Montana Legal Cannabis Sales Top $150 Million in 2025 Bringing in Nearly $30 Million in Tax Revenue
Since legal sales of pot began in January 2022 Montana has recorded just over $1 billion ($1,104,055,473) in combined adult use and medical marijuana sales. This year Montana legal cannabis sales top $150 million bringing in nearly $30 million in tax revenue. Adult-use of grass is taxed at 20% and medical marijuana is taxed at 4%.
Billings Clinic Opens Helmsley Surgical ICU and Regional Operations Center, Enhancing Trauma and Patient Care Coordination
Billings Clinic’s new Helmsley Surgical Intensive Care Unit is designed to elevate trauma and complex care for patients across Montana and Wyoming and the new Helmsley Regional Operations Center is the first of its kind in Montana designed to meet the specific and complex needs of coordinating care outreach along with patient transfers throughout the region. Nursing Manager Kristi Halland says one of the important new advances is cardiac monitoring.
Kristi Halland
Seven suspects charged by FWP in Bull Mountains poaching case
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks (FWP) wardens charged seven individuals from Montana and Washington for illegally killing multiple bull elk and mule deer bucks in the Bull Mountains near Roundup between 2020 and 2024. The investigation, initiated by a confidential informant, revealed the group hunted without necessary permits. Search warrants in Montana and Washington led to the seizure of 11 taxidermy mounts. The suspects face 34 charges and 13 warnings, with nearly $23,000 in bond and restitution, to be processed by Musselshell County Justice Court.
Interest for SAVE plan borrowers will resume Aug 1
About one in ten Montanans carries a student loan balance with a combined total of $5 billion of debt. Starting August 1st interest for Saving on a Valuable Education Plan borrowers will start accruing again but required monthly payments for the income-driven repayment plan for federal student loans will stay on hold for now.
Farmers ‘running out of cash’ under ‘crisis’ brought on by Trade War
American farmers are struggling under the trade war. Bloomberg reports 173 small farms have filed for bankruptcy in 2025 a more than 63% increase from 2024 and the highest number since 2020. The overall financial outlook for farmers in Montana is potentially positive this year due to increased government support but challenges remain especially concerning fluctuating commodity prices weather variability and managing debt.
WIC releases 2025-2026 income guidelines
If you need help affording food for your baby or young children this summer is an especially good time to enroll in the Women Infants and Children nutrition program because if a family enrolls this summer they will also qualify for farmers’ market benefits. Women and children age 4 months and older enrolled in WIC are eligible to receive a $30 voucher to buy fresh fruit and vegetables from participating farmers’ market vendors.
Geologists Say a New Hole Has Appeared in Yellowstone National Park
Geologists working in Yellowstone National Park were treated to a surprise in April when they discovered a blue hole in one of the basins during a routine inspection which involves testing the temperatures in the logging stations around the basin. The news may be concerning to some since the park is known to sit above an extensive volcano system known as a supervolcano. This has prompted speculation that the new hole in Yellowstone is a sign of underground activity which has left some looking for more information about what exactly is happening at Yellowstone.
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The Kalispell City Council is inviting the public to weigh in on a large high-density development proposed in North Kalispell. The Reserve at Johnson Ranch would see 186 single-family lots and two multi-family lots one containing 237 units and the other with up to 70. The nearly 92-acre area subdivision would include a commercial space for grocery stores convenience stores and small shops meant to serve the neighborhood and divert traffic from other business areas around the city.
In 2025 18% of wildfires in Montana have been started because of equipment or vehicle use. Officials suggest taking advantage of the cooler morning temperatures and keep all equipment clean paying more attention around the engine and exhaust. Machinery should be shut down immediately when temperatures go beyond safe levels.
The city of Laurel plans to allocate $50,000 to fund an initiative. Businesses that hire returning citizens can receive up to $10,000. Applications for the grant will be accepted starting August 1st and only business entities are eligible to apply.
Sewer rates for single-family Butte-Silver Bow residences could go up by 3% under a plan being proposed to offset rising utility and maintenance costs at the Metro Sewer Plant and to meet state debt-service requirements. The budget plan before commissioners is only preliminary and can be changed at any point before its final adoption which is likely to occur sometime in August.
Montana can expect the Forest Service to focus on timber sales in the coming years as there’s a nationwide directive to increase harvest by 25%. The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has timber harvest targets statewide on Forest and Bureau of Land management lands at 250 million board feet.
