Now that the United States has officially stopped making pennies, a nationwide scramble is underway among gas stations, fast-food chains, and major retailers to adjust prices and handle cash transactions — a shift that could quietly erode profits for many high-volume businesses. The transition follows President Donald Trump’s decision earlier this year to halt production Read More…
(The Center Square) – Death threats against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are up by 8,000% compared to the same timeframe last year, the Department of Homeland Security said on Friday. Assaults against ICE officers remain at a 1,000% increase, The Center Square first reported. Targeted removal efforts prioritizing arresting violent offenders are ongoing as Read More…
Bitcoin was on track Friday to post its first October loss in seven years, breaking a streak that had given the month a “lucky” reputation among cryptocurrency traders. The world’s largest digital currency is set to fall nearly 5% for the month, trading around $66,800 Friday afternoon, as investors pulled back from risk assets amid Read More…
Hilltop Bank announced today that it has reached an agreement to acquire Cheyenne State Bank, marking a significant expansion of its banking footprint in Wyoming. Under the terms of the agreement, Hilltop Bank will integrate Cheyenne State Bank’s operations, employees, and branch network, aiming to provide enhanced banking services to both retail and commercial customers Read More…
With Memorial Day weekend kicking off the unofficial start of summer, Attorney General Austin Knudsen and the Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) are urging Montanans to drive safely as the state enters the “100 Deadliest Days of Summer” — the period between Memorial Day and Labor Day when traffic fatalities historically spike. To prevent tragedies, MHP Read More…
As part of his ongoing 56 County Tour, Governor Greg Gianforte made stops in eastern Montana this week to recognize two veterans with the 2024 Montana Governor’s Veteran Commendation, honoring their military service and continued contributions to their communities. On Thursday in Glendive, Gov. Gianforte presented the award to U.S. Army veteran Rick Berg during Read More…
Montana continues to outperform much of the nation in employment, ranking third among U.S. states for the lowest unemployment rate, Governor Greg Gianforte announced. The state’s jobless rate held steady at 2.7% in April, trailing only South Dakota and North Dakota. The figure marks an ongoing trend of low unemployment in Montana, maintaining 46 consecutive Read More…
The Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has awarded the 2025 Excellence in Mining Reclamation Award in the coal category to the Buckskin Mine for its outstanding work restoring native sagebrush habitat in Campbell County. The award, which recognizes exceptional achievements in mine reclamation, will be officially presented during the 69th Annual Wyoming Mining Association Read More…
North Dakota State Superintendent of Public Instruction Kirsten Baesler’s nomination to serve as the U.S. Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education has advanced to the full United States Senate. The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) approved Baesler’s nomination Friday in a party-line vote of 12-11, as part of an en Read More…
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced today the promotion of two veteran law enforcement officers to newly created leadership positions within the Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI). Supervisory Special Agents Mike Hockett and Dane Rasmussen have been named Special Agents in Charge (SAC) for the Eastern and Western regions of the state, respectively. “Special Read More…
The Wyoming Public Safety Communications Commission (PSCC) will convene in Casper next week for a two-day session focused on strategic planning and key updates to the state’s emergency communications infrastructure. The meetings will take place May 28–29 at the Thyra Thomson State Office Building, located at 444 W. Collins Dr., and will include both an Read More…
Elizabeth Shanahan, a professor of political science at Montana State University, has received a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award to Australia, where she will investigate Australian public responses and policy development related to the prevention of emerging infectious disease. Shanahan will collaborate with a researcher in the University of Wollongong’s School of Health and Society Read More…
(The Center Square) – Leaders in both political parties are showing former President Joe Biden their support after Biden announced he is dealing with an aggressive form of prostate cancer. Biden’s personal office released a statement Sundaysaying he had prostate cancer “characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the Read More…
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman, through his hedge fund Pershing Square Capital Management, has made a significant move by investing $900 million in Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HHH), increasing his stake to 46.9% and positioning the real estate developer as a platform for a diversified holding company modeled after Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway. The announcement, Read More…
(The Center Square) – A recent Trump administration order that seeks to boost critical mineral production could be a boon for Colorado, Arizona and Wyoming, which are home to key critical minerals needed for clean energy technologies, a new report claims. President Donald Trump in March signed Executive Order 14241, citing the economic and national security Read More…
