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…
(The Center Square) – U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Oregon, introduced a bipartisan bill this week in hopes of supporting ranchers who graze their livestock on federal lands. Wyden filed the Operational Flexibility Grazing Management Program Act with U.S. Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyoming. “After embracing the Bureau of Land Management pilot program, ranchers in eastern Oregon worked closely Read More…
CONRAD, Mont. – Continuing his 56 County Tour in Pondera County, Governor Greg Gianforte last week visited Frontline Ag Solutions in Conrad and heard from farmers in the area. “I was glad to get an update from our producers in Montana’s Golden Triangle, home of the production of our world-class grains,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Agriculture Read More…
Hunter Biden received guilty verdicts on all three felony charges tied to his 2018 gun purchase. Prosecutors asserted that the president’s son falsely claimed on a mandatory gun-purchase form that he wasn’t illegally using or addicted to drugs. During the three-hour deliberation over two days, Hunter Biden maintained a stoic demeanor. Upon hearing the verdict, Read More…
U.S. Senator Steve Daines joined his Republican colleagues in calling out the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) employee corruption and sending a letter to the VA demanding the department repay nearly $11 million in unjustified bonuses that were distributed to senior executives within the VA and calling for the immediate dismissal of the responsible officials. “The egregious mishandling Read More…
HELENA – The Supreme Court ruled in favor today of the National Rifle Association (NRA), in its case against a New York state official who trampled on the organization’s First Amendment right to free speech. In response to the NRA v. Vullo ruling, Attorney General Austin Knudsen released the following statement: “The Supreme Court made Read More…
SHELBY, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte yesterday continued his fourth annual 56 county tour as governor in Toole County, visiting Adent Mills at the Port of Northern Montana in Shelby to celebrate increasing trade opportunities for Montana producers. “One of our greatest sources of pride in Montana is our world-class products that we grow here Read More…
HELENA– Jason Allen Miller was sentenced to life without parole for running over and seriously injuring Montana Highway Patrol Trooper Lewis Johnson in February 2023. In April, Miller was found guilty on all counts including attempted deliberate homicide, criminal endangerment, criminal mischief, criminal possession of dangerous drugs, aggravated kidnapping, and a sentencing enhancement for the Read More…
Flag Day, falling on Friday, June 14, 2024, commemorates the adoption of the American flag. This annual celebration pays tribute to the “Stars and Stripes,” officially chosen by the Continental Congress on June 14, 1777, amidst the Revolutionary War. Before this, colonial troops rallied under various banners bearing symbols like rattlesnakes, pine trees, and eagles, Read More…
DRUMMOND, Mont. – Joining Montana Department of Agriculture (MDA) Director Christy Clark, Governor Greg Gianforte earlier this week continued his 56 County Tour visiting Farmer Boy Eggs in Granite County to highlight a true come home Montana story about the Verlanic family. “For too long, Montana’s most valuable export has been our kids and grandkids,” Read More…
HELENA – Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced Jeremiah Sifuentez, of Busby, as the winner of the third annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Poster Contest, during National Police Week. Jeremiah is a fifth-grade student at Spring Creek School in Decker. In his artist statement Jeremiah said he made the poster because, “I know without law enforcement Read More…
(The Center Square) – Tennessee is leading a 21-state fight to remove race-based criteria from the American Bar Association’s accreditation process. The ABA is the accrediting body for law schools in the U.S. and has a current rule being considered for revision as the state attorneys general say it compels law schools to consider race Read More…
After navigating the legal system for a year, the lawsuit challenging Montana’s TikTok ban is now officially on hold until courts resolve the federal law concerning the app. Originally scheduled for a federal appeals court hearing in September, the case involves TikTok, a group of Montana-based content creators, and Attorney General Austin Knudsen. All parties Read More…
BOZEMAN — A graduate student at Montana State University has been awarded a distinguished fellowship from NASA. Haley Ketteler, who is expected to graduate with a master’s degree in electrical engineering later this year, will use the Space Technology Graduate Research Fellowship to pursue her doctorate in mechanical engineering at MSU. “Being selected as a Read More…
