WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed an Executive Order directing federal health officials to review and potentially update the United States’ childhood vaccine schedule to better align with practices in peer developed nations, citing findings that the U.S. currently recommends more childhood vaccines than any comparable country. The order directs the Centers for Disease Control Read More…
WASHINGTON — Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen joined Vice President JD Vance, the White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud, and attorneys general from 15 other states at an anti-fraud roundtable focused on combating wasteful spending, abuse, and fraud in federal benefit programs including Medicaid and SNAP. The White House Task Force to Eliminate Fraud Read More…
The Department of War has awarded $27.3 million to Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials Company, bringing its total investment in the solid rocket motor supply chain to $191 million since December 2024, as the Pentagon moves aggressively to close production gaps in a segment it considers strategically vital. The latest award, funded through the Defense Production Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a coalition of ten state attorneys general in calling on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to conduct a rigorous review of any filings submitted by OpenAI ahead of the company’s anticipated initial public offering, citing concerns about undisclosed conflicts of interest involving chief executive Sam Altman. In Read More…
FARGO — A Fargo mother has brought a lawsuit seeking damages from a truck driver and his company for a 2018 crash on Interstate 29 that killed her two young boys. The crash happened when Trista Curry and her three young children were making a trip from Fargo to Stephen, Minn., to visit family in Read More…
Montana education leaders have released the latest results in the assessment that measures elementary and middle school students’ math and English-language arts proficiencies – and the data shows there has been little change this year. The Montana Office of Public Instruction announced the results of the statewide Smarter Balanced Assessment for the 2018-2019 school year. Read More…
Montana sports betting is less than two months from launch. The Montana Lottery has now published its draft regulations — the framework of rules that, once finalized, will unleash full-fledged legal and licensed wagering on the Big Sky State. The Lottery said Friday that it expected to launch the market towards the end of 2019, Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — Medicare is reducing payments to nine Montana hospitals under a program that penalizes costly readmissions within a month of treatment for heart and lung diseases as well as knee and hip replacement surgery. The Bozeman Daily Chronicle reports the Hospital Readmission Reduction Program evaluated 14 Montana hospitals and will reduce Medicare payments by Read More…
A federal grand jury has indicted three Powell men in connection with a yearslong Medicaid fraud scheme that prosecutors allege involved billing the government for $8.5 million worth of “therapy” that included taking patients to the gym and watching them play video games. The indictment is the latest in a series of court cases Read More…
CASPER, Wyo. (AP) – A federal bankruptcy judge in West Virginia has approved a new plan to sell two Wyoming coal mines. Under the deal approved Wednesday, Milton, West Virginia-based Blackjewel would sell the Eagle Butte and Belle Ayr mines to Eagle Specialty Materials, a subsidiary of Jasper, Alabama-based FM Coal. Blackjewel halted almost all Wyoming Read More…
The Office of Public Instruction announced Wednesday that Montana has received a five-year, $50 million Striving Readers Comprehensive State Development Program literacy grant through the U.S. Department of Education. The Montana Comprehensive Literacy State Development Project (MCLSDP) will award competitive subgrants to eligible districts to advance literacy skills using evidence-based practices, strategies, and interventions for Read More…
First lady Melania Trump will be visiting Wyoming this week, the White House announced Tuesday morning. Trump will fly into Jackson Hole for a two-day visit starting Thursday, visiting both Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks to promote her anti-bullying #BeBest campaign. According to an itinerary provided by the White House, she will be Read More…
HELENA, Mont. — The state of Montana has denied a $97 million claim filed by a man who was exonerated after spending 18 years in prison for a murder he didn’t commit. Richard Raugust had to file the claim before filing a lawsuit. It was denied Monday. Raugust tells Lee Newspapers of Montana that he has Read More…
Reminder: Montana has one year left before REAL ID requirements go into effect, and travelers without REAL ID won’t be able to board commercial flights. Montana, Washington and Idaho are among states where the REAL ID extension will expire in October 2020. READ FULL STORY
