Montana State Auditor and Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown announced an immediate investigation into Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana (BCBSMT) following a major data breach that may… Read More
Featured Posts in Featured
Sheehy Launches Bipartisan Senate Stewardship Caucus
Senator Sheehy (R-Mont.) joined forces with Senator Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) this week to launch the Senate Stewardship Caucus, a bipartisan effort focused on protecting public lands, promoting responsible land management,… Read More
Montana manufacturing outpaces most other sectors, generating $2 billion in wages
Montana’s manufacturing sector remains a cornerstone of the state’s economy, according to three reports on the state of manufacturing recently released by the Montana Manufacturing Extension Center at Montana State… Read More
Montana State University receives grant to support nursing graduates in rural health care systems
Montana State University’s Mark and Robyn Jones College of Nursing and the Montana State University Alumni Foundation recently received a Blue Impact Grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of… Read More
All Posts In Featured
Montana to Receive $16.5 Million from Purdue Pharma Settlement to Combat Opioid Crisis
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen announced today that the state is set to receive $16.57 million from a $7.4 billion national settlement with Purdue Pharma and the Sackler family, the… Read More
Montana Joins Coalition in Appeal to Block Taxpayer-Funded Sex-Change Surgery for Convicted Murderer
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has joined a coalition of 24 state attorneys general in filing an amicus brief with the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, urging the court to… Read More
Bridger Aerospace Deploys Super Scooper Aircraft to Battle California Wildfires
Bridger Aerospace Group Holdings, Inc. has mobilized its CL-415EAF “Super Scooper” aircraft to California to support wildfire suppression efforts, marking the company’s earliest seasonal deployment in its history. The deployment… Read More
Fourteen Montana Communities to Participate in Reimagining Rural Program
With the help of two major grants from the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a team in Montana State University’s College of Agriculture is furthering investigations… Read More
Gianforte Proposes Historic Tax Cuts for Montanans
Governor Greg Gianforte and Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, held a press conference at the State Capitol today to outline Gianforte’s ambitious proposals for permanent tax relief… Read More
Glacier Bancorp to Acquire Bank of Idaho in $245M Deal
Glacier Bancorp Inc. (NYSE: GBCI) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Bank of Idaho Holding Co. (OTCQX: BOID) in a $245.4 million all-stock transaction, further expanding its presence in… Read More
Montana Joins $106 Million Settlement with Vanguard Over Investor Tax Impact
Montana State Auditor and Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown announced today that the Montana Commissioner of Securities and Insurance (CSI) has joined a multi-state task force and the… Read More
Headwaters Hospice Expands, Bringing Compassionate Care to More Montanans
Just one year after earning CHAP Accreditation, Headwaters Hospice and Palliative Care has become a trusted provider of compassionate end-of-life care in the Helena Valley. Fueled by overwhelming community support,… Read More
Eagle Bancorp Montana Reports Strong Fourth Quarter Earnings
Eagle Bancorp Montana, Inc. (NASDAQ: EBMT), the holding company for Opportunity Bank of Montana, reported a 26.7% increase in net income for the fourth quarter of 2024, reaching $3.4 million,… Read More
Lawmaker proposes turning Evergreen State College into UW Health Sciences campus
(The Center Square) – Senate Minority Leader John Braun, R-Centralia, wants to transform The Evergreen State College in Olympia, Wash., into a University of Washington Health Sciences campus. Braun has… Read More
Washington med school opens up segregated resource to all races following lawsuit
(The Center Square) – After a lawsuit, the University of Washington renamed its racially-segregated “BIPOC Physicians Directory” to “MD Connections Directory” and opened the resource to all races. “The University… Read More
New bill would end federally funded transgender surgeries, hormones for minors
(The Center Square) – Republican lawmakers have introduced a new bill that would block Medicaid from paying for gender transition drugs and surgeries for minors. U.S. Reps. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas,… Read More
World Health Organization wants U.S. to reconsider withdrawal plans
