The South Dakota Department of Labor and Regulation is inviting employers, educators and workforce partners to a free virtual session next week aimed at promoting registered apprenticeship programs as a tool for addressing persistent talent pipeline challenges. The online event, part of a broader Apprenticeship Knowledge Series timed to coincide with National Apprenticeship Week, is Read More…
The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy recognized personnel assigned to National Guard counterdrug programs for their support to 10 award-winning law enforcement investigations during a ceremony in Washington, April 2. The investigations were part of the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area program, a White House-led effort that brings together federal, state, local Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has launched a consumer protection investigation into Ford Motor Co. and Stellantis N.V., alleging that both automakers have been collecting and selling drivers’ personal data to third-party companies — including insurance data brokers — without vehicle owners’ knowledge or consent. Mr. Knudsen issued Civil Investigative Demands to both companies, giving Read More…
Gov. Greg Gianforte made a stop at Billings’ Park High School this week, touring woodshops, auto bays and a greenhouse as part of a broader push to position career and technical education as a cornerstone of the state’s economic strategy. The visit underscored a governance philosophy Gianforte has pursued since taking office: that closing Montana’s Read More…
The Cascade County Sheriff’s Office is continuing its investigation into the death of Sally Jane Demarais-Smith, who was found dead on Sunday afternoon. At around 2:30 p.m., her body was found inside her 2005 Toyota Corolla in a storage unit at 3033 Malmstrom Drive, according to Cascade County Sheriff Jesse Slaughter. Although located near Malmstrom Read More…
Brucellosis research will expand to outdoor settings in the greater Yellowstone area, the United States Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday. USDA under secretary Greg Ibach announced the new research projects in front of stacks of hay at a ranch north of Belgrade. Ibach said the new testing guidelines will help the effort to eliminate brucellosis Read More…
Gov. Doug Burgum today announced the recipients of the 2020 Main Street Awards honoring communities and individuals who demonstrated excellence in elevating the three pillars of the Main Street Initiative through local projects or other efforts “We are deeply grateful for all the communities, organizations and individuals who have adopted the principles of the Main Read More…
BOISE, Idaho — The U.S. Air Force violated environmental laws by not adequately studying how noise from military jets coordinating exercises with plain-clothed airmen on the ground in Idaho could harm humans and wildlife, a judge has ruled. U.S. Magistrate Judge Candy Dale ruled last week that the Air Force must conduct a more thorough Read More…
On Saturday, White House doctor Sean Conley said President Donald Trump no longer is positive for COVID-19. President Trump tested positive for COVID-19 10 days ago on Thursday. He was hospitalized from Friday through Monday at Walter Reed Medical Center. According to a letter, Conley wrote, “he is no longer considered a transmission risk to Read More…
MISSOULA — A federal judge convicted a Manhattan man of providing false information on a form when trying to buy a firearm, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said today. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen, on Oct. 1, found Joshua Rodney Meech, 29, guilty of false statement during a firearms transactions. The one-day bench trial was Read More…
The current U.S. poet laureate Joy Harjo will join Montana State University’s celebration of Indigenous Peoples Day on Monday. Harjo, the first Native American to hold the national title, will read and discuss her work during a virtual event at noon. Her memoir “Crazy Brave” won the PEN USA Literacy Award for creative nonfiction and Read More…
Three Montana groups will share $1,894,452 in Department of Justice grants to improve services for crime victims in Montana. U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said Wednesday that Montana Legal Services Association will get $1 million, the Montana Board of Crime Control will be given $500,000 and the Chippewa Cree Tribe will receive $394,452 The grants, awarded by the Department’s Office of Justice Programs, Read More…
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said Alaska Airlines laid off 147 workers at its call center in Boise. CORRECTED OCT 8, 2020 Alaska Airlines had planned to lay off 147 workers at its Boise call center but found a way to keep all of those workers on the job. “We were able to Read More…
RAPID CITY, S.D. (KOTA) – For the first time since the 90s, a company created by South Dakota Mines staff and students was bought out. This time by a subsidiary of one of the largest private equity firms in the world. Gamma Biosciences, created by KKR, announced Monday that they are acquiring Nanopareil. The company Read More…
