he Montana Department of Commerce announced today that 26 rural safety agencies will receive more than $1.4 million in grant funding to enhance emergency service capabilities in areas experiencing increased tourism. The funding, allocated through the Montana Emergency Tourism Assistance Grant Program (METAP), aims to strengthen public safety across rural communities. “Emergency services are critical Read More…
BOZEMAN — The Montana Board of Regents today approved Montana State University’s proposal to establish a new institute to help address the nation’s security needs through applied research, technology development and education for the next generation of leaders. The Institute for National Security Research and Education, or INSRE, will serve as a hub at MSU, Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte announced today that Dustin Temple, director of Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks (FWP), will retire at the end of the year after a distinguished 20-year career with the agency. “I am grateful to Dustin for his service to FWP for two decades and for the outstanding progress he has made at one Read More…
Montana State University announced today that William Thomas, a seasoned administrator and faculty member from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has been selected as the new dean of the MSU College of Letters and Science. Thomas will officially assume his role on January 13, 2025. “William Thomas brings a wealth of experience as a scholar, educator, Read More…
HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte and Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen today announced a record number of new businesses were created in Montana last year. At Copperline Smashburgers! in Helena, Sec. Jacobsen reported that Montanans registered more than 59,420 new businesses with her office in 2023, surpassing the previous record set in 2022 by Read More…
New data suggests incidence of violent crimes in the state, revealing a notable decline in various criminal activities based on data provided by the Montana Board of Crime Control. The most significant drop was observed in the number of murders, which decreased by 38.6% from 57 cases in 2022 to 35 cases in 2023. This Read More…
On a single night in 2022, 582,462 people experienced homelessness in the United States, and numbers are on the rise. Since 2017, there has been a 6% increase in homelessness. About six in 10 of the people experiencing homelessness in 2022 had access to emergency shelters, transitional housing programs, or safe havens, while the remainder Read More…
In a press conference held Thursday to observe Human Trafficking Awareness Month, Governor Greg Gianforte was joined by Attorney General Austin Knudsen, law enforcement officials, and nonprofit leaders. Governor Gianforte expressed his strong stance against human trafficking, condemning the perpetrators who prey on individuals and engage in heart-wrenching crimes. He emphasized Montana’s unwavering commitment to Read More…
The first two years of the coronavirus pandemic had a profound impact on the U.S. housing market as Americans fled expensive, high-population areas to mid-sized cities or adjoining suburbs in lower-cost parts of the country. (See how the cost of housing has skyrocketed in these major U.S. cities.) Low-mortgage rates and high demand for homes Read More…
As Human Trafficking Awareness Month begins, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen urges Montanans to familiarize themselves with the indicators of human trafficking and report any instances they observe to aid the state in combating this reprehensible crime. In a stern message, he warns human traffickers and their accomplices against conducting business in Montana, emphasizing that Read More…
The implementation of a Montana state law scheduled to ban the TikTok app on January 1 has been temporarily halted by a federal judge pending the outcome of a lawsuit challenging the law. Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has filed notice of an appeal to the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, contesting the preliminary Read More…
Montana Highway Patrol Sgt. Jay Nelson has verified the evacuation of the Montana State Capitol in response to a bomb threat received around 8:30 a.m on Wednesday. MHP troopers efficiently cleared the Capitol, evacuating both staff and visitors. This incident is part of a series of threats directed at state capitol buildings on Wednesday morning, Read More…
Efforts to convene a special session of the Montana Legislature aimed at addressing tax-related concerns have fallen short. On Friday evening, the Montana Secretary of State’s Office disclosed the outcomes of a legislative poll. Of the total votes cast, 55 were in favor of scheduling a special session on January 15, falling short of the Read More…
A 58-year-old Billings woman, Mary Ann Whitecrane, who was previously charged with attempted murder for shooting a police officer during a standoff earlier this year, has entered a guilty plea. Whitecrane appeared in Yellowstone County District Court on Friday, having reached a plea agreement with prosecutors. As per the agreement, Whitecrane pleaded guilty to the Read More…
