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…
The first wave of Covid-19 peaked in the Flathead Valley exactly a year ago this week. Active cases in the county climbed to nearly 2,500 — the highest of the entire pandemic — and statewide hospitalizations and deaths were rising at an alarming rate. While vaccinations were still being developed at that time, promising research Read More…
The Kalispell Chamber of Commerce recognized local leaders during its 117th annual Grand Event on Nov. 10, honoring local attorney Tom Esch with its oldest and most prestigious award for his work facilitating the Kalispell Core Area Development and Parkline Trail projects. In addition to handing out the 50th iteration of its “Community Legacy” (formerly Read More…
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – On September 25, Amtrak’s “Empire Builder” derailed in northern Montana resulting in several injuries and three deaths. Many first responders and good Samaritans worked together to help those onboard, including a Roosevelt County man who was honored by Senator Steve Daines. Sixty-one-year-old Daniel Hutchinson is a rancher, Navy veteran, and foster Read More…
GREAT FALLS, Mont. – Back in 2016, James Parker Shield of the Little Shell Tribe created the National Native American Hall of Fame (NNAHOF) to honor those who have accomplished a lot in their life. He saw there was a need for the NNAHOF after seeing a hall of fame for almost everything else. “Native Read More…
LIVINGSTON, Mont. – The residents of Park County are not alone when trying to find affordable housing options in a booming Montana housing market, but a recent needs assessment shows worrisome concerns for area housing. The Park County Housing Coalition launched by the Park County Community Foundation and Human Resource Development Council of District IX Read More…
BROOKINGS, S.D. — South Dakota State University may want to consider changing its mascot following an unusual incident. WDAY captured the moment that a lone moose ran free across the home field of the South Dakota State Jackrabbits in Brookings on Friday. Local police and stadium personnel worked together to chase the animal out through the Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — A mobile team of medical and behavioral health specialists in western Montana has reduced the number of people going to the emergency room or jail. Members of the Missoula Mobile Support Team respond to calls with local law enforcement and sometimes on their own with known clients. READ FULL STORY
HELENA, Mont. – In just six days, Montana Millionaire tickets are now sold out. Only 250,000 tickets were available, and the Montana Lottery says this is a record for sales. “W O W!! Montana!! You blow our minds!! Montana Millionaire sold out in a record-breaking SIX DAYS! Every last one of you who got a Read More…
At a press conference WHO Europe head Hans Kluge said the continent could see half a million more deaths by February. He blamed insufficient vaccine take-up for the rise. “We must change our tactics, from reacting to surges of Covid-19 to preventing them from happening in the first place,” he said. The rate Read More…
Within hours of the Biden administration unveiling a Jan. 4 deadline for 100 million workers to get vaccinated, a small business advocacy group announced it is filing a lawsuit seeking to block the measure. “The Biden administration’s vaccine mandate is clearly illegal and will have a devastating impact on our small business community and our entire economy,” Read More…
Two illegal immigrants who were previously deported for sexually assaulting children were arrested within two hours of each other in the Rio Grande Valley on Monday. Customs and Border Protection disclosed that one of the illegal immigrant sex offenders originally hails from Guatemala and was found with a group of other migrants trying to enter Read More…
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — KELOLAND News has confirmed with the Hyde County Sheriff’s office that Sheriff Mike Volek has died. The office refused to release any other details, other than to say they would be putting out a news release sometime in the future. Volek was the first on the scene after Attorney General Read More…
BOISE (Idaho Statesman) — An Idaho woman is in jail on a quarter-million-dollar bond for allegedly stealing items from a deceased security guard’s body amid the chaos of the shooting inside a Boise mall last week. Mary Alyce Scarbrough, a 54-year-old Boise woman, faces felony counts of alteration of evidence and malicious injury to property, as Read More…
The second week of rifle season brought fewer hunters to south-central Montana check stations. In fact, overall hunter numbers were at “near historic lows” except for Lavina, where the number of hunters and harvested deer and elk “were the highest in recent history,” according to the Billings Gazette. Tallies for 2020 are not available because Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks closed check Read More…
HELENA, Mont. — The Montana School Boards Association has voted to leave the National School Boards Association next summer. The Montana Association also voted Monday to work with other state school boards associations to create a new national federal advocacy organization. READ FULL STORY
Fraud rings stole billions of dollars from at least 11 states, including Washington, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ferguson’s novel approach to rooting out the embezzled funds included searching for bank accounts where the scammers had not yet withdrawn all stolen funds and then initiating a legal effort to reclaim the funds. Investigators from the Attorney Read More…
Saudi Arabia has started moving earth and tunneling through mountains to build a futuristic linear city that officials hope will host its first residents in 2024, the project’s chief executive said. Employees are still developing regional master plans and a “founding law” for the mega-project called Neom, Nadhmi Al-Nasr said in an interview in Riyadh. But Read More…
A clip from the former football quarterback’s new show – Colin in Black & White – has gone viral and caused a social media frenzy to erupt as the 33-year-old attempts to draw similarities between scrutiny players receive from coaches to that of slavers. In the clip, Kaepernick – who earned more than $40million during his time Read More…
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Law enforcement agencies statewide will be cracking down on seat belt violations over the next month and a half. The “Click it or Ticket” enforcement campaign with extra patrols is planned Monday, Nov. 1 through Dec. 16, according to the state Transportation Department. The campaign is part of the state’s Vision Read More…
LOLO — Adam Wulf of Lolo is bringing holiday cheer to the neighborhood with his giant pumpkins! When reporter Katie Miller last talked with Wulf, he was just planting the seeds, but now he’s estimating his pumpkin came in at more than 700 pounds! Wulf lives in Lolo with his wife and son, and for years Read More…
