Featured Articles in News

Federal Court Backs Trump’s Authority Over California Pipeline

A federal court upheld the Trump administration’s authority under the Defense Production Act to oversee operation of the Santa Ynez Pipeline on the California coast, rejecting California’s efforts to block federally mandated oil production through state-level legal barriers — though the same ruling fined Sable Offshore Corporation nearly $1.5 million for violating a federal consent Read More…

CENTCOM Launches First Multinational Attack Drone Task Force

WASHINGTON — U.S. Central Command is establishing its first multinational attack-drone task force, expanding the military’s use of relatively low-cost unmanned weapons as the Pentagon works more closely with regional partners to counter threats across the Middle East. The new unit, Task Force Falcon Strike, will combine American and allied one-way attack drones operating in Read More…

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First bin store opens in Choteau

The Choteau Juice Box, which opened in mid-April, is a combination shop, selling a wide variety of disposable vape products and smoke accessories on one half of the store and selling liquidation items at bargain prices on the other half. Caine and Shanda Gray are operating the shop at 25 Third St. NE in the Read More…

Choteau, Fairfield, Power receive grants

The Montana Farmers Union Foundation has awarded more than $43,000 to 22 projects that create new opportunities and contribute to the growth and enhancement of Montana agriculture and rural communities. “MFU Foundation’s grant program has been a huge success so far,” MFU Chief of Staff Matt Rains said. “This year, we were excited to see Read More…

Federal judge in Florida rejects move to unseal grand jury transcripts on Jeffrey Epstein case

A federal judge said Wednesday she lacks the authority to grant the Trump administration’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts related to investigations of late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in South Florida in 2005 and 2007. Judge Robin Rosenberg for the Southern District of Florida said that under a precedent set by the 11th U.S. Circuit Read More…

More than 100 aid groups warn of starvation in Gaza as Israeli strikes kill 29, officials say

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — More than 100 charity and human rights groups said Wednesday that Israel’s blockade and ongoing military offensive are pushing Palestinians in the Gaza Strip toward starvation, as Israeli strikes killed another 29 people overnight, according to local health officials. Meanwhile, the Trump administration’s Mideast envoy, Steve Witkoff, was set to Read More…

California asks court to give state control of Los Angeles County’s troubled juvenile halls

LOS ANGELES — California’s top prosecutor said Wednesday he has asked a court to give the state control of Los Angeles County’s troubled juvenile detention facilities because incarcerated young people are enduring unsafe conditions, including violence and rampant drug abuse. Attorney General Rob Bonta said he wants the county to hand over administration of the Read More…

Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine faces possible prison time after admitting to drug possession

NEW YORK — Rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine admitted Wednesday that he violated the conditions of his supervised release from prison by possessing drugs, marking his latest run-in with the law since he completed a federal prison sentence on racketeering and conspiracy charges. The 29-year-old performer, whose real name is Daniel Hernandez, told a Manhattan federal judge Read More…

Five universities face federal probe over scholarships for undocumented, DACA students

The Department of Education launched investigations Wednesday into whether five leading universities are violating federal anti-discrimination law by granting certain scholarships exclusively to undocumented students or those with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status. The five universities under investigation are the University of Louisville, the University of Miami, the University of Michigan, the University of Read More…

Love for murdered Idaho students and condemnation for Bryan Kohberger mark his sentencing

BOISE, Idaho — Friends and relatives of the four University of Idaho students murdered in their rental home by Bryan Kohberger delivered powerful statements of love, anguish and condemnation as his sentencing hearing began Wednesday. “This world was a better place with her in it,” Scott Laramie, the stepfather of Madison Mogen, told the court. Read More…

Butte-Silver Bow commissioners diving into contentious ‘urban camping’ issues

A Butte-Silver Bow commissioner and some residents say “urban camping” is becoming a serious problem in Butte and they want local laws to regulate it. “Communities across the country and here in Montana are grappling with the public health, safety and environmental changes posed by unsanctioned encampments in parks and other places,” Commissioner Trudy Healy Read More…

Mayor Reiter arrested for DUI

Cody Mayor Lee Ann Reiter was arrested on early Saturday morning for driving while intoxicated; incorrectly turning at an intersection; right-hand turns; and failing to use appropriate turn and safety signals, according to the Park County Sheriff’s website.

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…