Featured Articles in News

Montana State awarded $1.1 million to expand facility for photonics research and development

The Montana Microfabrication Facility at Montana State University recently received a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration through its Regional Technology and Innovation Hubs program. The funding will support current and new Montana Microfabrication Facility customers to rapidly develop, assemble and test photonic integrated circuits, or PICs. In this 2023 file photo, Read More…

Original Governor’s Mansion to Close for Major Restoration Work

The Original Governor’s Mansion will temporarily close to public tours beginning November 1, 2025, as contractors begin a series of critical exterior repairs aimed at preserving one of Montana’s most cherished historic landmarks. The restoration effort, funded through the Governor’s Long-Range Building Program, will address both the mansion and its adjacent historic carriage house. Planned Read More…

Retailers Scramble as U.S. Penny Phase-Out Forces Price Rounding

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…

Death threats against ICE officers up by 8,000%, DHS says

(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…

All in: News

Supreme Court seems favorable to Biden administration over efforts to address social media content

The Supreme Court is currently deliberating a case that pits the Biden administration against Republican-led states, focusing on the government’s role in addressing controversial social media content related to topics such as COVID-19 and election security. The dispute centers on whether the federal government has the authority to influence social media platforms to moderate or Read More…

President of Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Neel Kashkari to Visit UM

MISSOULA – Neel Kashkari, the president and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, will visit the University of Montana on Monday, April 8, to conduct a public townhall meeting. Kashkari, one of the nation’s leading monetary policymakers, oversees all operations of the bank and leads numerous initiatives that aim to improve the economic Read More…

Thousands of pounds of meth smuggled across border in vegetable shipments

(The Center Square) – Mexican cartels for decades have devised creative ways to smuggle narcotics and other contraband across the southern U.S., including using produce, law enforcement officials say. This month, in one week, thousands of pounds of meth were seized hidden in shipments of peppers, tomatillos and carrots. At the Otay Mesa, California, cargo Read More…

Montana Logging Industry Faces Uncertain Future

Pyramid Mountain Lumber officials have announced their intention to sell the mill rather than resorting to an auction, although no concrete plans have been finalized apart from the impending closure. The company’s decision to shutter operations has sent shockwaves through the lumber industry, with many individuals and stakeholders deeply impacted by the news. Dick Rossignol, Read More…

Wyoming SOS opposes Postal Service plan to move Casper’s mail processing to Billings

(The Center Square) – Wyoming Secretary of State Chuck Gray wants the U.S. Postal Service to withdraw a proposal to move mail processing from Casper’s distribution center to Montana. The USPS would move processing operations from Casper to Billings is part of a broader plan to help save money, improve service, and retain employees. Gray also opposes the Read More…

Realtors group ends commission model; biggest ‘jolt’ in housing in 100 years

(The Center Square) – The National Association of REALTORS announced Friday an agreement where it will end the 6% commission that is routine in home sales. In the settlement with homeowners, the association will pay $418 million in damages and end litigation on the matter. Experts say that Americans pay $100 billion a year in Read More…

State report touts North Dakota employment outlook

(The Center Square) – Most major industries in North Dakota will add jobs over the next two years, according to a new report released by the state’s Labor Market Information Center. The state-level report looks at short-term projections through 2025. It predicted only three North Dakota industries would shrink in job numbers. The agriculture, forestry, Read More…

Willis stays on Trump case, Wade forced to resign

(The Center Square) – Embattled Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis on Friday stayed on the case involving former President Donald Trump and accepted the resignation of her lead investigator following a judge’s ruling that one of them had to step aside. Judge Scott McAfee, overseeing Trump’s election interference racketeering case, said Willis can remain on Read More…

Montana State business college helps students develop networking skills

BOZEMAN — This semester, Montana State University’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship held its first career symposium, a casual event intended to help students become comfortable talking to potential employers and collaborators. About 300 students attended the event, which was held Feb. 12 in the Strand Union Building on the MSU campus. There, Read More…

AG Knudsen announces another record-breaking year for fentanyl seizures

HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced today an over 20,000 percent increase in fentanyl seizures by anti-drug forces in Montana since 2019. Additionally, over twice as much fentanyl was seized in 2023 compared to 2022, shattering previous records. In 2023, Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area task forces seized a total of Read More…

Montana State engineering students draw recognition at regional competition

BOZEMAN — A team of six Montana State University students from the Norm Asbjornson College of Engineering drew recognition at a recent competition that pitted them against 1,400 other students from across the region. The undergraduate students, each majoring in construction engineering technology, were among 40 MSU students who competed in the Associated Schools of Read More…

Registration open for 2024 edition of 406 Grazing Academy

BOZEMAN – Registration is now open for the three-day 406 Grazing Academy, an annual workshop aimed at ranchers seeking to hone their grazing management skills and learn new strategies. This year’s event will be held June 11-13 in Miles City, and registration is open until April 26. Registration costs $200 per person and includes materials, Read More…

As Army struggles to recruit, plan in works to eliminate 24,000 positions

(The Center Square) – As the U.S. Armed Forces have struggled to meet recruitment goals, the Army is reducing its troops by 24,000 soldiers. According to an “Army Force Structure Transformation” document first published by American Military News, the Army announced its restructuring plan due to a “changing security environment and evolving character of war.” Read More…

Montana State announces new nurse-midwifery program

BOZEMAN — The Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing at Montana State University has taken another step toward improving health care for state residents, particularly those living in rural, frontier or Native communities. The nursing college has been authorized by the national Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education to start a nurse-midwifery track in its Read More…

UM Law Alumnus Races to Success

MISSOULA ­– Kyle Fickler grew up in Drummond, Montana. From a young age, he was always drawn toward motorsports and racing. He loved tinkering on cars and figuring out how to make them go faster and with more power. “My cousin took me to my first drag race in Spokane when I was around 14 Read More…

Trump Aims for Decisive Victory on ‘Super Tuesday’

Donald Trump is aiming for a decisive victory on “Super Tuesday” as 15 states hold Republican contests in the primary season’s biggest voting day. Trump, despite facing numerous criminal charges, has dominated the Republican campaign, leaving Nikki Haley as his lone challenger. With a string of victories in early nominating contests, Trump has narrowed down Read More…

Montana Highway Patrol commissions 12 new troopers

HELENA – The Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) commissioned 12 new troopers at a graduation ceremony at the Civic Center in Helena Friday. Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Lieutenant Colonel Kurt Sager addressed the new troopers prior to their badge pinning and taking the oath of office. “I’m confident that the new troopers are prepared to Read More…

Montana State student wins civic engagement scholarship for volunteer work on campus

BOZEMAN – Montana State University junior Sophia Adams says her childhood experiences as the younger sibling of a brother with autism shaped her wish to serve people living in difficult circumstances. “I felt a responsibility to look out for other people,” said Adams, an aspiring medical doctor and Honors College student majoring in biochemistry in Read More…