In: News Headlines

President Donald Trump has declared a national emergency at the U.S.-Canada border citing an influx of human and drug smuggling coming from Canada presenting a national security threat to Americans. Montana shares 545 miles of the border with Canada running through the Canadian provinces of Alberta British Columbia and Saskatchewan. He also imposed a 25% tariff on Canadian goods and a 10% tariff on energy resources effective Tuesday.

As part of a proposed revamping of the state’s behavioral health system Governor Greg Gianforte’s administration is looking to move The Intensive Behavior Center out of Boulder. It also wants to beef up renovations at the Montana State Hospital and create a unit of it in Helena. It says the changes would fill gaps in services and help people better prepare for life outside of the locked secure setting of the two state facilities before they reenter their own communities.

Since the start of legal marijuana sales Montana has been operating under a moratorium allowing only providers who had been licensed in the state’s medical marijuana system to join the recreational market. Under Senate Bill 27 new licensed premises would be allowed starting July 1st 2027 and another 500 could open up adding to the about 1,000 current licensed premises.

The Montana Legislature is considering legislation that would allow resort communities that have opted for a local sales tax to use the money the tax raises for workforce housing. The resort tax was first established in Montana in 1985 to mitigate the effects of tourism on local communities but resort communities are now facing housing shortages as well particularly housing for the workers in the tourism industry. Current law only allows communities to use.

As part of the Trump administration’s government hiring freeze hundreds of workers who expected to fill seasonal roles at the National Park Service saw their job offers rescinded. The Hungry Horse News has confirmed that Glacier National Park employees received the deferred resignation offer from the Office of Personnel Management.

the U.S. Department of Education is dropping changes to Title IX put in place under the Biden administration and is now requiring schools to protect the integrity of women’s sports and ensure due process in Title IX proceedings. Montana’s House Bill 300 makes it unlawful for educational institutions to allow biological males to compete in female sports and by protecting access to facilities designated for women and girls.

Big Sky has installed a new portable lift providing skiers and riders an easier option for lapping the ski area’s largest park. It spans 1,000 feet along “Swifty Park” and is expected to provide relief from boot packing or a trip to the base. In the past snowboarders or skiers would hike to the top of the park or ski down to the main base area to take the seven-minute ride on Swift Current.

A $943,097 grant awarded to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry will support workforce reentry for individuals who were formerly incarcerated. The funding through the U.S. Department of Labor and Department of Justice will support former inmates’ transition into the workforce to reduce the risk of becoming                            reoffenders by offering them a new life beyond incarceration.

Missoula County Public Schools have advanced a new policy regulating student use of cell phones at school. A building administrator can revoke a student’s cell phone privileges and require the device to be surrendered upon arrival at the school and returned at dismissal.

Billings Logan International Airport had a record-breaking 980,676 travelers passing through in 2024. A $60 million investment to upgrade and expand the terminal is credited with the increased passenger counts aircraft activity and all-time high revenue as beverage and gift shop sales also went up. Parking and rental car revenues were also up last year.

 

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