Montana’s federal congressional delegation was joined by Governor Greg Gianforte Monday in Washington D.C. to celebrate the inauguration of President Donald Trump to his second term. The outdoor ceremony was scrapped because of cold weather and held in the Capitol Rotunda as was Ronald Reagan’s in 1985 also because of very cold weather.
At the end of last year Montana gasoline prices had dropped 20 out of 22 weeks but now in the first weeks of 2025 prices are on the rise. In the last week average gasoline prices in Montana have risen 7.7 cents per gallon. Prices in Montana are 10.8 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. Montana is currently ranked 36th in the U.S. when it comes to the average price of gas which is five spots higher than last week.
The Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission is being sued by wildlife and conservation group members from across the state for allegedly ignoring open meeting laws when it approved eliminating some black bear hunting quotas last December 19th. The suit claims it failed to publish the proposal before the meeting and then took action on it without proper notice or public comment.
President Donald Trump granted clemency Monday to roughly 1,500 defendants accused and convicted of crimes connected to the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6th 2021 and of those nine have direct Montana ties. In one case the founder of the Oath Keepers Stewart Rhodes was commuted seven were given pardons and one case is pending with instructions to the U.S. Attorney General to seek dismissal.
The Montana Supreme Court has upheld state Representative Bill Mercer’s right to review a child-neglect-and-abuse case that the Gianforte administration had denied citing attorney-client privilege. The case focused on a provision in Montana that allows lawmakers to review otherwise confidential cases of child abuse or neglect handled by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services.
In late December then state Senate President Jason Ellsworth attempted to get the Legislative Services Division to pay his associate Bryce Eggleston $170,100 and legislative staff blocked the attempt but days later Ellsworth managed to get approval on a contract without a competitive bidding process. The deal is in the process of being canceled but Monday current Republican leadership said that won’t divert their investigation into what they characterized as an “illegal” deal.
Butte’s Chelsea Baily Animal Shelter will be getting more big upgrades thanks to a $127,800 donation from the estate of Stephen Tomazich of Walkerville who died in 2023. An equal amount will go to Butte Schools Butte Central Schools Montana Tech St. James Healthcare and the Butte Emergency Food Bank.
Montana State Prison Warden Jim Salmonsen is on leave but Monday the Department of Corrections declined to provide further information about the situation. Salmonsen who has worked for the state prison for three decades was named warden at the Deer Lodge facility in late 2020.
The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services reports the influenza case count jumped from 585 cases recorded during the week ending January 4th to 624 cases the week ending January 11th. COVID-19 cases declined from 301 cases to 244. Hospitalizations from COVID-19 dropped from 40 to 17.
After 127 years in Bozeman the Salvation Army is planning to move from its downtown building to a facility on North 19th Avenue this year. It will include a gym multi-purpose chapel and childcare facility with room for 75 kids. Plans for the new two-story building are up for public notice through February 3rd.