State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen today announced Montana is initiating a new student growth assessment pilot. The Montana Alternative Student Testing (MAST) Pilot Program is a partnership with participating school districts and MetaMetrics, Inc., and is overseen by the Montana Office of Public Instruction. The pilot is designed to lessen the burden of federally mandated testing Read More…
AUSTIN, Texas — The Biden administration rejected Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s appeal that the federal government reimburse the state for millions of dollars spent responding to the border crisis. In a letter sent Sunday, Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell denied the Republican governor’s request that it reconsider its denial to approve the state’s request for an Read More…
For the past 30 years, South Dakota has been a bastion of extreme wealth, a place for multimillionaires and billionaires around the world to stash their money in vehicles known as trusts. As the explosive Pandora Papers investigation has exposed, the world’s wealthy employ complex schemes in order to avoid taxation, and the use of trusts is Read More…
Those looking to fly out of Idaho Falls now have more options. “One thing that we have been missing since it went away over probably a decade ago is the ability to travel within the state of Idaho,” says Idaho Falls Mayor Rebecca Casper. Until now. Intrastate travel in Idaho will be returning to the Read More…
STAR, Idaho (CBS2) — A fully-vaccinated mother from Star lost her battle with COVID-19 on Thursday. Susan Ward’s death was felt throughout the community. Ward was just 58-years-old. Despite being fully vaccinated, she contracted the coronavirus and was admitted to the ICU at St. Luke’s Meridian. “I miss her, I’ve missed her, it’s so lonely here Read More…
A tenured professor at the University of Montana announced through his attorney that he has resigned amid an investigation into his blog. This comes after a student newspaper reported the blog shared homophobic and misogynistic views. Rob Smith’s statement, which was shared on Twitter, said the university previously told him his blog, which he says expresses Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. – As available housing continues to be a challenge across the state, rent is also skyrocketing, forcing some Montanans out of their current home and looking for a more affordable one. Arabella Dowell moved to Missoula at the end of December 2020. She signed a six month lease for an apartment and when Read More…
Montana recorded its first confirmed case of bovine tuberculosis in more than 50 years in a beef herd in Blaine County, the state veterinarian confirmed. Meat inspectors discovered a single cow with bovine TB at a processing plant in Minnesota. It was traced back to the Blaine County herd, Dr. Marty Zaluski, Montana Department of Read More…
Former chairwoman of the Montana Native Women’s Coalition, Meredith McConnell has been sentenced for stealing federal grant funds for unapproved travel to Las Vegas, Nevada, and other unauthorized expenses. McConnell was found guilty at a trial on April 2 by a federal jury on all counts in a superseding indictment, including theft from a program receiving federal Read More…
North Dakota’s Health Department on Monday urged volunteers and people with medical experience to join the health care workforce due to what it called an “unprecedented staffing need.” Active cases of COVID-19 in North Dakota have dropped to the lowest level in a month and the average test positivity rate appears to have started Read More…
FARGO (KVRR) – Two major blood suppliers are reporting a critical blood shortage and urging all eligible donors to make an appointment to donate blood as soon as possible. Vitalant says Type O blood, which is the most transfused blood type, and vital to helping patients in emergencies, has plummeted to under a two-day supply, Read More…
GREAT FALLS — Memorial arrangements have been announced for Chief Earl Old Person, who died in Browning last Wednesday at the age of 92 after a battle with cancer. He was the longest serving elected tribal official in the U.S. Old Person was elected to the Blackfeet Tribal Business Council in 1952 and served for Read More…
BUTTE — As universities across the country deal with dwindling enrollment, a recent report out of Montana Tech shows the Butte university had an enrollment increase in the fall, albeit a very minimal one. “We’re really pleased with it; again, looking at the trends of higher education across the country, in particular those schools similar Read More…
Former Secretary of State Colin Powell died Monday from complications of COVID-19, his family said in a statement. He was 84. “General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from Covid 19. He was fully vaccinated,” the family said Read More…
FBI agents on Tuesday swarmed the home of Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska in Washington, D.C., an agency spokesperson confirmed to NBC News. The reason for their presence wasn’t immediately clear. The spokesperson said the agency is conducting “law enforcement activity at the home” but wouldn’t elaborate. The investigation is being led by federal investigators in Read More…
The former head of the Food and Drug Administration said Sunday that the COVID-19 vaccine mandate for children will be a “multiyear effort.” “I think that’s a very long way off,” Scott Gottlieb said on CBS’s Face the Nation. “The older kids, the high school kids, the middle school kids, do seem to get into trouble more with COVID. It’s harder Read More…
ELKO, Nev. — The first Nevada marijuana store on the Idaho border has been cleared to open in the rural Elko County town of Jackpot. Despite opposition from county commissioners in Idaho, the Elko County Commission unanimously approved a business license for the Thrive Cannabis Marketplace this week after authorities confirmed dispensary workers had Read More…
BILLINGS, Mont. – Plans are underway to bring a sobering center to Billings. The Gratitude in Action Foundation said it would be a place for people to sober under medical supervision and then, be offered services as needed. “We have been working on the sobering center for a few months,” Director of Development at the Gratitude Read More…
SHEPHERD — A U.S. Army veteran in Shepherd is on a mission to raise money to create a long lasting memorial in Yellowstone County honoring every soldier from Montana who was killed in action in Iraq and Afghanistan. Frederick Baker, known to his friends as Rick, grew up in Shepherd and Huntley and served as Read More…
The demand for statewide childcare services outstripped supply before the start of the global pandemic. COVID-19 exacerbated the problem. State officials hope a new pool of federal grant money will bolster the availability of childcare services. The state health department Thursday announced the funding is now available through the American Rescue Plan Act. The $31 million can help registered Read More…