Featured Articles in News

Superintendent Degenfelder Appoints Members to Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board

Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder today announced the appointment and reappointment of three distinguished individuals to the Wyoming Charter School Authorizing Board: Steve Lupien, Jill Bramlet, and Joe Feiler. “Steve, Jill, and Joe are all independently qualified charter school advocates,” Superintendent Degenfelder said. “Each brings unique and exceptional expertise to the board through Read More…

Knudsen Leads 23-State Coalition Defending Parental Rights in Gender Identity Case

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…

Governor Gianforte Signs Bill to Protect Water Users

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…

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Montana Commerce Department Awards Over $240,000 to  Coal-Impacted Communities

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 Gianforte Signs Bill to Protect Water Users

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…

Red Hand Special honors MMIP at Cheyenne powwow

At the yearly Northern Cheyenne Chief’s Powwow, about 60 dancers entered the arbor for the third annual Red Hand Special — an honor dance hosted by local nonprofit Pretty Eagle Woman Resources to raise awareness and remembrance for the nationwide crisis of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, which has impacted many families in southeastern Montana. Read More…

Spokane mayor proposes cutting red tape, fees for affordable housing developers

(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…

Montana National Guard members receive wildland firefighting training

Montana National Guard soldiers and airmen freshened up their wildland firefighting knowledge this week at Fort Harrison in Helena. The 76 soldiers took the basic wildland firefighter course led by instructors from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation as part of an ongoing partnership between DNRC and the Montana National Guard. The course Read More…

Earning a Red Card: Montana National Guard members receive wildland firefighting training

Montana National Guard soldiers and airmen freshened up their wildland firefighting knowledge this week at Fort Harrison in Helena. The 76 soldiers took the basic wildland firefighter course led by instructors from the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation as part of an ongoing partnership between DNRC and the Montana National Guard. The course Read More…

‘He’s being kidnapped right now’: Helena Police video shows ICE detention of Christopher Martinez

Body and dash camera video from the Helena Police Department obtained by the Independent Record shows the July 1, 2025, traffic stop that led to the detention of Christopher Martinez Marvan by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The video shows police originally pulled Martinez over for an expired license plate tag but that immigration officers quickly Read More…

Democrats threaten government shutdown if GOP passes $9.4 billion rescissions bill

(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…

Helena City Commission approves $150,000 for YWCA building repair

The Helena City Commission has awarded the local YWCA $150,000 in funding to renovate the exterior of its building.  This Tax Increment Financing, commonly known as TIF, will partially cover the costs for the replacement of 60 windows on the facade of the 107-year-old property at 501 N. Park Ave. Helena Community Development Coordinator Christopher Brink explained at Monday’s City Read More…

Authorities identify man who fatally shot himself in front of law enforcement in Helena

Lewis and Clark County Sheriff and Coroner Leo Dutton identified a Georgia man who fatally shot himself at Pioneer Park in Helena on July 6. Joseph Brewer, 38, died by a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head that occurred in the presence of Helena Police Department officers, officials said late Wednesday. According to law enforcement, Read More…

Drought drives agreement to release Silver Lake water to enhance Clark Fork flows

DUNCAN ADAMS Severe drought adds substantial stress to the already imperiled aquatic life in the upper Clark Fork River. Streamflows drop and temperatures rise. Algae blooms deplete dissolved oxygen. In such circumstances, cold water becomes a hot commodity. On Wednesday, Butte-Silver Bow County and the state’s Natural Resource Damage Program, or NRDP, announced an agreement Read More…

Hunting regulation scoping meetings underway

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 begin July 2

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…

Wearley honored at Montana Range Days

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…

How to obtain financial freedom

We’re getting close to the Fourth of July, our national Independence Day. This celebration may get you thinking of the many freedoms you enjoy. But have you thought of what you might need to do to attain financial freedom? Your first step is to define what financial independence signifies to you. For many people, it Read More…

June 30-July 6

June 30 2:54 p.m., a hay field fire was reported at 2110 11th Lane NW in Choteau. Pendroy and Choteau volunteer fire departments responded. 4:03 p.m., individual reported a cybercrime to the Sheriff’s Office. 4:25 p.m., deputy was advised of a potential scammer that called an individual in Choteau requesting payment. 5:21 p.m., Choteau VFD Read More…

Celebrating The Fourth Of July In Hinsdale

Brandon Bigelbach / For the Courier Pictured left to right, front, is Dakota Franzen, Claire Bergtoll, Bria Bergtoll, Bennett Bergtoll, Kay Fjeld and in the back are Mason Fjeld and Matthew Fjeld. Driving the truck “Gertie,” which is named after Kay’s Aunt Gertie, are Gifford Fjeld and Beau Franzen. Bryon Fjeld (whose sons are Mason Read More…