(The Center Square) – The World Health Organization responded Tuesday to President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the U.N. health organization, but didn’t address any of the… Read More
War on DEI: Full scale battle kicks off as Trump takes office
The Center Square) – Diversity, equity and inclusion polices are retreating nationwide, from the federal government to corporations around the country. President Donald Trump immediately upon taking office began rooting… Read More
Senator Daines Introduce Bill to Make Small Business Tax Cuts Permanent
Amid ongoing discussions about the future of President Trump’s tax cuts, U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-Mont.), alongside Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) and 33 other Republican senators, introduced the… Read More
Zinke Reintroduces Conservation Bills
Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke has reintroduced a series of conservation bills aimed at protecting public lands, ensuring water levels in Flathead Lake, and preserving wildlife migration corridors. The bills,… Read More
Montana Secures $3.2 Million in Federal Funds to Boost Affordable Housing
The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that more than $3.2 million in federal funding has been allocated to develop and preserve affordable housing in four Montana communities. The funds,… Read More
Governor Gianforte Named Chair of Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus
Governor Greg Gianforte has been named chair of the Governors Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC), a bipartisan coalition of governors committed to protecting and advancing the interests of sportsmen and women across… Read More
DEQ Announces $1 Million in Grants for Water Quality Improvement Projects
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is now accepting applications for $1 million in grant funding to support projects aimed at reducing nonpoint source pollution in the state’s lakes… Read More
Waded Cruzado Named Next President of the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities
The Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU) announced today that Waded Cruzado, president of Montana State University (MSU), will become the association’s next president, effective July 1. Cruzado, a… Read More
WA GOP chair doesn’t think Dems are serious about Inslee’s proposed wealth tax
(The Center Square) – Last month, outgoing Washington state Gov. Jay Inslee proposed a 1% tax on an individual’s wealth above $100 million as part of a plan to plug… Read More
Governor Greg Gianforte Sworn in for Second Term as Montana Governor
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,… Read More
House adopts contentious rules that make ousting speaker more difficult
(The Center Square) – After a brief and intense debate, lawmakers passed the Republican-proposed House rules package, 215-209, for the incoming 119th Congress Friday evening. Besides typical procedural updates and… Read More
Tim Sheehy Sworn in as U.S. Senator, Marks Historic Day for Montana
In a moment hailed as historic for Montana, Tim Sheehy was officially sworn in as the state’s newest U.S. Senator. Senator Steve Daines, who escorted Sheehy to the Senate floor… Read More
Montana State University’s Spirit of the West Marching Band Heads to Frisco for FCS Championship
Montana State University’s Spirit of the West marching band will join the Bobcat football team in Frisco, Texas, for the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) national game on Monday, Jan. 6,… Read More
Montana Supreme Court Orders New Environmental Review for Laurel Gas Plant While Allowing Operations to Continue
In a closely watched decision Friday, the Montana Supreme Court ruled that state regulators failed to conduct an adequate environmental review of NorthWestern Energy’s Laurel natural gas plant. The ruling,… Read More
Republicans tell Johnson ‘zero room for error’ after House speaker reelection
(The Center Square) – Following a tense and interrupted first roll call, enough Republican U.S. representatives ultimately voted for House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., winning him re-election in a tight… Read More
Daines Helps Montanans Recover Nearly $5 Million from Federal Government in 2024
U.S. Senator Steve Daines announced that his office facilitated the recovery of nearly $5 million for Montana residents in 2024, assisting constituents in resolving federal government issues and closing hundreds… Read More
Violent Venezuelan prison gang members expand operations in western states
(The Center Square) – Members of the violent Venezuelan prison gang, Tren de Aragua (TdA), continue to expand criminal operations in western states, including in Arizona, Colorado, Utah and Wyoming…. Read More
Pornhub to block access in 13 states as age-verification laws expand across U.S.
