Professors sue Texas A&M System over limits on teaching race, gender Four professors and a national faculty group asked a federal judge Monday to block the Texas A&M University System’s restrictions on teaching about race, gender and sexuality and to reinstate courses canceled under the policy. The university system bars professors from “advocating” race or Read More…
New York’s push to unmask ICE agents is on hold after a federal judge blocked provisions of a newly minted state law that restricts local cooperation with immigration crackdowns. In a Monday ruling, U.S. District Court Judge Mae A. D’Agostino said that the Constitution’s Supremacy Clause doesn’t permit New York to regulate federal law enforcement Read More…
Montana State Auditor James Brown announced his office has helped stop more than $5 million in unsupported payouts by Mountain Health Co-Op, making it the second health insurer in Montana identified as a victim of a fraud scheme that targeted vulnerable Native communities using a loophole in the Affordable Care Act. The latest announcement brings Read More…
The total cost of employer-sponsored family health insurance now exceeds the median monthly mortgage payment for recent homebuyers, but employers cover most of that insurance bill. The average employer-sponsored family plan cost $26,993 in 2025, according to KFF’s latest annual survey. That works out to $2,249 per month. The Mortgage Bankers Association reported a national median mortgage payment Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a 23-state coalition in a federal court case defending parental rights after a Delaware father alleged that school officials violated his constitutional rights by concealing his child’s gender identity decisions from him. The coalition filed an amicus brief Monday in Heaps v. Delaware Valley Regional High School Board Read More…
The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that three communities in coal-impacted areas will receive more than $240,000 in grant funding to support critical public safety upgrades and community development initiatives. The funding, distributed through the Montana Coal Board, will aid local governments and school districts in enhancing infrastructure, improving emergency services, and investing in Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte continued his 56 County Tour today with a stop in Chouteau County, where he held a ceremonial bill signing for legislation aimed at strengthening Montana’s water rights system and improving water administration across the state. Standing along the banks of the Missouri River, the governor was joined by Department of Natural Resources Read More…
(The Center Square) – Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown proposed several measures on Monday to “jumpstart” the city’s affordable housing supply with hopes of building more than 22,000 units by 2046. The proposals build on Brown’s H.O.M.E. Starts Here initiative, which the Spokane City Council passed last month as part of her overhaul of the local homelessness Read More…
The Helena Area Chamber of Commerce and Helena Public Schools district will be discussing bonds over a cold one at various establishments throughout the Queen City ahead of a September vote. Brothers Tapworks, Ten Mile Creek Brewery and Speakeasy 41 will be host venues for Bonds and Brews for discussions about proposed bond issues that Read More…
(The Center Square) – As lawmakers begin crafting the 12 annual appropriations bills to fund the federal government in fiscal year 2026, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has implied that his party will refuse to cooperate in the process if Republicans revoke billions in funding from previous years. The Senate is set to vote Read More…
Hunting regulation season setting scoping meetings are underway around the state this month with more meetings remaining over the next few weeks. These meetings and your input are critical for Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff as we work to develop regulation proposals for the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission to consider this fall. If Read More…
Hoot-owl restrictions take effect July 2 at 2 p.m. on the lower Madison River from the Warm Springs BLM day-use area downstream to the Jefferson River, and on the Sun River from the mouth of Muddy Creek to the Highway 287 Bridge. Hoot-owl restrictions remain in place on the upper Madison above Hebgen Lake. Hoot-owl Read More…
Milford Wearley, a retired agriculture education teacher and long-time resident of Choteau, was honored with the 2025 Montana Range Days Hall of Fame Award during banquet festivities at Montana Range Days in Miles City on June 24. Montana Range Days (MRD) is a rangeland educational event for young children through adult age individuals that inspires Read More…
The Get Your Kicks at 6 free summer concert series will kick off on July 10 with a performance by Scratchin’ Gravel at the Choteau City Park Band Shell. Each week, a different musical artist will perform in the series every Thursday until Aug. 14 and the concerts will run from 6 to 8 p.m. Read More…
Amberly Guerrero, a senior at Montana State University who is pursuing a dual degree in chemical and biological engineering, earned a prestigious award from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation this spring. Guerrero was one of 74 undergraduate students from 51 institutions across the country to receive the award. The scholarship is offered to college juniors and Read More…
