Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s petition to the U.S. Supreme Court (SCOTUS) for a review of a Montana Supreme Court decision concerning parental rights in abortion cases has gained significant support. Five amicus briefs were filed urging SCOTUS to reverse a decision that, according to Knudsen, puts the health and safety of children at risk Read More…
A U.S. immigration judge ruled Friday that the Trump administration can move forward with its deportation case against Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University graduate student and prominent pro-Palestinian activist who was arrested in New York City last month. Judge Jamee Comans of the LaSalle Immigration Court in Louisiana stated she did not have the authority Read More…
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Thursday the termination of $5.1 billion worth of Pentagon IT and consulting contracts, targeting major firms such as Accenture, Deloitte, and Booz Allen Hamilton. The move, he said, is aimed at eliminating “wasteful spending” and redirecting funds toward core defense priorities. In a Department of Defense memo, Hegseth ordered the Read More…
The U.S. Senate confirmed retired Air Force Lt. Gen. Dan “Razin” Caine as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in a 60-25 vote on Friday, officially filling the nation’s top military post nearly two months after President Donald Trump ousted the previous chairman. The confirmation vote came just before lawmakers departed Washington Read More…
Funding from the National Institutes of Health will allow a Montana State University research team to deepen explorations into a disease that is posing an increasing threat in the U.S. Lyme disease is a bacterial infection transmitted by ticks, and nearly 90,000 cases in the U.S. were reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Read More…
Montana State University has once again been recognized by the Carnegie Classification of Institutes of Higher Education and the American Council on Education as one of the most productive research institutions in the United States. MSU received R1 designation, which denotes very high research output and doctoral education – making it one of 187 institutions Read More…
Montana State University’s leading wool and sheep expert was featured recently in Time magazine, highlighting ongoing work to explore novel uses for wool. Brent Roeder, MSU Extension sheep specialist and a faculty member in the College of Agriculture’s Department of Animal and Range Sciences, appeared in the article, “Farmers are Using Wool to Save Water Read More…
Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has ignited a passionate debate over who should be the next James Bond after taking to social media to ask his followers for their top pick. Bezos’ inquiry comes as Amazon solidifies its stake in the iconic British spy franchise. The retail and streaming giant acquired MGM Studios—the exclusive distributor of Read More…
(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of Education under the Trump administration says that race-based decisions in education – including race-based hiring, admissions, and scholarships – are unlawful, and any institution that does not comply with the department’s antidiscrimination requirements will face loss of federal funding. “The Department of Education will no longer allow Read More…
In a controversial decision that flies in the face of biological science, a Montana District Court judge ruled that Senate Bill 458— which legally defined sex as strictly male or female— is unconstitutional. The ruling, handed down by Judge Leslie Halligan, claims the law violates the Montana Constitution’s guarantees of privacy and equal protection. However, Read More…
For the third consecutive year, UM has been named the top university in the nation for community and national service, an honor that highlights institutions excelling in student and alumni contributions to public service. “This ranking confirms what we know to be true: UM students and alumni continuously outperform their peers in the fields of Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has signed an immigration enforcement agreement with the Trump Administration’s Department of Homeland Security (DHS), allowing state law enforcement to take a more active role in deportation efforts. Under the agreement, Montana Highway Patrol (MHP) troopers and Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) agents will have the authority to arrest illegal Read More…
(The Center Square) – Spokane joined the ranks of others suing the Trump administration on Friday amid attempts to reduce federal spending after research institutions spent $9 billion in NIH grants on “indirect costs.” The National Institutes of Health posted on X earlier this month that of the $35 billion it handed out in research grants Read More…
The University of Montana (UM) is continuing its upward enrollment trend, reporting a 4.3% increase in student numbers for the spring 2025 semester compared to the previous year. “The trend is clear—more students are choosing the University of Montana than at any point in the past decade,” said UM President Seth Bodnar. “With student enrollment, Read More…
A Montana State University ice researcher recently won a $1.5 million grant from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center to help a multi-institution team develop technologies to enable more readily sustained military operations in cold regions, such as within the Arctic Circle. The project is funded by a program of the Defense Advanced Read More…