The Montana Lottery has announced the locations that sold the 3 $1 Million grand prize winners in this year’s Montana Millionaire raffle. The winning ticket numbers and locations are: 299951 – Kalispell (Town Pump of Kalispell #5) 315800 – Billings (Town & Country Supply Assoc.) 346589 – Great Falls (Heidelberg Lounge & Casino) by: Montana Newsroom Read More…
The mayor of Joliet, Dakota Zachariah Mitchem, who also holds the position of the town’s Postmaster, is facing a felony assault charge. The charge was filed in Carbon County District Court on Monday. According to court records, the charge is related to an incident that occurred on Sunday at a residence on Second Street in Read More…
BOZEMAN — Montana State University Extension and the Montana Stockgrowers Association awarded 2023 Steer of Merit certifications at the association’s Dec. 7 convention in Billings. MSU Extension beef cattle specialist Megan Van Emon presented the top five winners of the carcass and ultrasound Steer of Merit contests at a Best of Beef Luncheon. MSU Extension Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte has announced a strategic investment of up to $17.5 million to enhance access to community-based behavioral health and developmental disabilities care for Montanans. This marks the initial allocation of the $300 million funding commitment made by the governor this spring to overhaul and enhance Montana’s behavioral health and developmental disabilities services systems. Read More…
In a pulsating clash at Washington-Grizzly Stadium, the Montana Grizzlies etched their names in history, overcoming the North Dakota State Bison in a double-overtime spectacle to earn a coveted spot in the FCS national championship game. The heart-stopping 31-29 victory not only marked the end of the season at home, as symbolized by the iconic Read More…
On Friday, a legal challenge was initiated by James Goetz, a longtime trial lawyer from Bozeman and a prominent Democratic Party contributor. The lawsuit questions the constitutionality of four bipartisan laws recently enacted by the Republican-controlled Legislature in Montana. These laws were designed to address the state’s housing shortage by promoting proactive land use planning Read More…
The second “Early Bird” drawing in the annual Montana Millionaire raffle was conducted by the Montana Lottery on Friday. In this year’s raffle, there were two Early Bird prizes: one for $25,000, drawn on Nov. 24, and another for $100,000, drawn on the most recent Friday. The winning ticket for the $100,000 prize bears the Read More…
Patricia Real Bird, a teacher and coach for the girls’ basketball team in the Lodge Grass school district, was apprehended on Wednesday following accusations of consuming alcohol during work hours, as reported by school authorities. There is a possibility that Real Bird may be charged with child endangerment. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) is Read More…
This week, a dozen teenage girls filed into the Code Girls United classroom – a space they’ve spent many evenings in as a team over the past three months. Normally, the girls would open their laptops, hunker down, and delve into their coding work. However, this particular evening, the class had a different agenda. READ Read More…
Hunter Biden faces a heightened legal scrutiny with an indictment on nine tax charges as part of a special counsel investigation into the business dealings of President Joe Biden’s son, unfolding against the backdrop of the 2024 election. Filed on Thursday, these new charges—comprising three felonies and six misdemeanors—are in addition to federal firearms charges Read More…
District Judge Dan Wilson handed down a combined 170-year sentence to the perpetrator of the fatal 2021 Fuel Fitness shooting in Kalispell on Thursday. In Flathead County District Court on Nov. 30, a jury declared Jonathan Douglas Shaw, 37, guilty of felony deliberate homicide and attempted deliberate homicide with weapons enhancements, following a four-day trial in Read More…
Thanks to a new $5 million donation, Montana PBS has reached a fundraising milestone that will see a major expansion of the station located at Montana State University, as well as increased investments in news and public affairs programming to reach across the state. The recent gift from donors Patt and Terry Payne of Missoula pushed Montana Read More…
Representative Mike Gallagher, who chairs the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party, and Congressional Republicans are urging a University of Montana institute linked to former U.S. ambassador Max Baucus to sever ties with a Beijing proxy group operating in the United States, as reported by National Review. The GOP lawmakers contend that the Read More…
A Billings man who claims he shot another man to death in self-defense during a road rage incident was arraigned Wednesday in Yellowstone County District Court. Jacob Dylan Troxel, 31, pleaded not guilty to deliberate homicide (with weapons enhancement) for the shooting death of 29-year-old Michael Duran. Troxel was allowed to remain free on his Read More…
Missoula witnessed unforgettable night at Washington-Grizzly Stadium on Saturday, as the No. 2 seed Montana Grizzlies powered through a snow-covered showdown to dominate the Delaware Blue Hens 49-19 in the FCS playoffs’ second round. The win marked the Grizzlies’ eighth consecutive victory, propelling them into the FCS quarterfinals with an impressive 11-1 record. The snowfall, Read More…