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (RELEASE) – Donate Life America (DLA), announced local WYDOT Driver Services Deputy Program Manager, Renee Krawiec, has received regional and national recognition for DMV Innovation. Renee was presented with the DLA and American Assocation of Motor Vehicle Administrators DMV Innovation Award on October 7 at Cheyenne Driver Services. Renee won this prestigious award Read More…
HELENA — On Wednesday, Governor Steve Bullock held a press conference with state health leaders to address the rise in COVID cases, the status of Montana hospitals dealing with COVID and unemployment insurance funds. Montana crossed 16,000 covid cases this week, with 5,352 COVID cases active in the state on Oct. 7. 733 daily COVID Read More…
A recent economic report shows just how much money Montanans spend — and how much they’re losing — because of the lack of available child care in the state. The report, conducted by the Bureau of Business and Economic Research in Missoula and sponsored by the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, found that 57% of Read More…
Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell on Tuesday called for more government spending to support the nation’s nascent economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. Both the central bank and Congress should continue their aggressive efforts to shore up the economy even though employment, consumer spending and other key measures have rebounded from their collapse in the Read More…
North Dakota’s two U.S. senators and lone congressman have no plans to quarantine after President Donald Trump and a growing number of other officials have tested positive for coronavirus in the last week. U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D, was tested Friday “out of an abundance of caution,” according to his office. He tested negative. Hoeven Read More…
CHEYENNE — Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon and State Health Officer Dr. Alexia Harrist addressed the consistent increase in COVID-19 Coronavirus cases in Wyoming during a press conference today. Governor Gordon said over the past two weeks, the state has averaged 98 new cases per day, which is more than any other time since the pandemic began. Read More…
BOZEMAN- A Bozeman doctor admitted to pre-signing blank prescriptions while he was a medical director for two weight loss clinics. A release from the Department of Justice says in 2009, Doctor Ronald M. Buss became the medical director for Go Figure, a weight loss clinic in Bozeman, and became the director for Go Figure in Read More…
Yellowstone County Health Officer John Felton said Monday he will increase restrictions on businesses, churches and group gatherings at the end of October if COVID-19 infection rates continue to rise countywide. Felton said in a news conference that health officials are monitoring one key metric: the daily rate of infections per 100,000 residents. Restrictions will Read More…
FARGO — A former union leader from Fargo will avoid federal prison time for embezzling more than $100,000 from his organization, though he will have to spend a half year on house arrest, a judge ruled Wednesday, Sept. 30. Per a joint agreement from prosecutors and the defense, U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor sentenced Chad Read More…
Working with the Wyoming Department of Health, UW Athletics will be allowed to have 7,000 fans in attendance for the season opener based on current COVID-19 data. Attendance numbers could change if the current data changes before the start of the season. “We want to thank the Wyoming Department of Health for all their efforts Read More…
HELENA — The Montana VA Health Care System (MTVAHCS) is excited to announce its flu clinic schedule at fourteen sites across Montana. Flu clinics and walk-in flu shots are available for Veterans in Anaconda, Bozeman, Billings, Cut Bank, Fort Harrison/Helena, Glasgow, Glendive, Great Falls, Havre, Hamilton, Kalispell, Lewistown, Miles City, and Missoula (Details for each site Read More…
More Montana kids who are fighting critical illnesses could have wishes granted, and it’s because of a partnership involving South Dakota. Make-A-Wish South Dakota has joined forces with Make-A-Wish Montana to form one chapter. The new chapter is called Make-A-Wish South Dakota & Montana. “So really we were presented with an opportunity to look at Read More…
The fight over gold mining in the mountains east of the Paradise Valley hit the Montana Supreme Court on Wednesday, with attorneys tangling over whether a 2011 amendment to state environmental laws is unconstitutional. Justices heard arguments over whether a Park County judge was right to invalidate Montana’s approval of an exploratory drilling permit for Read More…
In an already crowded landscape of yard advertising for political candidates, new signs are cropping up across the valley that have nothing to do with the general election, promoting messages such as “put patients before profits.” The signs are the result of unionizing nurses deciding to go public with their grievances amid collective-bargaining negotiations with Read More…