BOZEMAN — The Montana State University student chapter of the American Marketing Association earned a Top 10 designation out of more than 350 chapters at the annual AMA International Collegiate Conference, which was held in New Orleans this spring. In addition to the chapter’s Top 10 designation — its fifth straight — the MSU AMA Read More…
(The Center Square) – Lawmakers will grill President Joe Biden’s Energy secretary at a newly announced oversight hearing scheduled for Thursday. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm is expected to face lawmakers for questions amid elevated gas prices, a depleted strategic petroleum reserve, and ongoing criticism of Biden’s energy policies. According to AAA, the average national price Read More…
BOZEMAN – At the end of the game, Chris Kelley didn’t know the final score. But he knew Montana State’s men’s lacrosse team had scored more goals than the University of St. Thomas, and that was what mattered. Next came the frigid deluge of a cooler of Gatorade dumped over his head. “I about dropped to Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has taken a stand against the Biden administration’s contentious Title IX rule, leading a coalition of attorneys general in filing a lawsuit aimed at protecting the rights and safety of girls and young women. This lawsuit marks the 44th legal action initiated by Attorney General Knudsen against the Biden administration. Read More…
BOZEMAN — The finals of the fifth annual $100K Venture Competition, hosted by Montana State University’s Jake Jabs College of Business and Entrepreneurship and the MSU Blackstone LaunchPad, were held April 24 in Inspiration Hall at MSU. During the competition, the finalists pitched their innovative business ideas to a panel of five judges and answered Read More…
Helena—On Friday, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) published a draft permit and environmental assessment for a proposed discharge at Spanish Peaks Mountain Club associated with their Snowmaking Project to be located in Madison and Gallatin Counties, near Big Sky, Mont. Cross Harbor Spanish Peaks Acquisitions (CHSP), LLC, applied to DEQ for a Montana Read More…
Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced Thursday that a Three Forks man, Zachary Eugene Norman, has been found guilty in Gallatin County District Court on one count of deliberate homicide. The verdict follows Norman’s involvement in the murder of Chase Eastbrook in January 2022, occurring outside a residence in Three Forks subsequent to visits to several Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte inaugurated his fourth annual 56 County Tour as governor, engaging with residents of Meagher, Judith Basin, and Fergus counties. “The most rewarding aspect of my role is connecting with Montanans in their hometowns and workplaces,” remarked Gov. Gianforte. “Launching our 2024 tour is an opportunity to spotlight the innovative small businesses and Read More…
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen spearheaded a coalition of 21 attorneys general in filing a lawsuit against the Biden administration’s recent assault on Americans’ Second Amendment rights. This legal action marks the 45th lawsuit initiated by Attorney General Knudsen against the Biden administration. The lawsuit challenges the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Read More…
A recent federal jury ruling has shed light on the enduring consequences of asbestos exposure in the small town of Libby, Montana, as BNSF Railway has been found partially responsible for the deaths of two individuals who were exposed to asbestos decades ago. The jury’s decision, handed down after careful consideration, awarded $4 million each Read More…
BOZEMAN – A team at Montana State University published research this week that shows how RNA, the close chemical cousin to DNA, can be edited using CRISPRs. The work reveals a new process in human cells that has potential for treating a wide variety of genetic diseases. Postdoctoral researchers Artem Nemudryi and Anna Nemudraia conducted Read More…
BOZEMAN — Hamilton High School and Corvallis Middle School defended their state championships by claiming the team trophies in the annual Montana Science Olympiad state tournament held at Montana State University on Friday, April 19. Both schools will now move on to represent Montana at the National Science Olympiad tournament held at Michigan State University Read More…
The emergence of fentanyl as a deadly drug threat has placed Montana at the forefront of trafficking activities, driven by the staggering profit margins associated with this potent substance. With just a two-milligram dose capable of proving lethal, the economic allure for traffickers is immense. A kilogram of fentanyl, which can potentially result in the Read More…
