MISSOULA, Mont. – The Missoula County Commissioners provisionally voted to expand the vape ban five miles beyond city limits in effort to reduce kids’ access to vape products. The ordinance restricts self-service display of tobacco products and prohibits the sale of flavored tobacco products, which are common in e-cigarettes. Right now, over half of Montana Read More…

HELENA — Montana lawmakers heard testimony Tuesday on a bill that would put limits on the governor’s powers during an extended emergency – a response to the orders the previous governor put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic. The House State Administration Committee held a hearing on House Bill 122, sponsored by Republican Rep. David Read More…

HELENA – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced his appointment of Misty Kuhl to lead the Department of Indian Affairs. “Misty shares my commitment to create new partnerships and build stronger bridges with our eight tribal nations,” Governor Gianforte said. “I campaigned on the promise of bringing new and greater opportunities to Indian country, and I Read More…

HELENA — After pro-Trump protesters broke into the U.S. Capitol Wednesday, Montana leaders say they’re closely monitoring the national situation, but they’re not making major changes to security procedures at the State Capitol. Steve Baiamonte, administrator of Montana’s General Services Division, is director of security for the Capitol Complex, which includes all state buildings in Read More…

BOZEMAN — MontanaPBS is broadcasting and livestreaming a new weekly series, “The Rundown: Capitol Report,” each Sunday at 5 p.m. through the end of the 2021 Montana legislative session. The program will offer an in-depth look at Montana’s 67th Legislature with weekly updates, analysis and interviews. The series began Jan. 3 and is expected to Read More…

MISSOULA, Mont. — A group of Montana Republicans is calling out GOP Sen. Steve Daines for his role in getting the CSKT Water Compact into the recently signed spending bill, calling it a “clear betrayal of our state and of President Trump.” Montana House Majority Leader Brad Tschida and 17 other state lawmakers signed on to Read More…

HELENA- Following the news that President Donald Trump signed the $900 billion pandemic relief package, Montana Senator Jon Tester released the following statement: “This critical economic stimulus package isn’t perfect, but it’s the result of bipartisan compromise that will do some real good for families and businesses in our state. READ FULL STORY

The Flathead County commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to rescind their prior declaration of a COVID-19 emergency, saying none of the county’s emergency funds have been used to mitigate the coronavirus as county departments have relied instead on state and federal relief. The commissioners unanimously approved the emergency declaration in March, freeing up money that the Flathead City-County Read More…

MISSOULA — There is another legal salvo in the fight over protections for the wolverine in the Northern Rockies, with conservation organizations filing a federal lawsuit challenging the latest decision to not treat the rare mammals as “threatened.” Some scientists believe there are fewer than 300 wolverines left and are being hurt genetically because they Read More…

HELENA – On Wednesday, 17 states asked the U.S. Supreme Court to accept a new lawsuit that is attempting to invalidate Democrat Joe Biden’s electoral victory in the 2020 Presidential race in four key states. Montana is one of them. Montana Attorney General Tim Fox says the odds of the high court accepting the late Read More…

Let me tell you about the chatter I am increasingly hearing from those in the know here in Montana: we have a shot at getting a second seat in the US House of Representatives. Even with our state’s very poor response rate during the latest US Census count? Yes. At least that is what I am Read More…

Gov.-elect Greg Gianforte on Tuesday named the first member of his cabinet, announcing that outgoing U.S. Attorney for Montana Kurt Alme will be the new Republican administration’s budget director. Alme, who has degrees in law and business, just announced his resignation Monday from the U.S. attorney job in Billings. Gianforte said voters gave his administration Read More…

HELENA — As Election Day approached last week, most public polls had declared the big statewide races in Montana – U.S. Senate, U.S. House, governor – to be relatively close, with Republicans perhaps having an edge. Yet the final outcome showed no such spread: Republicans cruised to easy victories, up and down the ticket, winning Read More…

On Friday Nov. 6 around the lunch hour MTN canvassed just over 50 voters in Helena to gauge their reaction to the election. Much like the vote, reactions were split. In regards to the state of the presidential election, around a third of those canvassed directly supported the president’s actions so far. ‘It’s a scam Read More…

With less than one week to go until election day, Montana’s Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) is bringing two of the US Senate’s heavy hitters to the Treasure State. Both Florida Senator Marco Rubio (R) and Texas Senator Ted Cruz (R) will be in Montana. Rubio hit Great Falls on Tuesday, while Ted Cruz will be in Read More…

It’s less than two weeks before election day and Montana on Thursday again set a new record for COVID-19 cases reported in a single day with more than 900. Whoever is elected as Montana’s next governor will inherit oversight of the state’s response to the pandemic. Yellowstone Public Radio’s Nicky Ouellet and Rachel Cramer discuss Read More…

Why is the union that is supposed to represent Montana school teachers spending $800,000 to campaign against a referendum on the ballot this November? Does it involve teacher pay? Would it take away the pensions of teachers or public employees? Nope. The teachers union is spending $800,000 to campaign against your gun rights. Legislative Referendum Read More…

The two men running to become Lewis and Clark County’s second justice of the peace are both first-time candidates, but each has long experience serving the public. In November 2018, the Lewis and Clark County Commission voted to create a second justice of the peace position, to help address a growing workload for the court. Read More…

Republican Roosevelt County Attorney and former Speaker of the House Austin Knudsen faces Governor’s Counsel Raph Graybill, a Democrat, in the general election for attorney general. “(I want to be attorney general) because I think Montana oughta have a top law enforcement official who has actually dealt with law enforcement who has actually prosecuted criminals,” Read More…

HELENA- Just days after Montana’s Democratic candidates started a tour around the state, their Republican counterparts are doing the same thing. But with a different twist, their message is something any candidate would get behind. “Get out the vote.”  This election is expected to have extremely high voter turnout and these men and women plan Read More…

Jim Murry, a longtime leader of organized labor in Montana who helped usher in a progressive era of politics in Montana in the 1960s and 1970s, died Monday in Helena. He was 85. Murry, who grew up in Laurel and worked at its oil refinery, became head of the Montana AFL-CIO in 1968 at age Read More…