Gov. Kristi Noem has expressed disappointment in recent standardized test scores among South Dakota students. South Dakota News Watch reports 54% of students tested in grades three through eight and in 11th grade showed proficiency in reading and writing. Only about 47% of those same students were proficient in math for their respective grade levels, Read More…
JACKSON, Wyo. — We’ve all heard the saying, “Time is money.” But what if you’re putting in hard work and time, and your paycheck still isn’t cutting it? It may have something to do with where you live. A new study by Joblist.com used the most recent US Current Population Survey, which surveyed Americans to find out the amount Read More…
BILLINGS, Mont. — Beartooth Pass has closed in Wyoming for the winter season but remains open on the Montana side of the border. The Billings Gazette reports the Montana side of U.S. Highway 212 is expected to close sometime over the Columbus Day week, but bad weather could bring that about sooner. The National Park Service Read More…
GREAT FALLS — The annual Montana Association of Counties conference in Great Falls this week is connecting county commissioners from across the Treasure State. “It travels around, so to speak, in each of our major towns: Missoula, Great Falls, Helena, Billings, Kalispell,” said Jim Hart, MACo president and Madison County Commissioner. The 110th annual event Read More…
Roughly three years into a new initiative, 55 Montana providers have woven more mental health services into their regular care. Montana Healthcare Foundation CEO Aaron Wernham announced the number Tuesday during the organization’s Integrated Behavioral Health Summit at Montana State University. “That is a fantastic rate of transformation,” Wernham said. The idea behind integrated Read More…
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans remain largely mistrustful of the mass media as 41% currently have “a great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in newspapers, television and radio to report the news “fully, accurately and fairly.” This latest reading represents a four-percentage-point dip since last year and marks the end of improvements in back-to-back years after hitting an Read More…
Depriving a transgender inmate with severe gender dysphoria of sex reassignment surgery is a form of “cruel and unusual punishment,” a federal appeals court ruled Friday, affirming a lower court ruling. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ordered the state of Idaho to provide the surgery for trans inmate Adree Edmo. The ruling is Read More…
CODY, Wyo. — Thousands turned out to the Powwow Garden at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West in Cody, Wyo. Saturday to see Kanye West perform a free Sunday Service. The free service is a different kind of cultural event then the town of Cody is used to. “It was really cool for them Read More…
A Billings teacher accused of sexual assault allegedly exchanged “inappropriate” text messages with two female students, ages 11 and 12, and touched them under their underwear in class, according to charging documents released Friday. Brent Skelton, who resigned from his job teaching fifth grade at Orchard Elementary School, faces between four years and life in Read More…
A California judge has dismissed a high-profile case alleging sexual abuse against Michael Goguen, a prominent venture capitalist and philanthropist whose local contributions include The Whitefish Trail and the Two Bear Air search and rescue program. In a lengthy Sept. 12 order terminating the case, retired Santa Clara County Superior Court Judge Read Ambler, who is Read More…
Law enforcement officials said they’re seeing larger amounts of drugs coming into bigger and growing Montana cities. Capt. Ryan Stratman, commander of the Missouri River Drug Task Force, said the task force sees this trend in bigger, growing Montana cities like Bozeman, Livingston and Helena. “Gallatin County and Bozeman, especially — we’re growing so fast Read More…
A rig was drilling three new wells in North Dakota in this file photo. Oil and gas production broke another record in July in the state. North Dakota again posted records for oil and gas output in July, and Monday’s surge in oil prices could fuel further production gains in the coming weeks. Global oil Read More…
The Justice Department filed a civil lawsuit Tuesday against former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden for violating his non-disclosure agreements with the CIA and the NSA by writing a new book about his leaks. Snowden’s memoir, “Permanent Record,” hit bookshelves Tuesday. Snowden, who famously leaked classified documents about government surveillance, has avoided prosecution by living in Russia. EDWARD Read More…
Robert Bialecki couldn’t get high-speed Internet when he moved to the outskirts of Great Falls a decade ago – so he figured out how to do it himself, through wireless Internet, and started a company to bring it elsewhere. “I thought, there must be a way to do it,” he told MTN News in a Read More…
On the same day and in the same area, three hunters in Montana were injured in two separate grizzly bear attacks, state wildlife officials said. Officials have not determined if the same animal was involved in both attacks this week in the Gravelly Mountains, which are southwest of Bozeman. The three hunters suffered injuries described Read More…
