for the past several years. Specifically, King studies how images used in those ads Read More…

International group visits Choteau, Bynum projects

Choteau and Bynum were among eight north-central Montana communities showcased for International Economic Development Council members attending a three-day rural retreat, organized in partnership with the Great Falls Development Alliance and Great Falls Montana Tourism. The IEDC brought 400 attendees, about half of whom work in rural communities, to the conference June 23-25, based in Read More…

July 7-13

July 7 6:13 a.m., dispatch received a report of a hospice death at 85 Fourth Lane NW, Fairfield. 11:26 a.m., Montana Department of Transportation and Montana Highway Patrol were advised of a truck fire on Interstate 15 near Power. Power Volunteer Fire Department responded. 3:39 p.m., Teton County deputy spoke with a Fairfield resident who Read More…