(The Center Square) – U.S. Border Czar Tom Homan addressed a group of Republican lawyers at a national policy conference Friday about the status of President Donald Trump’s three primary goals on illegal immigration. The president gave Homan three main objectives as the administration’s border czar: To secure the border, to spearhead “the biggest deportation Read More…
Montana State University’s Office of Research Development has received national recognition for its innovative efforts to strengthen research collaboration across universities in the western U.S. At the National Organization of Research Development Professionals (NORDP) annual conference held April 28–May 1, MSU’s research development team was presented with the prestigious Innovation Award. The award honors individuals Read More…
The Montana Department of Commerce announced a major expansion in financing options for businesses and nonprofits today, following the enactment of Senate Bill 104, which significantly broadens the reach of the Montana Facility Finance Authority (MFFA). Signed into law by Governor Greg Gianforte on April 16, 2025, the legislation allows the MFFA to issue conduit Read More…
Kicking off his fifth annual 56 County Tour, Governor Greg Gianforte hit the road this week, visiting Montanans in Sheridan, Daniels, Roosevelt, McCone, and Richland counties, spotlighting legislative wins, economic development, and investments in education. “Over the course of the next few months, we’ll hit the road visiting each of Montana’s 56 counties to celebrate Read More…
Attorney General Austin Knudsen has announced Jordyn Muggli, a fifth-grade student at Lincoln Grade School in Miles City, as the winner of the 2025 Law Enforcement Appreciation Poster Contest, held annually during National Police Week. Jordyn’s artwork was selected from more than 175 entries submitted by students across 35 classrooms throughout Montana. In her artist Read More…
The University of Montana and Blackfoot Communications have joined forces to launch a critical new initiative aimed at bolstering cybersecurity defense in Montana’s rural communities. Announced this week, the partnership marks the first corporate collaboration for the Public Infrastructure Security Cyber Education System (PISCES) in the state. The program will provide cyber threat monitoring and Read More…
The Montana Department of Justice (MTDOJ) and Billings Police Department (BPD) are alerting the public to a significant and alarming increase in the presence of the deadly synthetic opioid carfentanil in the Billings area. The warning follows a major drug seizure by the Eastern Montana High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) task force, which uncovered Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a 26-state coalition urging the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a Hawaii law that imposes broad restrictions on where law-abiding citizens can carry firearms. The coalition filed an amicus brief in the case Wolford v. Lopez, arguing that Hawaii’s so-called “sensitive places” firearm restrictions violate the Second Amendment. Read More…
The Wyoming Air National Guard has been selected to receive the C-130J Super Hercules, a modern upgrade to replace its aging fleet of C-130H aircraft. This announcement marks a significant milestone for the 153rd Airlift Wing and recognizes the exemplary performance of Wyoming’s Airmen in supporting critical missions both domestically and globally. A total of Read More…
Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown announced a significant settlement with Vanguard Marketing Corporation and The Vanguard Group, Inc., resolving an investigation into unexpected capital gains tax distributions from Vanguard’s Target Retirement Funds in 2021. The settlement addresses concerns that affected Montana investors and others nationwide. The investigation, conducted alongside the U.S. Securities Read More…
President Donald Trump has nominated Kurt Alme to serve as the U.S. Attorney for Montana, a move that has garnered strong support from Montana’s U.S. Senators Steve Daines and Tim Sheehy. Alme, who previously held the position during Trump’s first administration, brings extensive experience and a proven track record to the role. Senator Steve Daines Read More…
Community leaders, local businesses, and young athletes gathered this week to break ground on the highly anticipated Signal Peak Energy Ice Arena, a new multi-sport facility set to transform youth athletics and recreational opportunities in Billings. The arena, which will be built at Amend Park, will feature two full-sized ice sheets, indoor sports courts, outdoor Read More…
Governor Brad Little announced today the appointment of Megan Marshall as the new District Judge for the Second Judicial District and Annette Valenzuela Tipton as the new Executive Director of the Idaho Commission on Hispanic Affairs (ICHA). Megan Marshall, who has served as a magistrate judge in Latah County since 2018, will fill the vacant Read More…
In recognition of Missing or Murdered Indigenous Persons (MMIP) Awareness Day, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen reaffirmed his office’s commitment to addressing the disproportionate impact of violence on tribal communities across the state. “I have had a front row seat to the devastation inflicted on Montana’s tribal communities by the missing and murdered Indigenous persons Read More…