HELENA – A Hill County man pleaded guilty Monday in Hill County District Court to one count of incest and one count of sexual abuse of children, Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced today. William Ramirez, 41, admitted to law enforcement in December 2021 that he was sending sexually explicit messages and photos of himself to Read More…
As the Glacier Range Riders gear up for their third season in the Pioneer Baseball League, they find themselves entangled in a trademark dispute with the U.S. Department of the Interior. The source of contention lies in the Range Riders’ arrowhead-shaped logo, featuring a “RR,” which bears resemblance to the National Park Service’s emblem, as Read More…
HELENA, Mont. – The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that three Montana communities will share $100,000 in grant funding to regenerate Main Street businesses and downtowns. The funding is through Commerce’s Montana Main Street Program (MMS). “Montana’s Main Streets are at the heart of our state’s values, our neighborhoods and the economy. That’s why Read More…
(The Center Square) – A coalition of 15 Republican attorneys general want Bank of America to correct what the law officers are calling “debanking practices.” In a letter sent this week to Bank of America Chairman and CEO Brian Moynihan, the attorneys general, led by Kansas’s Kris Kobach, wrote that Bank of America “appears to be conditioning Read More…
BOZEMAN – The Air Force ROTC at Montana State University bestowed 20 awards upon selected cadets on April 17. The name of the award, the recipient(s), major, anticipated graduation date, and hometown follow: Dwight Smith Sword Award Cadet Dustin Edgerton, Computer Science, May 2024, Wasilla, Alaska. Cadet Dawson Grier, Business Finance, May 2025, Garden Grove, Read More…
Montana State University’s Brick Breeden Fieldhouse will welcome classic rock hitmakers REO Speedwagon and Rick Springfield in concert on Saturday, Oct. 26. Tickets start at $36.50 plus fees and go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday, April 26. Since forming in 1967, REO Speedwagon has released nine platinum albums, with hit songs including “Keep on Read More…
BOZEMAN — A 3-foot tall robot with blinking LED eyes delivered a shovel to Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte on Wednesday afternoon at the groundbreaking for Gianforte Hall at Montana State University, a new three-story building which will house computer science and related fields of study. The Gianforte Family Foundation donated $50 million to help fund Read More…
BOZEMAN – Over 100 law enforcement officials, criminal prosecutors, advocacy groups, public health officials, and private industry leaders joined Attorney General Austin Knudsen today in Bozeman to discuss efforts and effective strategies to combat human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation in Montana. Today’s event was the fourth anti-human trafficking symposium Attorney General Knudsen has hosted Read More…
Governor Greg Gianforte announced the following appointments: Board of Veterans’ Affairs Chauncey Parker, Box Elder: A veteran of the Montana Army National Guard and a Carroll College graduate, Parker serves as the Executive Director of the Great Plains Veterans Services Center and is the Post Commander for American Legion Post 67. His term will Read More…
(The Center Square) – Requiring publicly traded companies to make climate-related disclosures has voluntarily been put on hold by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC’s move came before a decision was reached by the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. John Rady, counsel for the SEC in the case, notified the court in a Read More…
MISSOULA – Between performing in front of crowds exceeding 26,000 and committing to a lengthy season that spans July through April, the University of Montana Dance Team knows how to face a challenge together. The team is about to take on a new and historic challenge: dancing on behalf of the University and the entire Read More…
(The Center Square) – A veteran advocacy group has called on the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for better outcomes on a range of metrics as the agency seeks a bigger budget. VA is charged with providing medical care, benefits and other services for those who have served in the military. It’s one of the Read More…
MISSOULA – Haley Omeasoo was already studying forensic science at the University of Montana when she saw the poster that redefined her life. The 2017 poster announced that her former high school classmate, Ashley Loring HeavyRunner, had gone missing on the Blackfeet Reservation in northern Montana. Just 20 at the time, HeavyRunner has never been Read More…
(The Center Square) – Oglala Sioux Tribe President Frank Star Comes Out said Gov. Kristi Noem should examine how she is handling tribal relations after the governor called Mexican drug cartel presence in Indian country “a problem across the nation.” In a statement sent to The Center Square, Star Comes Out said Noem’s current approach Read More…