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) will host an open house later this month to update the public on a multi-year study of water quality in the middle segment of the Gallatin River, stretching from Yellowstone National Park to Spanish Creek. The public meeting will take place on Tuesday, July 29, from 5 p.m. Read More…
Travelers heading to Montana this summer may face sticker shock at the rental car counter. Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport (BZN) has been named the most expensive airport in the country for car rentals, according to a new survey from travel website Cheapcarrental.com. The survey, which analyzed rental rates across 100 U.S. airports for the peak Read More…
Marley Miller came to the University of Montana as a pre-med student, but quickly discovered a different path through the College of Business to pursue his passion for music and entertainment. Miller switched his major to business management and marketing and joined the UM Entertainment Management certificate program, which offered him real-world experience connecting with Read More…
Congressman Ryan Zinke announced that the Montana Department of Labor and Industry has been awarded $4 million in federal funding to expand apprenticeship programs across the state. The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Labor’s State Apprenticeship Expansion Formula Round 3 (SAFE3) grant program. The grant will be used to grow Registered Apprenticeship Programs Read More…
Governor Brad Little and Lieutenant Governor Scott Bedke welcomed top officials from the Trump administration to Idaho this week for a wildfire preparedness roundtable and the Governor’s annual trail ride, bringing together state, federal, and local leaders to coordinate efforts ahead of the 2025 wildfire season. The visit included senior leaders from the U.S. Department Read More…
Attorney General Austin Knudsen today announced the appointment of Billings attorney Emily Jones to the Montana Judicial Standards Commission, a key body responsible for upholding the integrity and ethical standards of the state’s judiciary. With more than 15 years in private practice, Jones brings extensive legal experience to the commission, which investigates allegations of judicial Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte and U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz has signed a historic Shared Stewardship Agreement between the State of Montana and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, launching an ambitious new partnership to accelerate forest restoration and wildfire risk reduction across the state. The agreement establishes a long-term framework to dramatically increase Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced Friday that his office has opened an investigation into Lee Enterprises following a February cyberattack that compromised the personal information of nearly 40,000 employees and subscribers, including an undisclosed number of Montanans. Lee Enterprises, based in Davenport, Iowa, owns several major newspapers in Montana, including the Helena Independent Record, Read More…
Montana State University’s most prestigious scholarship has been awarded to 20 high school graduates from across the nation and world, including 15 students from Montana. The MSU Presidential Scholarship is awarded based on scholastic achievement, demonstrated leadership and exemplary public service. Students receive an annual stipend plus a tuition waiver. The scholarship is renewable for Read More…
Litigation cannot be pursued by a disabled Florida firefighter against the city of Sanford under the Americans With Disability Act, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday. Karyn Stanley, in Stanley v. City of Stanford, sued the city after officials said that her disability entitled her to only 24 months of insurance coverage. Stanley was hired Read More…
South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley announced that the state is expected to receive approximately $10.1 million as part of a nationwide $7.4 billion settlement with Purdue Pharma and its owners, the Sackler family. The agreement, signed by 55 Attorneys General, resolves litigation accusing the company and family of fueling the national opioid epidemic. “South Read More…
Montana State Auditor and Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown praised the Montana Board of Land Commissioners this week after approving an estimated $1.7 million in revenue to support the state’s public schools. The decision, made during the Land Board’s May meeting, reflects the board’s continued efforts to responsibly manage Montana’s trust lands in Read More…
In a major legislative milestone for freshman U.S. Senator Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), President Donald J. Trump on Friday signed into law the Aerial Firefighting Enhancement Act, Sheehy’s bipartisan bill to expand and modernize the federal government’s aerial wildfire suppression capabilities. The signing ceremony took place in the Oval Office, where President Trump also issued a Read More…
The Montana Department of Commerce announced today the 2025 recipients of its Opportunities in Rural Economies (ORE) planning grants, awarding nearly $500,000 in funding to support projects that aim to strengthen local economies across rural Montana. “The ORE Program plays a vital role in creating good-paying jobs, stimulating economic growth, helping businesses grow, and building Read More…
Society tends to protect the identity of cadavers, so not much is known about No. 817. We know the 72-year-old woman was from Montana and that her final cause of death was cancer. One can infer she was a giving person, as she and her caregivers elected to donate her earthly remains to the education Read More…
