A new story from NBC news outlines how Senator Jon Tester’s public image as an ethics crusader doesn’t align with the reality of his 16 years in office. From NBC: “Despite his push for lobbying reform, Tester over the years has ranked among the Senate’s top recipients of campaign cash from lobbyists, according to OpenSecrets, Read More…

As of now, the top three candidates for Billings City Council Ward 3 are: Danny Choriki with 1,091 votes (26.83%) Charles W. Loveridge with 1,294 votes (31.82%) Bill Kennedy with 1,331 votes (32.73%) The top two candidates will progress to the general election on November 7th.  Current voter numbers are as follows: -Registered Voters – Total 14,180 Read More…

The TEACH Act, or Tomorrow’s Educators Are Coming Home Act, was signed into law in 2021 by Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte. Today, backers say it’s making a dent in the teacher shortage by providing incentives and loosening licensing requirements. On Tuesday, Gianforte visited Lockwood High School to meet two new teachers, who were hired through the TEACH Act. Read More…

Flathead County District Court Judge Dan Wilson is centering his newly launched campaign for the Montana Supreme Court on his experience, what he describes as a common sense approach to applying the law and by highlighting the importance of an independent judiciary. Wilson, 59, began last week the process of filing to run for retiring Read More…

House Majority Leader Sue Vinton, R-Billings, received a suspicious letter similar to the other three letters that were received by legislators over the weekend, according to a Senate GOP communications spokesperson Kyle Schmauch. The is the fourth letter received by a Montana legislator. Officials say when it was delivered, the letter was kept unopened and Read More…

Montana’s Legislature has overridden the governor on one piece of vetoed legislation, showing that lawmakers have at least some degree of appetite for pushing back against a slew of such actions that took place after they adjourned last month.   According to results released Friday evening by the Secretary of State’s office, House Bill 693 will become law Read More…

Laurel voters approved a $57 million elementary school bond aimed at replacing aging schools but failed a $31 million high school that sought to expand athletics and career technical education. The elementary school bond was winning with almost 55 percent of the vote Tuesday night, with a tally of 1,731 for and 1,429 against. READ Read More…

The Montana House of Representatives has wrapped up its work for the 68th Session, joining the Senate in adjourning. The late Tuesday sine die vote came after a packed day in the House, with floor sessions starting at 8:00 a.m. At 9:14 p.m. representatives voted 89 to 7 to adjourn for the session. Earlier in Read More…

According to filings with the Federal Election Commission, Senator Jon Tester, who represents Montana, received the majority of his re-election campaign funds in the first three months of this year from the traditionally liberal state of California. Federal Election Commission records indicate that Senator Tester, garnered over $675,000 in the initial quarter of the year Read More…

The Montana state health department has expanded its contract with a private consulting group hired to oversee the struggling Montana State Hospital and other public health care facilities. The price tag for the amended contract with Alvarez & Marsal LLC, slated to conclude in September 2023, has also swelled to nearly $7 million dollars, up Read More…

Sandra Merchant will be the new Clerk & Recorder for Cascade County, after a recount that began on Monday and ended on Tuesday confirmed the results of the November 8, 2022, election. Merchant defeated incumbent Rina Fontana Moore by 36 votes. Joe Briggs, chair of the Cascade County Board of Commissioners, said on Tuesday that the recount Read More…