The Trump administration is standing firm against The Associated Press’ lawsuit over restricted press access, asserting the president’s authority to shape media participation in White House events. The lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court, challenges the administration’s decision to block AP journalists from key presidential activities, but the White House argues that access to Read More…
The Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is accepting a second round of comments on a proposed Montana Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (MPDES) permit for snowmelt associated with snowmaking using treated wastewater on Spirit Mountain, Andesite Mountain, and the Spanish Peaks base area near Big Sky. Spanish Peaks Mountain Club (Spanish Peaks) applied to DEQ for Read More…
If American Airlines were looking to hire a new pilot, the most important qualification would be experience flying a plane. After all, someone who has never flown a plane would have neither the knowledge nor the skills necessary to safely transport passengers through the air. In the same way, Christian ministries need to hire people Read More…
lliance Defending Freedom (ADF) has filed a lawsuit against Sage Publishing after the academic publisher retracted three studies on the risks of abortion drugs, following a complaint about the authors’ pro-life views. The studies, authored by a team of professional researchers between 2019 and 2022, were peer-reviewed and published in Health Services Research and Managerial Read More…
The Wyoming Aeronautics Commission is set to hold its next meeting on February 10-11, 2025, at the Wyoming Department of Transportation (WYDOT) Aeronautics Division, located at 200 E. 8th Avenue, Cheyenne. The sessions will take place in the 2nd Floor Conference Room, with both in-person and videoconference options available. The two-day event will kick off Read More…
(The Center Square) – Late last month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order restricting “transgender” procedures on youth, including puberty blockers and surgeries such as mastectomies and penile reconstruction. In response, many medical providers including some of the top in the nation for performing them have announced they will comply with the EO. The Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a coalition of 20 attorneys general in defending a religious organization’s right to make employment decisions based on religious beliefs in the case of Union Gospel Mission of Yakima Washington v. Robert Ferguson. Knudsen argues that Union Gospel Mission, a nonprofit religious group, must have the authority to Read More…
Gov. Kelly Armstrong has appointed Levi Bachmeier of West Fargo and Patrick Sogard of Williston to four-year terms on the State Board of Higher Education, beginning July 1. Their appointments are subject to confirmation by the state Senate. Armstrong praised the new appointees, citing their expertise in education policy, finance, and operations as essential assets Read More…
Accounting students from Montana State University’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship are offering free help preparing tax returns for MSU students and individuals who made less than $60,000 last year. The 2025 help sessions will be held on the MSU campus in Jabs Hall, Room 215, from 3:15 to 5:15 p.m. on the Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has joined a coalition of 24 state attorneys general in filing an amicus brief with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, urging the court to reverse a lower court’s decision allowing a convicted murderer in Indiana to receive taxpayer-funded sex-change surgery. The brief challenges a district court ruling that granted Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced today that the state is set to receive $16.57 million from a $7.4 billion national settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, the owners of Purdue, over their role in fueling the opioid crisis. The settlement resolves allegations that Purdue aggressively marketed opioid products for decades, contributing to Read More…
Montana State Auditor and Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown announced today that the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (CSI) has joined a multi-state task force and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in a $106 million settlement with Vanguard Marketing Corporation (VMC) and The Vanguard Group, Inc. The settlement stems from Read More…
After an extensive nationwide search, the University of Montana has selected Anne Hosler to lead the Broadcast Media Center. Hosler, who has been with the center since 2012, has served in various roles, including membership manager and director of development. She has been acting as interim director and will now officially step into the leadership Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte today honored the winners of his third annual Youth Hunting Story Contest in a ceremony at the State Capitol. The contest, designed to celebrate Montana’s rich hunting heritage, attracted nearly 200 entries this year. “We started the Youth Hunting Story Contest to celebrate Montana’s proud hunting heritage, and the contest continues to Read More…