An internet safety report published by safewise shows that Montana has a lot of work to do to make the online experience safer for children. Montana earned a D when it comes to current measures in place to protect kids online. That’s the lowest grade awarded by the safety and security brand. The cowboy state Read More…
DETROIT — The music and chants from outside a General Motors assembly plant at midnight Monday could be heard from several blocks away as United Auto Workers members picketed the plant. “No contract, no cars!” chanted dozens of workers outside GM’s Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly, on the outskirts of the city. Others yelled, “No more tiers,” in reference to Read More…
BISMARCK — Five educators in North Dakota are finalists for the state’s 2020 Teacher of the Year award, the state superintendent announced Friday, Sept. 13. The finalists are: Jessica Brandt, Title 1 English and reading teacher at Central Cass Public School in Casselton. Karyn Chiapella, special education teacher and intervention specialist in the Scranton public Read More…
Legislative leadership voted Thursday to create a special committee of lawmakers to try and stem losses from future coal company bankruptcies for both miners and the state. Priorities for the new committee include securing taxes owed to Wyoming counties, getting the Wyoming attorney general’s office to assist county officials in bankruptcy court and trying to Read More…
KALISPELL, Mont. — In August, an all-girls robotics team won at a NASA competition. On Saturday, they showed off their skills to U.S. Senator Steve Daines. The challenge included flying a drone and using a moon map. The moon map pays homage to the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing. The girls made lots of Read More…
BILLINGS, MONTANA, September 16, 2019 — The Montana Red Cross is partnering with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during its Day of Service to install free smoke alarms in Billings homes. On Sept. 21, the Red Cross, church members and community volunteers will go door-to-door installing free smoke alarms and teaching families about Read More…
BOISE, Idaho — If a government agency in Idaho violates the Idaho Public Records Law, there’s only one thing you can do: Go to court. Under the law, that’s the “sole remedy.” You get a lawyer and file a lawsuit. It doesn’t happen often, and it’s obvious why not: Getting a lawyer and going to Read More…
A second Wyoming man has filed a federal lawsuit against agribusiness giant Monsanto, alleging its popular weedkiller brand Roundup caused him to develop non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Gerald Kubena, of Casper, alleges in the lawsuit filed last week that he used Roundup from 2009 through 2018 on his property. He was diagnosed with the lymphoma in Read More…
The United States Air Force announced Monday it will be conducting military exercises in parts of the Powder River Training Complex this week. The training complex is a massive airspace that stretches over southeast Montana, northeast Wyoming, southwest North Dakota, and northwest South Dakota. The exercise, called “Combat Raider,” is set to begin Tuesday and Read More…
Whitefish City Manager Adam Hammatt tendered his resignation Sept. 6, stepping down as the city’s top administrative officer after less than three years on the job. Mayor John Muhlfeld announced Hammatt’s resignation in a press release but provided no additional details behind the decision. “Mayor Muhlfeld, Whitefish City Council and city staff wish Mr. Hammatt Read More…
Looming among our neighbors to the north is an invasive species Montana experts say would cause extensive environmental degradation to the Big Sky state, should they ever successfully saunter across the border. And they’re edging closer every year. Large populations of feral hogs throughout Saskatchewan and Alberta have been slowly encroaching on the Montana-Canada border, Read More…
The Wyoming Council For Women announced the winner of its second annual Woman Entrepreneur Award. This year Ariane Jimison, the owner of Pizza Carrello in Gillette received the honor. Pizza Carrello is a wood-fired pizza restaurant that features house-made dough and sauce. Jimison started the business as a food cart in 2011 and opened the Read More…
Kanye West is not just a Wyoming visitor anymore, because we’ve learned he just bought a massive property. Kanye plunked down some serious money for a property called Monster Lake Ranch. The asking price was $14 million for the huge chunk of land outside Cody, Wyoming. The Ranch itself has 8 lodging units and is Read More…
BIGFORK — During the summer of 2017, the Sprague Fire in Glacier National Park destroyed the historic Sperry Chalet. Now, a Montana distillery is giving thousands of dollars to help with rebuilding the iconic structure. Gabe Spencer with Whistling Andy Distillery said, “What better way for us to raise money is through something that we Read More…
WASHINGTON – Congressman Greg Gianforte today opened nominations for the Montana Congressional Veteran Commendation, a tribute to recognize outstanding Montana veterans who have honorably served both our nation and our communities. “More than one in ten Montanans have served and sacrificed for our country. After their time in uniform, many have continued to serve our Read More…