A coalition of individuals, organizations, and businesses has strongly contested a Montana law that places restrictions on drag performances and prohibits drag reading events at public schools and libraries. In a recent legal development, this group has urged a federal judge to promptly declare the law unconstitutional without resorting to a trial. In the filed Read More…
BOZEMAN — An online auction to support Montana 4-H will be available through Dec. 4, according to the Montana 4-H Foundation. More than 50 lots are up for bid in the Montana 4-H Emerald Auction. Items donated by supporters and county councils include a collection of 4-H clover emblems, woodworking, jewelry, leatherwork and vacation getaways, according to Read More…
The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Montana State University will host a presentation, “New Directions: County and City Leaders Look Forward to 2024,” during its monthly Friday Forum on Dec. 8 via Zoom. The event will take place from noon to 1:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. U.S. census data shows that Read More…
GREENOUGH — On Monday, November 27, 2023, Governor Greg Gianforte journeyed from Helena to Greenough to partake in the felling of the 2023 State Capitol Christmas tree. The governor ventured into the woods, reaching the designated site within the Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation (DNRC) trust lands, where the ideal tree was selected Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte visited Billings to engage with veterans, business owners, legislators, and advocates in a discussion centered around the benefits of Senate Bill 104. The bill, set to take effect on January 1, will allow veterans to exempt up to 50 percent of their military retirement pay from state income tax. The governor emphasized Read More…
The Kalispell Public Schools (KPS) Board of Trustees will consider applications for one or more charter schools to be opened within the district at its Oct. 24 meeting. If approved by the board, the applications will head to the Montana Board of Public Education, where they will be approved or denied by early 2024. At Read More…
TikTok’s lawsuit against Montana over the state’s recent ban will be in court starting Thursday, October 12, 2023. The lawsuit argues the law banning the social media app violates the First Amendment, violates the U.S. Constitution in several other regards and is preempted by federal law. Governor Greg Gianforte signed the TikTok ban May 17 and Read More…
Residents from a neighborhood in the Billings Heights are upset about damages caused in their yards due to construction contracted by TDS Fiber. The construction leaves massive holes in front lawns of many in the area. These holes are where the Wisconsin-based company will lay brand new fiber optic internet cables underground. Heights resident Kristi Read More…
Helena, MT – Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Christopher Abbott has issued a temporary restraining order that temporarily blocks a law scheduled to take effect on October 1st. This law would have mandated that abortion clinics in Montana obtain licenses to operate. The restraining order stems from the fact that the state has Read More…
Gallatin County Sheriff Search and Rescue helped a hiker experiencing a medical emergency near Big Sky Thursday afternoon. Gallatin County 911 received a call of a hiker concerned of experiencing a heart attack, along with dizziness and sweatiness, on Ousel Falls Trail. Volunteers from the Big Sky Section, Big Sky Fire Department and a Gallatin Read More…
Montana Technological University is starting off the school year by introducing a new degree program: construction management. The new program will be under the School of Mines and Engineering and will take a multifaceted approach to construction management. Students will take courses in many different subject areas, including operational safety and health, mining, civil engineering, business communication and Read More…
Atlantic Richfield Company and ARCO Environmental Remediation (collectively known as Atlantic Richfield) have agreed to the cleanup of community soils – including both residential and non-residential yards and soil affected by the refinery’s operations – at the ACM Smelter and Refinery Superfund Site in Black Eagle, Montana. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said in Read More…
A Browning man who was convicted by a jury of raping a girl in Browning, on the Blackfeet Indian Reservation, was sentenced on Aug. 15 to eight years and four months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, U.S. Attorney Jesse Laslovich said today. After a two-day trial in March, the Read More…
Starting Tuesday, Montana homeowners can apply to get back up to $675 on their property taxes. The Montana Department of Revenue will open claims Aug. 15 for the property tax rebate approved by the state Legislature and signed off on by Gov. Greg Gianforte earlier this year. The deadline to apply is Oct. 1. “Property Read More…
Many Crow tribal members have been caught up in Arizona’s sober-living home scam, but when they return back to Montana, many often need treatment and recovery. The problem has caught the attention of Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, who recently reached out to Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs for assistance. “This situation is very troubling because these crooks Read More…