Head Start locations in five Montana counties will remain open after fears they would have to close following the Trump administration’s effort to freeze federal grants and loans. The federal Office of Management and Budget says Head Start which provides childcare and kindergarten readiness for low-income families would not be affected by the federal action.
The Defense Health Agency has suspended a requirement for Tricare Prime patients in the West Region which includes Montana to get pre-authorization from their Tricare contract manager for specialty care through March 31st. Beneficiaries still are required to get a referral before seeking specialty care.
The Montana Senate Ethics Committee held its first meeting Wednesday to discover facts about a contract Jason Ellsworth signed with a former business associate in the final days of his two-year term as Senate president which a Legislative Audit report says was illegal. The four-member evenly divided by party committee met to discuss rules for proceeding with the investigation.
Backlogs at the Montana State Hospital are putting the status of attempted homicide suspects and other criminal defendants in question. Multiple state statutes require if a defendant cannot be evaluated for fitness or made fit for criminal proceedings within a reasonable time the charges have to be dismissed. In October 2023 there were 64 people on the waiting list and as of Wednesday there were 90.
The 2025 Legislature is debating Senate Bill 146 that would restrict local governments from putting rules on private property unless the regulations deal with the health and safety of citizens. Proponents say local governments are exerting too much power over private property with regulations. Opponents argue there is a benefit to local control because local governments have a more intimate knowledge of a community.
Oregon-based developers say they will bring in a big-name grocery store and other nationally known tenants to the Butte Plaza Mall they purchased for $8.5 million last year. Originally they were going to start demolition work in February but that’s been pushed off until April. Plans are to turn the mall inside out making all stores face outward and start with demolition of the old Herberger’s department store.
House Bill 323 would allow Reserve deputy sheriff’s officers who now volunteer their time to be paid while keeping communities safe. Montana requires all reserve deputies to have 88 hours of training with additional in-service field training. If it passes county commissions will be able to decide whether or not reserve deputies can be paid and how much.
Hamilton School District voters approved the potential sale of the middle school in November. Now District officials are asking them in a survey what they would prefer to see happen with the property and the potential bond that would come with upgrading facilities. The school board is considering renovating and adding on to what they call the Westview campus which is currently leased by UM Bitterroot.
A bill in the Montana legislature would establish a new type of fundraiser for certain non-profit organizations called “Wild West Casino Nights.” Senate Bill 179 would allow gambling at these events as long as the games and the cause are both historical in nature. Play money would need to be used during actual gameplay but the prizes could include cash or merchandise.
Montana 4-H Clubs can once again receive $100 from the Montana Farmers Union as part of its Sentence Grant program by simply writing one about a potential project. The program helps inspire clubs to discuss community projects they can pursue during the year and has provided more than $20,000 to 4-H clubs in the state since 2023.