More than 400 cases of metal and wood letters line the shelves of Montana State University’s letterpress studio. The pieces of type, made from carving letters into wood blocks or by casting metal molds, range in size from the length of a pinky finger to 8-inch wooden letterforms. They are inked and pressed onto sheets of Read More…
Growing up on a ranch in Twin Bridges, Carl Shaw never thought about going to college. Nobody in his family had gone to college, but when Shaw was in high school his parents encouraged him to go. He researched his options and was impressed with the high job placement rate at the University of Montana’s Read More…
Governor Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota met with U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lee Zeldin today to discuss critical issues affecting the state’s energy and agriculture sectors. The meeting focused on collaborating with the federal government and industry partners to protect North Dakota’s natural resources while fostering responsible energy development and economic growth. Armstrong Read More…
Over 230 attendees, including leaders from Idaho cities and counties, state and federal agencies, business owners, and community organizations, convened for the fourth annual Idaho Rural Success Summit held in Worley, Idaho, on April 30 and May 1, 2025. The two-day event served as a platform for discussion and collaboration on key issues impacting rural Read More…
(The Center Square) – The Federal Reserve said Wednesday it would hold interest rates unchanged as it warned about the potential for higher unemployment and higher inflation as a result of President Donald Trump’s trade plans. “If the large increases in tariffs that have been announced are sustained, they’re likely to generate a rise in Read More…
(The Center Square) – Resentencing hearings for murderers Erik and Lyle Menendez have been set for Tuesday and Wednesday despite objections from the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. During a hearing Friday in a Van Nuys courtroom, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Jesic set the hearing dates, which will also be in Van Read More…
For the second summer in a row, Montana State University student Lukas Kosel has been selected to participate in a cultural exchange program in China through the Max S. Baucus Institute. The junior from the small town of Roberts, who is majoring in English and history in the College of Letters and Science, is one Read More…
The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership (TRCP) has awarded Congressman Ryan Zinke (R-MT-01) its highest honor, the James D. Range Conservation Award, recognizing his leadership in wildlife conservation and protection of public lands. Zinke, a former Secretary of the Interior and a longtime advocate for public access and land stewardship, was honored during the TRCP’s annual Read More…
The North Dakota Department of Commerce announced today that Tugboat Solutions, Inc. and Verdethos, Inc. have been approved for a combined total of $255,000 in funding through the state’s Angel Match Program (AMP) for the first quarter of 2025. The Angel Match Program, designed to support early-stage, high-growth companies, will provide Tugboat Solutions with a Read More…
As part of Small Business Week, Governor Greg Gianforte visited Swanky Roots, a family-run aquaponics greenhouse in Billings, to celebrate local entrepreneurship and highlight the role of small businesses in Montana’s economy. “Small businesses like Swanky Roots are the backbone of our communities and economy,” Governor Gianforte said during his visit. “It’s inspiring to see Read More…
U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy (R–Mont.) led a coalition of 16 Republican lawmakers in sending a letter to former President Donald J. Trump, voicing strong support for potential executive action aimed at strengthening America’s wildfire response. In the letter, the lawmakers urged Trump to pursue executive-level reforms to streamline federal wildfire response efforts, increase interagency cooperation, Read More…
(The Center Square) – Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte is pitching gun manufacturers based in Colorado to relocate to his state. Gianforte, whose office posted a video to social media on Wednesday, cited Colorado’s new gun law, Senate Bill 25-003, and other laws not friendly to the industry. SB 25-003, which Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed into law earlier Read More…
A Montana State University graduate hopes a youthful, in-charge, purple civil engineer with large, pointy ears will pique the interests of children about her own chosen profession. Lisa Schleuter (previously Woerlein), graduated from MSU’s Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering in 2014 with a degree in civil engineering and minors in aerospace and Spanish. It was Read More…
A soon-to-be two-time graduate of Montana State University is participating in a selective academic and professional development program for young leaders in agriculture through the Farm Foundation. Caroline Roeder Helle is one of five graduate students nationwide to be named to the foundation’s Agricultural Scholars program for 2025. Over a year, selected students participate in Read More…
When the Tennessee Titans open the doors to their brand-new Nissan Stadium in 2027, fans will be welcomed into a high-tech visual experience unlike any other in the NFL. Partnering with Daktronics, a leading LED display manufacturer based in Brookings, South Dakota, the Titans will install 37 massive video displays totaling more than 77,000 square Read More…