Veterans Administration Secretary Robert Wilkie visited the Missoula Veterans Clinic on Palmer Street on Monday along with Montana Senator Steve Daines to deliver a message to all the staff members and employees, to thank them for their hard work in serving the growing population of western Montana veterans, especially during the COVID 19 pandemic. “It Read More…
CHEYENNE – If you’ve noticed the new fishing line boxes at some of Cheyenne’s popular lakes and parks, you can thank Taylor Merriman-Fish. Taylor installed the boxes as part of her service project, which is a required step before any Scouts BSA member can earn the prestigious top rank of Eagle Scout. It was only Read More…
MISSOULA — Another feature film is looking for actors in the Missoula area. According to IMBD “Slant Streets” is a memory loss drama about a homeless Native American in Montana trying to put his life together, despite losing his memory. The website says it is in the pre-production stage. There is a casting call for actors Read More…
Montana has a 90.3% response to the census so far. The current deadline for responding is September 30. The national response to the census is 95.8%. You can respond to the census online at 2020census.gov, by phone at 1-844-330-2020 or in person with a census taker. A census taker will have a government ID with a Read More…
Violent crime is on the rise, and not just in America’s major cities. We’ve seen the violent rioting and looting spread to the suburbs in places like Kenosha, Wisconsin. Montana is also seeing an increase in violent crime, according to Montana’s US Attorney Kurt Alme. He joined us recently on the radio, and three things Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — Politicians and rail experts are backing the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority spearheaded by Missoula Commissioner Dave Strohmaier. They discussed the benefits of rail service at the Montana Passenger Rail Summit on Thursday, including improved economy, infrastructure and connectivity. READ FULL STORY
PEMBINA, ND (KFGO) – More than $3.5 million in counterfeit US currency was seized Friday by Customs and Border Protection officers at the Pembina port of entry. READ FULL STORY
CASPER, Wyo. — The Wyoming Game and Fish Department said on Monday, Sept. 14 that deer, elk and moose hunters should have plans in place to properly transport and dispose of carcasses this fall. “Game and Fish cares about the future of healthy deer, elk and moose populations. Proper carcass transport and disposal helps to protect our Read More…
Protesters poured onto the streets of Lancaster, Pennsylvania Sunday night calling for “justice” — for a man shot dead by police while charging at an officer with a knife. Body camera footage showed Ricardo Munoz, 27, brandishing a knife and wielding it over an officer’s head as cops responded to a domestic disturbance around 4:15 p.m. Read More…
WYOMING—The U.S National Weather Service predicts smoke from the western wildfires will begin to move eastward into the afternoon filling the valleys in Northwestern Wyoming with smoke. Jackson remains under a fire weather watch with elevated fire weather conditions predicted until at least Tuesday. On Sept. 9, during a COVID-19 press conference update, Governor Gordon Read More…
BISMARCK, N.D. (KFYR) – The Brother’s Keepers Motorcycle club provided a funeral escort for a North Dakota World War 2 veteran. Harold Krueger of Kulm was honored for his service in the Marine Corp. READ FULL STORY
Idaho is small when it comes to population but very big when it comes to agriculture. Idaho ranked No. 1 among the 11 Western states in 2019 in farm income on a per capita basis. USDA data released Sept. 2 shows that Idaho farmers and ranchers produced $4,562 per person in 2019 in farm cash Read More…
BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — Being a member of the National Guard is rigorous, both mentally and physically. To make sure those serving get all the resources they need, the Idaho National Guard is making sure to do regular check-ins and host education programs on suicide prevention. The Idaho National Guard says there is no single factor Read More…
As wildfires rage across the state and country, a climate change report over a year in the making commissioned by Gov. Steve Bullock hopes to fight its effects in Montana. Bullock issued an executive order to create the Montana Climate Solutions Council in July 2019, with a final goal of developing a climate solutions plan Read More…
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The $2.7 billion future USS Montana fast attack submarine was christened Saturday at Newport News Shipbuilding, where it has been under construction since April 1, 2015. The Virginia-class sub is a product of a unique partnership between Newport News Shipbuilding and General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut. The two Read More…
BILLINGS- Beartooth Pass is completely open on both the Montana and Wyoming sides after being closed due to snow, ice and high winds September 7. The pass is scheduled to close for the season on the weekend of October 12, Columbus Day, however, the date can change depending on earlier adverse weather conditions. READ FULL Read More…