Residents in Montana Communities Holding Local Elections Today Can Register Until 8 Tonight
There’s still time to register and vote if you haven’t yet filled out a ballot in today’s local elections being held across many parts of Montana. Voting is open to U.S. citizens aged 18 and older who have been Montana residents for at least 30 days as of November 4.
Late registration for residents who haven’t previously registered to vote is available at county election offices through the close of polls at 8 p.m. this evening. Voters in cities and towns across Montana will elect municipal leaders and decide on local ballot measures.
Inmates Will Pay Up to 83% More for Phone Calls Under New FCC Rule
The Federal Communications Commission has voted to allow prison telecommunication companies to charge incarcerated people up to 83% more for phone calls.
This permanent change follows a July FCC decision that temporarily raised the maximum per-minute rate that telecom companies can charge inmates. The Montana Department of Corrections receives a flat monthly payment of $23,000 from the phone service provider, which is deposited into an “inmate welfare fund.”
Montana Hunting Season: State Ranks #2 in Hunting Accident Risk
A study based on data from the FBI and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service identified the states with the most hunters—and, therefore, the greatest potential for hunting accidents—using the number of long-gun firearm checks and hunting licenses issued per 100,000 residents.
Montana ranked second, while Wyoming topped the list as the state most at risk.
A Guide to Proposed Data Centers in Montana
Over the past year, data center companies from around the country have targeted Montana as a prime location for large-scale facilities.
NorthWestern Energy, the state’s largest monopoly utility, has signed Letters of Intent with three different data center companies to supply as much as 1,400 megawatts of power combined by 2030. Another data center company has announced plans that could require an additional 600 megawatts on top of that load.
Agriculture Industry Squeezed on All Sides; Options for State Aid Limited
Montana’s agriculture industry faces serious challenges, including high input costs, tariffs, and limited federal support. The state’s ability to assist is constrained by the Department of Agriculture’s modest $22 million budget.
Programs such as the Beginning Farm and Ranch Loan Program and small Rural Assistance loans offer some financial relief and help with cash flow.
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Through the second weekend of Montana’s general big game hunting season, hunter participation in Northwest Montana was slightly lower than last year. However, overall success rates and harvest numbers remain strong across Region 1. A total of 3,480 hunters have passed through the region’s four game check stations—about 7% fewer than last year.
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A new boat launch on the Yellowstone River, about a half-mile upstream from Miles City, is being proposed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. The Hilleman Fishing Access Site would include a parking area and boat ramp built on city property, in partnership with the city, FWP, and Walleyes Unlimited. The site borders the existing Hilleman Complex, which offers restrooms, a picnic area, horseshoe pits, athletic fields, trails, and shoreline fishing.
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Billings Public Schools Indigenous Education students are celebrating a major achievement: their film Walking Between Two Worlds has been nominated for a National Student Production Award, selected from nearly 1,700 entries. The film now advances to the national competition, with winners to be announced November 21 during a live-streamed national event.
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Jerry Benson of Plains was the top angler in the 2025 Fall Mack Days fishing contest on Flathead Lake, turning in 1,301 lake trout entries with an 18-day average of 60.28 fish. A total of 18,414 lake trout were entered in the event, sponsored by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes. Of the 436 anglers who entered, only 151 successfully caught fish.
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The Missoula Parking Commission has launched its annual “Food for Fines” program, allowing residents to reduce parking ticket costs while helping local food pantries. Each nonperishable item donated counts for $2 off a parking ticket, with all food going to the Missoula Food Bank.
