In: News Headlines

According to a White House memo the Trump administration is offering eight-month buyouts to federal workers who do not wish to return to the office provided they resign within the next week. As of November 2024 there were about 15,000 federal employees in Montana.  Federal agencies including the U.S. Forest Service the Bureau of Land Management the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Park Service manage about 30% of Montana’s landmass.

The Montana Senate replaced the chair of its ethics committee Sue Vinton with Forrest Mandeville Tuesday ahead of an investigation into former Senate President Jason Ellsworth’s arrangement with a business associate a legislative audit report says was illegal and a waste of state resources. Senate President Matt Regier has retained Matthew Monforton as an attorney for the committee which will meet today for the first time on the matter.

The Montana Public Service Commission took a look at how to prevent wildfires Tuesday. Commissioners asked business leaders from Epsilon Cable Amp Jack and CTC Global to explain the use of modified structures and advanced conductors that could reduce the risk caused by overhead utility lines. The inspiration behind the hearing was the fires in Los Angeles County and the 2023 Hawaii wildfires. The PSC hopes to strengthen every aspect of Montana’s grid and lands.

Two people with Montana ties have been tapped to support the Trump administration’s forest management wildfire prevention and conservation efforts. The U.S. Department of Agriculture says Kristin Sleeper who has worked with the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation as a Fire Prevention Program Manager will be Deputy Under Secretary for the agency’s natural resources and environment mission. Tom Schultz who has held leadership roles in Montana’s DNRC        will be Chief of Staff for USDA’s natural resources and environmental mission.

Construction on a $50 million terminal expansion project at the Missoula Airport will be done by late spring adding additional gates a permanent baggage claim a new bar rental car offices and new concessions options. The new 85,000-square-foot East Concourse building is currently under construction next to the existing airport.

Nine Montana towns cities and counties will share nearly $300,000 to help plan significant community development projects through the Montana Department of Commerce’s Community Development   Block Grant Planning Grant Program. The towns are Bridger Cascade Fairview Geraldine and Jordan along with the city of Sidney and Golden Valley and Richland Counties.

The Helena Regional Sports Association’s $120 million ARC project for indoor recreation at the fairgrounds looking for a new home. Lewis and Clark County Commissioners decided it is not a priority for them so the fairgrounds on county land is a no go and a new location is needed. The non-profit has been planning and working on an indoor recreation facility since 2015.

Lawmakers heard a bill Tuesday that would allow non-tribal members to hunt deer and elk on their private property within the Flathead Reservation. Thirteen people spoke in support of House Bill 216 and 23 opposed it before participants were stopped for time reasons.

Gallatin County approved changes to its assessment of the family land transfer exemption Tuesday including several “rebuttable presumptions” used to evade subdivision review. It allows the gifting of pieces of tracts to immediate family members without going through the subdivision review process which is a significant benefit in a tough real estate market.

The Billings City Council is expected to welcome TJ Rogers as its newest member during the first meeting in the new City Hall Monday evening. She replaces Denise Joy who resigned earlier this month serving Ward 3 after she was appointed to the Montana House. The council’s new offices are being completed at the Stillwater Building this week.

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