The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service reports March yielded substantially different weather patterns than the cold and wet conditions experienced during February. Snowpack percentages on March 1st were at a high point for the year. Later during March precipitation at both mountain and valley locations was well below average. Attorne...
Montana House of Representatives Approves Bill For Film Industry Jobs
The House of Representatives gave bipartisan preliminary approval Tuesday to a bill aimed at drawing the film industry to Montana. James Bradley from the University of Montana Legislative News Service reports House Bill 340 expands tax incentives set up by the 2019 Montana Economic Development Industry Advancement Act. Republican Speaker of th...
High Water is Dangerous Plan Ahead & wear PFD
When spring is in the air, snowmelt creates high water in our streams and rivers. You might want to get out there in your boat, but high water can be deadly when conditions are too extreme for safe boating. Although it can be hard to put safety ahead of adventure when you’ve spent hours planning a boating trip, sometimes the only safe ch...
Helena Schools Return To Full School Weeks
Legislation that would allow state agencies to charge the public for commenting on environmental documents was significantly amended Tuesday to remove the proposal. House Bill 695 in its original form would allow state agencies to charge public commenters a fee while drafting environmental impact statements. The amendment removes virtually all...
Montana Emergency Rental Assistance Program Begins Taking Applications
Montana has a new program to provide rental assistance for people who have lost income and are at risk of housing instability due to the pandemic. The Legislature has appropriated $17 million in federal funding for the Montana Emergency Rental Assistance program which state officials estimate will help about 8,000 renters stay in their homes. ...
Senator Tester Talks With VA Secretary About Veteran Healthcare
Senate Republicans moved forward Tuesday with a bill shielding NorthWestern Energy from financial losses associated with the Colstrip Power Plant. Senate Bill 379 obligates customers of the utility to pay off the undepreciated book value of the power plant regardless of whether it continues to operate. The bill also provides a formula for dete...
Pinwheels For Prevention Kicks Off Strengthening Families Month
More than 1,000 bright blue pinwheels were placed around the State Capitol Tuesday in honor of April being Strengthening Families Month. A $10,000 sponsorship from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana will be used to distribute an additional 4,300 throughout the state. They represent efforts to ensure the healthy development of children while rec...
Montana SBA District Director Discusses Shuttered Venues Operators’ Grant
Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis McDonough and Senator Jon Tester toured the veterans home during a stop in Butte Tuesday that regional veterans politicians and others brought to the mining city. Tester the current chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs had helped secure $20 million for the project as had other politicians fro...
General Karen Gibson Talks About Her New Position In The U.S. Senate
SafeWise has announced the release of its 7th annual 5 safest cities in Montana report for 2021. Glendive kept the top spot for the second year in a row and had the lowest violent crime rate in the state with just 5 total violent crimes reported. Dillon comes in second with Columbia Falls third. Glasgow is rated the 4th safest city in Montana ...
United Way of Yellowstone County Celebrates 60 Year Birthday
With around 19% of the U.S. population vaccinated and states opening up more as a result the personal finance website Wallet Hub today released updated rankings with the states with the fewest coronavirus restrictions. Montana ranks 10th across 13 key metrics on data sets ranging from whether restaurants are open to whether the state has requi...