Governor Brad Little and the Idaho Board of Examiners approved a request Tuesday to allocate up to $300,000 from the Governor’s emergency fund to support U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in transporting hundreds of dangerous illegal alien criminals from Idaho jails. This move follows the recent announcement that the Idaho State Police (ISP) entered Read More…
In 2026, as the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, North Dakota will mark a historic milestone of its own: the grand opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library (TRPL). Scheduled to debut during Independence Day festivities in early July, the Library will pay tribute to the 26th President of the United States on the Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte this week recognized four distinguished Montana veterans with the 2024 Montana Governor’s Veteran Commendation during ceremonies held in Ravalli, Flathead, and Missoula counties. The award honors veterans who not only served with distinction in uniform but who also continue to make a lasting impact in their communities. “Montana’s veterans lead by example. Read More…
he Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) welcomed 17 new troopers into its ranks during a graduation ceremony Friday, marking the agency’s largest graduating class in the past 20 years. Attorney General Austin Knudsen and MHP Colonel Kurt Sager addressed the graduates before the formal badge pinning ceremony, commending the new troopers for their commitment to public Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte announced the appointment of State Representative Marta Bertoglio as the new Director of the Montana Department of Commerce, signaling a continued focus on economic growth and job creation in the state. “Marta has been a strong partner in the Legislature and is a driven leader, dedicated to making Montana the best place Read More…
Most student projects made in Gallatin College Montana State University’s carpentry program are eventually disassembled, rebuilt into something new and then taken down again. And again. And again. However, a special few each year stand the test of time. This year, those projects are providing winter shelter for calves at Rocky Boy’s Nation near Havre Read More…
Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown announced Tuesday a series of national settlements with five major broker-dealer firms over allegations they charged excessive commissions on small retail equity transactions, in violation of state securities laws. The firms—Edward D. Jones & Co., L.P. (Edward Jones), LPL Financial LLC, RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Stifel, Nicolaus Read More…
(The Center Square) – President Donald Trump Friday morning thanked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit for its ruling that keeps the California National Guard, for now, under his control. The 9th Circuit ruled Thursday night to put a temporary stay on an earlier U.S. District Court for Northern California ruling transferring the National Read More…
The United States District Court for the District of North Dakota has announced it will host two naturalization ceremonies in Fargo on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, to welcome approximately 200 new American citizens. The ceremonies will take place at 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. at the Sanctuary Events Center, located at 670 4th Avenue North. Read More…
The Montana Department of Justice’s Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) is alerting Montanans to a wave of fraudulent text messages impersonating the Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) in an attempt to steal personal information and money. Scammers are sending urgent text messages that falsely claim recipients owe fines or traffic tickets and must pay immediately Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte honored seven distinguished Montana veterans this week with the 2024 Montana Governor’s Veteran Commendation, recognizing their military service and continued contributions to their communities. The ceremonies took place across Garfield, Musselshell, Fergus, and Meagher counties, with a special tribute to a 104-year-old World War II veteran. “As Americans, we have a duty Read More…
Montana State University Athletic Director Leon Costello has been named a 2023–24 FCS Athletic Director of the Year by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), recognizing his transformational leadership and the unprecedented success of Bobcat Athletics. Costello, who has led MSU’s athletics department since 2016, was honored this week during NACDA’s annual Read More…
Montana State University has ranked among some of the top schools in the Center for World University Rankings for 2025, based on factors including education, employability, faculty and research. MSU ranked in the top 3.7% of the 21,462 universities reviewed worldwide for the rankings, which were published on June 2. While some university rankings rely Read More…
The Montana Department of Commerce announced Thursday that 39 cities, towns, counties, and water and sewer districts across the state will share more than $23.7 million in grant funding through the Montana Coal Endowment Program (MCEP), supporting critical infrastructure improvements ranging from water and wastewater system upgrades to bridge replacements. “MCEP project grant funding is Read More…