Former Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke hopes to float Montana’s rivers on a listening tour as he embarks on running for Congress to represent Montana. The redistricting process for Montana’s second House seat will be done later this year. Traditionally, the Congressional districting has spilt the state along an east-west axis and its anti...
Commercial Buildings Get Improved Access To Energy Efficient Renovations
According to the Tax Foundation, Montana ranks 5th in the nation for having the best taxes for business success a position it has held since 2019. Montana ranked 21st in terms of corporate taxes and 25th in terms of individual income taxes. The Big Sky Journal reports the Treasure State is 28th for property taxes and 20th as to the impacts of ...
Grizzly Bear Euthanized After Killing Cow Outside Lewistown
Montana reported 52 COVID-19 cases in an update Sunday to the state case mapping and information website. There are 1,036 active cases and a total of 1,598 Montanans have died because of COVID-19. Active hospitalizations for COVID-19 were reported to be at 59 statewide. A grizzly bear was euthanized last week by the U.S. Department of Agricul...
NorthWestern Begins Replacing Electric Meters
After 20 years Northwestern Energy is replacing its electric meters for its customers across the Treasure State and the upgraded meters will offer improved remote readings at no extra cost. The new meters will provide faster connections. Butte and Whitehall should be completed by the end of the year and then NorthWestern will move on to the re...
Daines Presses President Biden To Re-Open Northern Border
Senator Steve Daines is asking the Biden Administration to be more aggressive about reaching an agreement to re-open the Canadian border to regular traffic after rising vaccination rates in Montana as the busy summer travel season approaches. MTN News reports Canadian vaccination rates continue to lag behind Montana in particular, but Daines s...
Anaconda Schools Superintendent Placed On Paid Leave
The superintendent of Yellowstone National Park outlined efforts being made to replace and improve outdated housing for employees Thursday. Cameron Sholly said he has set a goal of getting rid of trailers in the park and replacing them with high-quality housing. The park is about halfway through that project. The Anaconda School Board has vote...
Superintendent of Public Instruction Expresses Concern Over Teaching Critical Race Theory In Montana Schools
Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen has requested a state attorney general’s opinion on the legality of teaching certain lessons dealing with race that are prioritized in draft language for federal education grants. The U.S. Department of Education is in the middle of a public comment period for its rule on priorities for grants...
Gianforte Signs Multiple Infrastructure Bills
Governor Greg Gianforte has signed into law a package of nine bills containing more than $500 million to fund infrastructure projects across the state. The funds are mostly in addition to hundreds of millions of dollars that will be flowing into Montana from the federal American Rescue Plan Act. Most of that money was appropriated in separate ...
Financial Assistance Available To Montanans Struggling From COVID Setbacks
For some Montanans paying rent and utilities because of the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic can be very challenging financially and emotionally. The Montana Emergency Rental Assistance Program offers financial support to help with rent and utilities for up to a year. Eligibility for the Montana Emergency Rental Assistance Program dep...
Department Of Agriculture Director To Oversee ARPA Funds
A shakeup today with the Montana Department of Agriculture, Governor Greg Gianforte announced that he will be appointing the department’s director Mike Foster to lead the state’s program in distributing federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. Foster will work with ARPA commissions and state agencies to recommend how the governor...