In: News Headlines

A new study has ranked Montana as the twenty-sixth best state for entrepreneurs in 2025. Simplify LLC released its annual study on the Best and Worst States for Entrepreneurs determined by analyzing six key categories in all 50 states and the District of Columbia corporate tax rates inflation consumer spending growth job creation rates and net migration of educated  workers.

Workers in Montana’s manufacturing sector saw their wages increase by nearly $8,000 on average over the past year. The Big Sky Business Journal reports more than 5,099 manufacturing firms are in operation in Montana including sole proprietors accounting for 17% of Montana’s base industry earnings totaling about $12.3 billion. The industry accounts for 5.5% of total private state labor earnings equaling $1.95 billion. Manufacturers produces about 6.4% of Montana’s gross domestic product with a value of $2.9 billion.

President Donald Trump has ordered federal employees to report on co-workers they suspect of engaging in diversity equity and inclusion efforts within the government. That includes thousands in Montana at agencies like the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management and their Cabinet-level departments of Agriculture and Interior respectively as well as the Justice Department.

The Montana Department of Commerce will no longer accept applications for the Homeowner Assistance Fund Home Repairs Program established to fund home repairs of low-income households. There isn’t sufficient funding to accept future applications but those that were submitted before October 25th 2024 will be reviewed and processed.

Legislative auditors have determined former Senate President Republican Jason Ellsworth’s attempt to skirt oversight constituted abuse of his government position and he wasted state resources in trying to resolve the matter last year. He signed a $170,100 contract with a former business associate using leftover legislative committee funds skipping the public bidding process.

Worries about the malicious use of AI in government work has resulted in the drafting of House Bill 178 at the Montana Legislature. It would prohibit the use of AI in surveillance and facial recognition unless     used to identify a missing person a suspect in a serious crime or to identify corpses It would also require the use of AI in anything the government publishes be disclosed. Senate Bill 25 would require disclosure of “deepfakes” used in state elections. They are AI-generated content or              synthetic media that depicts a candidate or political party with the intent to injure the reputation of the candidate or party or otherwise deceive a voter.”

The Montana Army National Guard’s newest armory is a $34 million state-of-the-art “Silver Bow Readiness Center” that serves as a training base for more than 100 soldiers from three units. The 50,000-square foot facility sits on 53 acres in the Montana Connections business park just west of Butte. The actual planning and design work took two years and construction another two-and-a-half.

According to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Park County has higher rates of behavioral issues compared to other communities in Montana and leads the state in suicides related to it. Park County is now forming a local mobile crisis response team to better address the mental health crisis.

Bozeman city commissioners are set to consider a rewrite to the city’s housing ordinance Tuesday. The draft proposal has more flexibility offering three tiers of options for developers instead of two promoting more small townhomes and single household buildings and giving some options to build units for those making 60% of area median income rather than the current 80%.

When it meets this evening at 7 the Kalispell City Council will consider proposals to replace two municipal wells in an attempt to rid the public water supply of forever chemicals. Councilors are expected to look over a preliminary engineering report proposing several projects that would replace the Armory and Grandview wells.

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