Attorney General Austin Knudsen is reminding Montanans to stay vigilant and on the lookout for bad actors trying take advantage of them as the Department of Justice’s Office of Consumer Protection (OCP) fielded 900 scam complaints, over 1,000 complaints about businesses, and saved Montanans from losing over $1 million in 2024. In 2024, OCP prevented Read More…
The University of Montana received a $500,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation to support a new Democracy Studies Program. Led by history professors Claire Arcenas, Kyle Volk, and Jeff Wiltse, the grant seeks to foster democratic values and revitalize the humanities while also supporting faculty research over the next three years. UM is one of Read More…
Amid ongoing discussions about the future of President Trump’s tax cuts, U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.), alongside Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and 33 other Republican senators, introduced the “Main Street Tax Certainty Act,” a bill aimed at making the 20 percent pass-through business tax deduction permanent. Without congressional action, the deduction is set Read More…
The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that more than $3.2 million in federal funding has been allocated to develop and preserve affordable housing in four Montana communities. The funds, distributed through the department’s Housing Trust Fund (HTF) and HOME Investment Partnerships Program, will support projects in Billings, Bozeman, Dillon, and Laurel, helping to provide Read More…
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is now accepting applications for $1 million in grant funding to support projects aimed at reducing nonpoint source pollution in the state’s lakes and streams. The deadline for eligible applicants to submit draft applications is March 7, 2025. The grants are available to nonprofit organizations and government entities Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte today announced the appointment of four individuals to the Montana Board of Regents of Higher Education and the Board of Public Education. The appointees bring extensive experience in education and leadership to their respective roles. Board of Regents of Higher Education Appointments: Raina Mortenson, Malta – A current student at the University Read More…
The United States Supreme Court today upheld a federal law banning TikTok nationwide unless its Chinese-owned parent company, ByteDance, divests its stake in the app by Sunday. In response to the ruling, Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen praised the court’s decision, emphasizing the national security risks posed by the popular social media platform. “I’m glad Read More…
The Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) announced today that Waded Cruzado, president of Montana State University (MSU), will become the association’s next president, effective July 1. Cruzado, a passionate advocate for public and land-grant universities, is set to lead the organization after over a decade of transformative leadership at MSU. Cruzado has served Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte on Monday is scheduled to deliver his third State of the State address to a joint session of the Montana Legislature and directly to the people of Montana. “I invite Montanans from across the state to tune in on Monday evening as we highlight our priorities to create greater opportunity for all Read More…
On the steps of the Montana State Capitol, Governor Greg Gianforte was officially sworn in Monday for his second term as the 25th Governor of Montana. Accompanied by his wife, First Lady Susan Gianforte, the ceremony marked a historic milestone, as Gianforte became the first Republican governor to secure a second term since 1996. Chief Read More…
(The Center Square) − Pornhub will soon be inaccessible in 13 states after lawmakers passed a slurry of restrictions for social media and other internet sites. The bills require certain age verification measures for websites hosting adult content. A total of 16 states – Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, North Read More…
Wyoming families will soon have greater access to educational choices as the first phase of the Wyoming Education Savings Account (ESA) application process goes live on January 1, 2025. The ESA program, established under the Wyoming Education Savings Account Act signed into law in March 2024, aims to empower families by providing financial support for Read More…
In a historic milestone, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) has announced the investment of more than $92 million in public schools, marking a record-breaking revenue contribution from the state’s trust lands. “Thanks to DNRC’s responsible management of state trust lands, this historic $92 million investment will provide our students with the Read More…
Montana Housing Market Faces “Frozen” Conditions Amid Affordability Crisis Montana’s housing market is experiencing what experts describe as a deep freeze, and a single statistic highlights why: roughly 80% of mortgage holders in the state have interest rates 2% to 3% lower than current market rates. For most homeowners, selling their property and buying another Read More…
BOZEMAN – As Montana State University’s College of Agriculture develops new programming to continue training the agricultural scientists and producers of the future, a new endowed chair will oversee research and teaching focused on incorporating novel technologies into farming and ranching practices. Paul Nugent was named the Whitney and Elizabeth MacMillan Endowed Chair in Precision Read More…