Drought prompts early fishing restrictions, impacting Montana’s $900M angling industry
Fishing draws more than 3 million anglers and generates $900 million annually to Montana but drought conditions are causing concerns for rivers lakes and fishery health in western Montana. Hoot-owl restrictions are typically implemented in the later summer months but some have already been put in place that can cause problems for businesses.
Wildfire South of Malta Prompts Evacuations; Ongoing Fire at Makoshika State Park in Eastern Montana
Wednesday evening, an uncontrolled wildfire south of Malta prompted an advisory for residents to temporarily evacuate to the town’s north side while firefighting crews worked to contain the blaze. KMMR 100.1 FM radio affiliate and owner Rhei Tharp reports on the fire.
Rhei Tharp
Ongoing wildfire in Eastern Montana, at Makoshika State Park, the state’s largest park.
A wildfire at Makoshika State Park, Montana’s largest state park covering over 11,500 acres, prompted evacuations and closures Wednesday. The fire, near Glendive, was accelerated by gusting winds up to 30 mph, with its cause and size initially unknown. Rapid and unpredictable, it prompted aerial suppression efforts that arrived earlier today. All roads, trails, campgrounds, and facilities are closed, and visitors are being turned away. As of this morning, about 200 acres burned, with no update on containment, according to mtfireinfo.org. Makoshika, a popular camping and hiking spot off I-94, remains heavily impacted.
Supreme Court Declines to Hear Montana Abortion Parental Consent Law Appeal
The Supreme Court won’t hear a case to revive a law that minors must have their parents’ permission for an abortion in Montana. The justices today, declined to hear an appeal from the state seeking to overturn a ruling from the Montana Supreme Court. The parental consent law was passed in 2013 but was blocked in court and never took effect before the state’s highest court struck it down last year. State leaders say parents have a fundamental right to guide their children’s medical decisions. Planned Parenthood says the state court’s decision balanced parental and minor rights in a state that protects the right to abortion. Montana voters also enshrined it in the Montana Constitution last year with CI‑128 that provides the right to make and carry out decisions about one’s own pregnancy, including the right to abortion.
Montana’s GOP Delegation Supports and Sees Final Approval for Trump’s Key Domestic Bill Before July Fourth Deadline
Congress narrowly approved the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” a key part of President Donald Trump’s domestic agenda. Montana’s all-Republican delegation supported the bill, which passed in the House by a 218-214 vote just before the July Fourth deadline. Trump’s press secretary announced he will sign the bill on Friday.
MT Supreme Court won’t take up legal challenge to abortion ballot measure
The Montana Supreme Court has declined to take up a legal challenge attempting to block Montana’s newly enacted Constitutional Initiative 128 to safeguard abortion that that went into effect July 1st. Last month two individuals and a Montana-based anti-abortion group filed a legal challenge against the voter-approved ballot measure that granted the explicit right to an abortion up to fetal viability.
Montana Warns Against Unfair Drop Of Property Insurance Because Of Wildfire Risk
Montana’s Commissioner of Securities and Insurance has issued a reminder to all licensed property and casualty insurers across the state to not unfairly deny or drop property insurance coverage simply because of wildfire risk unless there’s a clear and substantial threat to the specific property. The advisory from James Brown follows a growing number of complaints from Montana residents and insurance agents.
Montana Ranks Among Most Expensive States For Childcare In 2025
Childcare in Montana is some of the most expensive in the country. According to WalletHub Montana ranks as the 16th most expensive state for childcare for married couples. Single-parent families rank better coming in at 34th. South Dakota has the cheapest daycare of any state with both married couples and single parent households.
Montana’s top elected officials net significant two-year pay raises
Many of Montana’s elected officials received notable salary bumps July 1at as part of a pay survey mandated by state law that occurs every two years. Every position listed on the state’s website shows the top officials received a much larger percent increase this year compared to the last biennium. The pair of laws that mandates this process were passed in 1995.
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The Whitefish Parks and Recreation Department is preparing for another fun-filled Fourth of July celebration at Whitefish City Beach. There’ll be fireworks and food vendors to celebrate the occasion with shaved ice boba tea corndogs and barbecue. The city of Whitefish encourages everyone to walk or bike to the beach to help alleviate parking and traffic congestion.
Gallatin County’s 16th case of measles confirmed this week involves a child under 18 years of age. The Montana Department of Health and Human Services reports there have been 24 total measles cases confirmed in the state with the last 4 recent cases all in Gallatin County. The latest exposure was from a previous case.
As work continues in Billings on a $6.1 million project to get rid of most of the one-way streets in the city center drivers should plan for traffic delays and parking disruptions downtown. Construction crews are working to convert eight of the one-way streets to allow two-way traffic. The project also includes improvements for cyclists ADA curb and sidewalk upgrades and other changes aimed at making it easier and safer to access the city center.
A beer only available in the North Fork is pouring profits back into conservation. Sold exclusively in Polebridge it is on tap at The Northern Lights Saloon and Home Ranch Bottoms with a portion of every pint sold benefiting three local conservation groups. The beer will be sold until the end of the summer tourism season.
Bozeman-based Eagle Mount is focused on removing barriers to recreation for people with disabilities and cancer diagnoses. The nonprofit has added a 4 foot 7-inch tall black mechanical horse named Black-Jack to assist trainers in creating a safe and controlled environment to work with young riders. The group offers a series of recreational programs including adaptive horsemanship and horse camps.
