In: News Headlines

A 2024 report on labor in Montana says the economy is continuing to expand unemployment remains low and wage growth is increasing and has outpaced inflation. The high cost of housing and low availability of childcare workers though are a couple of challenges for the economy. Nearly 60% of counties in the state are identified as childcare deserts where supply meets less than one-third of estimated demand.

The State of Montana is providing assistance to the State of Georgia in its response to Hurricane Helene. A nine-member incident management team has been sent there for a for a 15-day deployment. It will assist with planning resource management and public information. Montana Disaster and Emergency Services is coordinating the effort.

The Montana Department of Justice will provide an additional $3.5 million to enhance the state’s nine accredited Children’s Advocacy Centers to improve response and care for child survivors of crime and abuse across Montana. They along with the Children’s Alliance of Montana will receive an initial allocation of $10,000 to bolster their efforts in delivering comprehensive care to young victims made possible by a recent settlement with Johnson and Johnson which resolved allegations of knowingly selling  baby powder contaminated with carcinogenic asbestos.

In a first step toward constructing two wildlife overpasses along Highway 89 north of Yellowstone National Park the Montana Wildlife and Transportation Partnership has awarded Yellowstone Safe Passages funding for an engineering feasibility study. Once the study is completed they will be able to approach larger federal grants for the actual buildout of the structures. The number of wildlife-vehicle collisions along the highway is conservatively estimated at 160 a year.

With the U.S. experiencing over 400 mass shootings and nearly 25,000 motor vehicle deaths so far this year today WalletHub released its report on 2024’s Safest Cities in America to highlight where people are at the lowest risk of physical and financial harm. Billings ranks 71st across 41 key indicators. They include traffic fatalities per capita and assaults per capita to the unemployment rate and the percentage of the population that is uninsured.

To combat fentanyl trafficking Montana legislators passed House Bill 791 in May 2023. Under the new law a person convicted of trafficking fentanyl will spend a mandatory minimum of two years in prison and potentially face a fine of $50,000. So far in 2024 six people have been convicted three out of Missoula County two in Butte-Silver Bow and one in Gallatin County.

In May 2023 Hamilton voters rejected a nearly $71 million bond for a new middle school last year. This November they will be deciding whether to give the school board authority to sell Hamilton Middle School’s pod with school officials saying the building is old and no longer fits their needs.

Impact fee collections in Whitefish have decreased by 21% as the result of less construction activity.  This evening the City Council is set to review and adopt the annual impact fee report at its meeting at 7:10 in City Hall.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Montana has announced 27 grant which total $17,476,734. The Justice Department money will support state and county law enforcement programs.

Sue Fachini finds the current political climate so appalling she’s mounting an alternative ticket. The Billings childless cat lacy has assembled a ballot populated entirely by neighborhood cats and she has produced yard signs for their campaigns.

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