Northwest in severe extreme drought
According to a July analysis and September data from the U.S. Drought Monitor at NOAA nearly 80% of the Northwest is in a drought this summer with more than half in a severe or extreme drought. Extreme drought is currently most prevalent in western Montana western Washington and northern Idaho. About 13% of the Northwest today is currently in extreme or exceptional drought.
Montana Department of Revenue hears concerns on property reappraisals
Taxpayers are keeping the phone lines busy to the Department of Revenue with concerns about property taxes but far fewer property taxpayers have appealed their new assessments this year compared to a spike in 2023. According to Paula Gilbert head of the Property Assessment Division says the department is fielding questions from people who don’t want to pay more. House Bill 231 and Senate bill 542 the Montana Legislature passed appears to have helped some property taxpayers.
Gianforte orders restart of planning for eastern Montana state hospital
Governor Greg Gianforte has directed state agencies to resume planning for a new $26.5 million state mental-health hospital in eastern Montana. The Montana Board of Investments is the lead agency working to build the facility which would then be operated by the Department of Public Health and Human Services. In a letter he directed them to determine a facility type and location for the project which was approved by the 2025 Montana Legislature.
SCOTUS to hear Anaconda man’s 2021 warrantless police home entry case next month
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments next month about warrantless home entries in the case of an Anaconda man who was convicted of assault on an officer for threatening police with a firearm. William Trevor Case was suicidal when local police entered his home shot him and arrested him. He says the Fourth Amendment should have prevented officers from entering his home without probable cause.
Fire Ready Nation Act passes Senate to boost wildfire prevention
The Fire Ready Nation Act passed the Senate unanimously Wednesday with the main purpose of establishing the Fire Weather Services program at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to help prevent forecast and fight wildfires. The bipartisan bill was introduced in January by Republican Montana Senator Sheehy and Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington. The bill directs NOAA to enhance access to fire weather services data online and conduct tests to improve data collection.
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Voters in the Bigfork Fire District have approved a $15 million bond and a permanent mill levy. The bond funds the construction of a new fire station on the district’s 8.65-acre property at 925 Chapman Hill Road. The mill levy will go toward hiring six additional firefighters raise firefighter pay and replace outdated equipment and vehicles.
Missoula’s city leaders joined the county Wednesday in officially opposing the Trump administration’s plan to shutter the Forest Service’s regional office in town. The city council also called on Montana’s congressional representatives to push back on the agency’s reorganization plans and workforce reductions.
The Bozeman Health psychiatric ward ribbon-cutting event took place Wednesday and is set to welcome patients ages 18 and older next week. With six double rooms and two single rooms first adult inpatient psychiatric unit in southwest Montana is expected to serve about 700 patients a year.
City officials from four different Montana towns have brought issues to the Legislature about utility easement concerns and this week BNSF officials told lawmakers they would “dig in” to address them. They defended the process saying how to grant easements and running cables near tracks is complicated because it needs to be safe and pointed to examples of where they’ve had successful partnerships.
The Montana Highway Patrol’s command staff has wrapped up its annual district tour. The statewide effort is designed to connect troopers captains sergeants and professional staff across its seven districts. The yearly tour provides an opportunity to strengthen internal bonds set future goals and celebrate accomplishments.
