Dead air: Could AM radio become a thing of the past?
AM radio stations provide news and public safety information in many rural areas including in Montana. As some automakers look at discontinue offering AM radio in their vehicles The AM Radio in Every Car Act requiring AM radios in U.S.-made cars is being considered by Congress. The legislation is backed by Montana’s entire congressional delegation as well as endorsements from organizations like the National Emergency Management Association and the American Farm Bureau Federation.
States with the Most At-Risk Youth in 2025 – WalletHub Study
With 13% of young Americans neither working nor in school exposing them to greater risk of poverty and violence today the personal-finance website WalletHub released its list of 2025’s States with the Most At-Risk Youth. Montana ranks 18th across 15 key indicators of youth risk including the share of disconnected youth to the labor force participation rate among youth to the youth poverty rate.
Major Montana Wins Included in the FY26 Interior Appropriations Bill
Western Montana Congressman Ryan Zinke included several key state priorities in the Fiscal Year 26 Interior Environment and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill Tuesday. They include $1.75 million for the Granite County Clean Water Infrastructure Project $1 million for the Alberton Clear Water Infrastructure Project and $1.75 million for the Lolo Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Improvement Phase 1.
Montana Traffic Fatality Rate 7th Highest in 2024 New Report Finds
U.S. traffic fatalities fell in 2024 for the third straight year including Montana which recorded 205 traffic fatalities a drop of 14% from 2021. Despite decreasing each year from 2021 to 2024 though Montana’s 2024 traffic fatality rate of 1.47 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles of travel the Treasure State was the seventh highest in the U.S. outpacing the national fatality rate of 1.2.
Lincoln County Commission petitions DEQ to weaken selenium standards for Lake Koocanusa
Officials in Lincoln County are asking the Montana Department of Environmental Quality to ease its standard for selenium pollution in Lake Koocanusa mined by Teck Resources Limited causing increases in selenium pollution in the Elk River. The request comes during a lawsuit between the Montana Board of Environmental Review Teck Lincoln County and environmental groups led by the Montana Environmental Information Center seeking to keep the stronger pollutant standard in place.
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Republican Mark Reinschmidt from the Whitehall area was selected Tuesday by Jefferson County commissioners to replace Representative Marta Bertoglio in House District 75 who was recently tapped to lead the Montana Department of Commerce. He will hold the seat until the 2026 election in which he plans to run.
Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis has proposed a 3.5% tax increase in the 2025-2026 city budge the lowest increase proposal in the last five years as officials looks to implement disciplined budgeting and limit new funding requests. 79.1% of the increase would go toward wage increases for existing employees. The second largest increase is 14% for software licensing.
Billings is trying to figure out how to adapt to a new state law the Montana Legislature passed this year. Senate Bill 3 says the city must appoint advisory boards to oversee tax increment finance districts. Currently board members are appointed by stakeholder groups within the district. The City Council is now looking at appointing boards for tax increment finance districts.
Nearly 14 million people visited Montana in 2024 spending $5 billion exploring national parks riding through dude ranches and sampling menus at mountaintop resorts. Starting next month Gallatin College Montana State University will train students to house guide and feed the state’s tourists and other travelers with a one-year hospitality certificate which provides baseline knowledge of business communication culinary arts hotel management and more.
The Montana Department of Transportation announced Tuesday construction to replace Sportsman’s Bridge northwest of Bigfork is slated to begin in early August. The new structure set to be completed in 2027 will be built adjacent to the existing one allowing it to stay open during construction with minimal traffic impact.
