Featured Articles in News

Second Amendment Foundation Files Second Lawsuit Challenging Constitutionality of National Firearms Act

The Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) announced Wednesday the filing of a new lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the National Firearms Act (NFA), seeking to eliminate registration requirements for certain firearms. Filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas under case number 2:25-cv-00223, the case — Jensen v. ATF — names the Read More…

Knudsen Leads 20-State Coalition Supporting Trump’s Response to Portland Riots

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a coalition of 20 states in backing President Donald Trump’s deployment of federal and National Guard forces to Portland, Oregon, in response to violent protests and threats against federal officers. The coalition filed an amicus brief Wednesday in the case State of Oregon and the City of Portland Read More…

Gianforte, Montana Chamber to Host Energy Summit in Bozeman

Governor Greg Gianforte and the Montana Chamber of Commerce will host the 2nd Annual Big Sky, Bright Future Economic Summit on Thursday, October 16, in Bozeman, bringing together business leaders, policymakers, and energy experts to focus on the theme of unleashing American-made energy in Montana. “With rising demand on our energy grid, Montana must continue Read More…

Kurt Alme Confirmed as U.S. Attorney

The U.S. Senate has confirmed Kurt Alme to serve as U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana, returning the Great Falls native to a post he previously held from 2017 to 2020. A seasoned prosecutor and respected public servant, Alme brings decades of experience in both state and federal law enforcement. His confirmation drew strong Read More…

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CNBC Ranks North Dakota Most Business-Friendly State for Fourth Straight Year

or the fourth year in a row, North Dakota has been named the nation’s most business-friendly state, according to CNBC’s annual “Top States for Business” rankings. The network evaluates all 50 states on 135 metrics across 10 categories, including economy, workforce, infrastructure, cost of doing business, technology, quality of life, and business friendliness. The business Read More…

Black Hills Corp. and NorthWestern Energy Announce All-Stock Merger

Black Hills Corp. (NYSE: BKH) and NorthWestern Energy Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: NWE) said  their boards of directors have unanimously approved a definitive agreement to combine in an all-stock, tax-free merger. The deal will create a regulated electric and natural gas utility company with an estimated market capitalization of $7.8 billion and an enterprise value of Read More…

After completing innovation and management graduate program, Montana State alumnus launches food-focused startup

With bachelor’s and master’s degrees now under his belt, Montana State University alumnus Quinn Holland’s advice to current students is still what drives him every day. “Relentlessly chase what excites you in life. If there is something that you are curious about, chase it until the end of the earth and until you’re satisfied with Read More…

Americans in All 50 States to Receive Tax Cut Under Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” Analysis Finds

A new analysis from the nonpartisan Tax Foundation projects that every state in the nation will see average tax reductions under President Donald J. Trump’s signature tax legislation, the One Big Beautiful Bill, which the White House says is the most significant middle-class tax cut in U.S. history. According to the report, the law will Read More…

Eagle Mount Great Falls Awarded $22,500 Grant

Eagle Mount Great Falls, a local nonprofit providing recreational programs for individuals with disabilities, has received a $22,500 grant from The Hartford to support its adaptive paddle-sports program. The funding will be used to purchase new equipment, including two adaptive rafts, seven kayaks, and four paddleboards, expanding opportunities for participants to engage in river and Read More…

Trump Administration Sees Trillions in New U.S. Manufacturing Investments

Since President Donald J. Trump took office, U.S. manufacturing, production, and innovation have seen a surge in domestic investment, with corporations and foreign entities pledging trillions of dollars to expand operations on American soil. Major technology, automotive, pharmaceutical, and industrial companies have announced multi-billion-dollar investments in the United States during President Trump’s second term. Highlights Read More…

Quantum computing research facility launching at Montana State

When Montana State University’s new QCORE facility opens its doors later this month, it will do so with the help of around 60 outside organizations, companies and individuals – including $44.7 million from the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL. Catherine Hahola, assistant director of systems for Montana State University Information Technology, left, and Read More…

Federal Judge Blocks Use of Washington Medicaid Data for Immigration Enforcement

A federal judge has issued a preliminary injunction preventing the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from using Medicaid data obtained from Washington and 19 other states for immigration enforcement purposes. The order also bars the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from sharing such data with DHS. The injunction comes after Washington and Read More…

Gianforte’s 56 County Tour Highlights Rural Investments, Jobs, and Public Safety

Governor Greg Gianforte continued his 56 County Tour this week, visiting communities across eastern Montana to spotlight infrastructure upgrades, workforce initiatives, public safety investments, and new business openings. “It’s great to hit the road to see firsthand how communities are thriving across eastern Montana,” Gianforte said. “Thanks to our pro-family, pro-jobs agenda, we’re connecting Montanans Read More…

New Orleans mayor indicted in corruption scheme

(The Center Square) − A federal grand jury has returned a 45-page indictment charging Mayor LaToya Cantrell and New Orleans Police Department officer Jeffrey Vappie with conspiring to defraud the city by conducting a secret personal relationship while Vappie was on duty, falsifying records, and obstructing investigations. The indictment, unsealed Friday in the U.S. District Read More…

South Dakota Attorney General Joins Bipartisan Call for Instagram to Strengthen Privacy Protections

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley has joined a coalition of 37 state Attorneys General urging Instagram to make immediate changes to its recently launched location-sharing feature, citing concerns over user privacy and public safety. The coalition’s letter requests that Instagram prevent minors from enabling location sharing, provide clear alerts to adult users detailing the Read More…

