According to the Montana Highway Patrol so far this year at least 167 people have been killed on Montana’s roads. Fatalities in the state are currently up slightly when compared to this same time last year. Nearly 44% of the fatalities this year have been attributed to travelers not properly wearing their seat belts.
Ballot security is a growing concern after arson attacks directed at two ballot drop-box locations in Washington and Oregon this week. Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen says though that the Treasure State is working hard ahead of the election to ensure that Montana voters can securely cast their ballots. Since the 2020 election Montana has been working to clean up voter rolls by asking voters to update their registration information with election officials in their local precincts.
According to a recent report from The March of Dimes half of Montana’s counties don’t have access to obstetric care which is considered a maternity care desert. Montana mothers also have one of the longest average drive times to reach care in the country at about 23 minutes and women in a little over a quarter of Montana counties drive more than an hour. Infant mortality among Indigenous people is twice as high compared to their white counterparts.
Between 2022 and 2023 Americans moved out of some states going to others that were often cheaper and less crowded. New census data shows the estimated number of movers to Montana though was actually 47 fewer than the number of people moving out. Incoming numbers were 36,755 while those leaving the state totaled 36,822.
The Montana Election Observation Initiative is a non-partisan effort to monitor and document processes in order to ensure a fair and trusted election. The initiative is sponsored by the Carter Center and Mansfield Center. It’s also backed by former state political figures from across the aisle. The general election is next Tuesday November 5th.
The Missoula Airport will get an $875,000 Small Community Air Service Development Program grant. That will enable year-round service to Chicago next fall. Currently flights to O’Hare International Airport from Missoula and back are only available from May through mid-October.
The Montana Army National Guard is working with the city of Billings to build a new 50,000 square foot army aviation training and support facility west of the airport costing around $50 million. The National Guard has been operating in a temporary facility for the last two years.
Homeowners in Montana struggling with mortgage property taxes or utility payments may qualify for financial assistance through the Montana Homeowner Assistance Fund. The program managed by the Department of Commerce aims to support those impacted by financial difficulties because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes will hold an open house November 18th at the St. Ignatius Community Center. People can learn more about the Community Safety Action Plan that will prioritize future construction projects and support future grant funding requests.
The Hamilton School Board has unanimously selected Christine Lewanski to serve as interim superintendent as the board searches for Tom Korst’s replacement. She is currently the district’s legal and human resources director has worked at the district for five years.