(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… Read More
Northwest power planners challenged by increasing demand of data centers
(The Center Square) – With energy-intensive artificial intelligence, or AI, consuming more electricity than traditional data-center activities, reliability of the electrical grid should be the top priority, according to the… Read More
Another federal court rules against DACA, this time related to health care
(The Center Square) – Another federal court has ruled against the federal program, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), arguing a Biden administration plan to provide free health care to… Read More
Gender transition procedures for minors receive increased scrutiny from emboldened GOP
(The Center Square) – Gender transition procedures on minors face intensifying scrutiny as the transgender-friendly Biden administration prepares to step down, with Republican lawmakers demanding a federal health agency reveal… Read More
District Court Judge-Elect Charged in Drug Investigation
Kenneth Britton “Britt” Cotter, 48, who was recently elected District Court Judge for Lake and Sanders counties, has been charged with one count of solicitation to commit criminal distribution of… Read More
DNRC Announces Record $92 Million Investment in Montana Public Schools
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… Read More
Daines Secures Key Committee Assignments for 119th Congress
U.S. Senator Steve Daines has announced his committee assignments for the 119th Congress, taking on influential roles in the Senate Committees on Finance, Foreign Relations, Energy and Natural Resources, and… Read More
NorthWestern Energy Signs Massive Data Center Power Deals
NorthWestern Energy has announced agreements to supply significant amounts of electricity to two proposed data centers in Montana, with combined power demands set to exceed the capacity of the state’s… Read More
Zinke’s National Parks and Public Access Bill Heads to the President’s Desk
Congressman Ryan Zinke announced that the Senate has passed the Expanding Public Lands Outdoor Recreation Experiences (EXPLORE) Act. The EXPLORE Act is a comprehensive, bicameral legislation package that includes Zinke’s… Read More
Border crime in Texas linked to child trafficking in Houston area
(The Center Square) – As the largest city closest to the border and a gateway hub for human and drug trafficking and crime linked to cartel and gang violence, Houston… Read More
Billionaire Democratic supporter calls Inslee’s wealth tax ‘boneheaded’
(The Center Square) – Gov. Jay Inslee’s proposal for a “wealth tax” is drawing sharp criticism from Seattle business leader, entrepreneur and Democratic supporter Nick Hanauer. Hanauer posted on X, ripping… Read More
Trump promises to cut ‘hundreds of billions’ in federal spending next year
(The Center Square) – President-elect Donald Trump promised to cut “hundreds of billions” in federal spending in 2025 after demanding Congress pass a short-term measure to fund the government that… Read More
Montana Highway Patrol Seizes Illegal Drugs, Arrests Fugitives in Superior Operation
Montana Highway Patrol troopers conducted a drug interdiction operation in Superior from December 2 to 6, targeting illicit drugs, firearms tied to trafficking, and fugitives. The operation is part of… Read More
Montana Unemployment Rate Holds at Historic Low in November
Montana’s unemployment rate remained at 3.2% in November, continuing an unprecedented stretch of low unemployment that has persisted for 41 consecutive months, with rates at or below 3.4%. The state’s… Read More
Montana Eases Process for Veterans to Add Designation to Driver Licenses
In a move aimed at improving services for veterans, the Montana Motor Vehicle Division (MVD) is now accepting additional documentation for veterans to obtain a veteran designation on their state-issued… Read More
Government shutdown averted as House, Senate pass CR
(The Center Square) – A government funding stopgap is on its way to President Joe Biden’s desk after the Senate voted 85-11 to pass a 118-page bill to keep the… Read More
Frontier Asset Management Launches Actively Managed ETFs on the NYSE
Frontier Asset Management, an independent asset management firm, has officially launched its suite of actively managed exchange-traded funds (ETFs) on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). These ETFs are designed… Read More
MSU Graduate School Dean Craig Ogilvie to Step Down
Montana State University announced this week that Craig Ogilvie, dean of the Graduate School and associate vice president of research, will step down from his administrative role at the end… Read More
Attorney General Knudsen Sues Biden Administration Over Coal Leasing Halt
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen has filed a lawsuit against the Biden administration over its plan to halt federal coal leasing in the Powder River Basin, a region responsible for… Read More