Computers and conservation: Orser speakers forum to host Bill Hilf in September

Hilf will discuss his work surrounding the intersection of emerging technologies and positive societal impacts. At the Allen Institute for AI, a Seattle-based nonprofit, he researches how artificial intelligence can be used for the common good, brainstorming how to apply AI to everything from climate modeling and wildlife conservation to maritime intelligence to protect marine Read More…

Lee Enterprises to Pay $9.5 Million in Privacy Case, Faces New Employee Class-Action Lawsuits

Lee Enterprises, the Iowa-based newspaper chain that owns hundreds of publications in 25 states, including several in Montana, has agreed to pay $9.5 million to settle a subscriber privacy lawsuit — even as it confronts fresh legal troubles from a February 2025 cyberattack that allegedly exposed the personal information of thousands of employees. Three new Read More…

Governor Little Signs Executive Order to Streamline State Government

Governor Brad Little signed Executive Order 2025-05, known as “The Idaho Act,” aimed at creating efficiencies in state government, reducing spending, and supporting public schools while implementing federal tax cuts for Idahoans. The order directs state executive branch agencies — excluding K-12 public schools — to identify opportunities for consolidation, revert unfilled positions, reduce contract Read More…

Author Michael Punke to speak at Montana State convocation

BOZEMAN – Author and attorney Michael Punke, whose literary works include “The Revenant” and “Fire and Brimstone,” will speak at Montana State University’s First Year Student Convocation on Tuesday, Aug. 19. The event will be held in the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse at 4 p.m. and is open to the public. Tickets are not required. Author Read More…

1M homes to be powered by Montana coal mine expansion

(The Center Square) – The U.S. Department of the Interior on Tuesday approved expansion of coal mining in Montana, marking the second largest coal expansion since President Donald Trump took office in January as 33.75 million tons of federal coal will be recovered, 300 jobs ensured, and a million homes powered by the decision. The Read More…

Obama Administration Under Fire as Declassified Intel Questions 2016 Election Narrative

Newly declassified documents released by Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard are reigniting fierce political debate over the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation, with conservatives alleging they show top Obama administration officials helped fabricate the narrative of collusion to discredit then-candidate Donald Trump. The documents include a previously unreleased annex to the 2023 Durham report Read More…

Governor Gianforte Seeks Applicants for Two District Court Vacancies in Yellowstone County

Governor Greg Gianforte has announced that he is now accepting applications and nominations to fill two district court vacancies in Montanaʼs Thirteenth Judicial District, which covers Yellowstone County. The vacancies were officially notified to the governor by the Chief Justice of the Montana Supreme Court on July 18, 2025. This development follows the passage and Read More…

North Dakotaʼs LIFT Program Awards $1 Million Loan to Trilogy LLC for Oil and Gas Innovation

The North Dakota Department of Commerce announced that the Legacy Investment for Technology LIFT) program has awarded a $1 million loan to Trilogy LLC, a North Dakota-based company that developed the Sand Titan, a high-performance sand separator for the oil and gas industry. “The LIFT program is a vital resource for fostering innovation and supporting Read More…

UM Marketing Student Promotes Bio Station

t’s hard to top Grace Porges’ Montana summer internship. A rising senior studying marketing at the University of Montana, Porges has spent her summer promoting the educational opportunities and important science conducted by UM’s Flathead Lake Biological Station. This means long summer days living at the station on the shore of one of America’s largest, Read More…

South Dakota Officials Warn Public About Jury Duty Phone Scam After Resident Loses $22,000

South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley and Hughes County Sheriff  Patrick Callahan are urging residents to be vigilant against a jury duty telephone scam after a Hughes County resident was defrauded out of $22,000. The victim received a phone call from someone falsely claiming to represent the Hughes County Sheriffʼs Office, informing them that they Read More…

UM Program Awarded $2.4M to Support Behavioral Health Care Across Montana

A University of Montana program that trains students for careers in behavioral health care recently received a $2.4 million grant to continue growing the program and produce more providers serving Montana’s children, young adults and those in rural and underserved areas of the state. UM’s Behavioral Health Workforce Education and Training program was awarded the Read More…

DEQ Releases Final Supplemental Environmental Assessment for Laurel Generating Station

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality DEQ) has released the final supplemental Environmental Assessment EA) for the Yellowstone County Generation Station—commonly known as the Laurel Generating Station—in Laurel, Montana. This release comes after construction was completed and the facility began operating, but was delayed by court proceedings over the adequacy of DEQʼs initial environmental review. Read More…

Governor Little Appoints Juliet Charron as Director of Idaho Department of Health and Welfare

Governor Brad Little announced today the appointment of Juliet Charron as the new director of Idahoʼs largest state agency, the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare DHW. Charron will succeed Alex Adams, who was recently nominated by President Donald Trump to serve as Assistant Secretary for the Administration of Children and Families at the U.S. Read More…

Montana Digital Academy Launches Frontier Learning Lab

The Montana Digital Academy MTDA) has announced the launch of the Frontier Learning Lab FLL, a new statewide innovation initiative designed to help Montana schools explore and integrate artificial intelligence AI, extended reality XR, and other emerging technologies into education. Supported by funding from the 2025 Montana Legislature and building on MTDAʼs leadership in digital Read More…