Proposed AI Data Center Sparks Debate in Rural Montana
Data centers are increasingly looking to Montana, drawn by a skilled workforce, vast open land, and a property tax rate of less than one percent. Now, a proposed artificial intelligence data center near Broadview—a town of about 130 people in rural Yellowstone County—is placing that national trend squarely in the spotlight. For now, the proposed site remains an open field.
Montana Keeps Invasive Mussels at Bay for Another Year
Montana remained free of invasive mussels through the 2025 season. More than 120,000 watercraft inspections were completed statewide. Thirty-eight mussel-fouled watercraft were intercepted, along with 570 vessels transporting aquatic weeds. In addition, more than 20,000 high-risk boats were identified. In 2026, inspection stations are scheduled to begin operating in early March, with a focus on snowbird traffic returning from the lower Colorado River area.
Health Departments, Mental Health Advocates Reel from Sudden Federal Grant Cuts
Montana public health officials and advocacy groups said Wednesday that local suicide prevention, addiction recovery, and other mental health programs have lost millions of dollars in federal funding. They cited a letter dated January 13 from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration announcing that grant money already distributed would be clawed back.
The Fate of Montana’s 67-Year-Old Governor’s Mansion Could Be Decided Soon
The fate of the 67-year-old executive residence for Montana’s governor could be decided soon. The mansion has sat empty for the last five years, after Governor Greg Gianforte and his wife moved out in 2021—just nine months into his first term—to make room for renovations that never came. The property is now partially managed by the Department of Administration and the Montana Historical Society.
Bodnar Plans Senate Run as an Independent
University of Montana President Seth Bodnar is expected to run for U.S. Senate as an Independent. A spokesperson for Bodnar confirmed the plan to Montana Free Press, saying he will wait to discuss the election until he is ready to make a formal announcement. The spokesperson said Bodnar would resign his presidential post to run.
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Dylan Charles Boyer, charged in Lewis and Clark County in a string of poaching cases across several counties in 2022 and 2023, pleaded guilty Wednesday to four of the 10 counts he originally faced, including one felony, as part of a plea agreement with prosecutors. He is one of four Montana men hit with 33 charges after alleged trophy bull elk and deer poaching.
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A major donor is pledging $200,000 for this summer’s Montana Folk Festival in Butte. The Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation, along with Montana Resources, is offering $100,000 to the music festival this July and will double that amount if festival organizers can raise a matching $100,000.
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Preliminary cost estimates to rebuild a permanent North Entrance road to Yellowstone National Park range from $200 million to $350 million, depending on the route chosen—making it the most expensive project in the park’s 153-year history. If all goes to plan, construction could start in 2027.
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Citizens of Butte peppered a new local government committee with questions and concerns this week about a proposed $1 billion data center in the Mining City, including issues related to timing and public involvement. Members of the Ad Hoc Data Center Impact Committee addressed some questions during their first meeting and pledged to answer more in the coming weeks.
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God’s Love shelter in Helena will open for emergency shelter during dangerously cold weather. In addition to emergency shelter, God’s Love operates other programs, including housing for families, individuals with jobs, and disabled veterans.
