New data from ADP Pay Insights finds Montana residents who stayed with the same employer within the last year saw a wage increase. Between January 2024 and January 2025 Montana job-stayers saw a 6.3% wage increase. Nationally the median annual wage growth increased 4.7% while wages for job-changers declined 6.8%.
Senator Steve Daines has introduced legislation aimed at promoting American energy independence. The “Supporting Made in America Energy Act” would require annual onshore lease sales in top oil-producing states. The “Restoring State Mineral Revenues Act” targets the 2 percent administration fee on federal oil and gas royalty payments to increase funds available for rural communities to benefit local infrastructure schools and more.
Republicans in the Montana House of Representatives are carrying a resolution supporting Donald Trump’s presidency. It references former Vice President Kamala Harris and former U.S. Senator Jon Tester as far-left radicals and claims Montanans have rejected the Democratic Party and its policies. The resolution has had its first reading in the Senate but it has not yet been scheduled for a vote.
The Montana Department of Transportation is urging residents to prioritize safety during these long cold winter months. Officials are emphasizing the importance of sober driving. In 2021 alone impaired driving was a factor in 63 percent of traffic deaths in Montana. Wyoming leads the nation in drunk driving deaths per 100,000 people.
A University of Montana study analyzes wildfire impact on high-elevation mountain lakes. The research funded by the Glacier National Park Conservancy studies the hypothesized increase in nutrient content in lakes as a result of wildfire activity. Fire ecologists have observed dramatic changes to fire activity in the Western U.S. and with these observations comes increasing interest in how fire affects our nation’s most protected places.
Montana is off to a good start with new business registrations of more than 6,000 this January compared to roughly 5,600 in January 2024. For all of last year nearly 64,000 new businesses were registered in Montana the fourth consecutive year of record registrations. Businesses also now enjoy 24/7 access to their registrations filings and documents online.
Houses and townhomes will start going up this year at Beaumont Place the largest and first master planned subdivision in Deer Lodge in 70 years after the City Council approved the final plat for the 44-acre site just west of Interstate 90. It will feature 216 housing units including apartments townhouses and single-family homes.
Painted Rocks Rural Fire District residents were accidently charged more than triple their normal mill levy by Ravalli County last November after incorrectly calculating the rate. The $60,000 impacted around 203 Painted Rock Rural Fire District property owners as well as individuals with mobile homes and other living arrangements.
Vehicle reservations for Glacier National Park’s upcoming summer season will be available starting Thursday morning at 8 Montana time. Reservations which are subject to a $2 processing fee can be made online at recreation got gov or through the recreation dot gov mobile app. Visitors also need a park pass, which can be purchased upon arrival for $35.
The latest numbers from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services show a 53% increase in weekly influenza cases. For the week ending February 1st the state’s health department recorded 1,467 cases of the flu. So far this season,16 patients have died of influenza in Montana.
