Montana Gas Prices Dip Below National Average as Local Rates Hit Two-Year Lows
Drivers in the Treasure State are seeing some relief at the pump. According to AAA, Montana’s average gas price has dropped to $2.73 per gallon, sitting 13 cents lower than the current national rate. Montana’s average gas price 13 cents lower than national rate This marks a 21-cent decrease from this time last year. Local averages vary, with Flathead County currently reporting the lowest prices at $2.71.
Lawmakers Seek Clarity on Funding for Secretary of State’s Recent Mailer Campaign
Montana lawmakers are seeking more information about a recent statewide mailing of nearly five hundred thousand postcards sent to Montana households from Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen. Representative Jerry Schillinger has requested a breakdown of how the roughly two-hundred-thousand-dollar mailing was funded. While the Secretary’s office describes the postcards as routine voter outreach, Schillinger says he wants to clear up any confusion regarding the cost and the source of the funds. He has asked for a response by February 4th.
Montana OPI Announces Free Summer Meals Program for Kids Statewide
The Montana Office of Public Instruction is gearing up for summer with free meals for kids. Superintendent Susie Hedalen says the Summer Food Service Program will once again provide free, nutritious meals to all children and teens eighteen and under during summer 2026. The program helps bridge the nutrition gap when school is out, especially in rural communities. Both traditional on‑site meals and grab‑and‑go options will be available at approved locations statewide. OPI is also seeking community partners to host or sponsor meal sites. Sponsor applications open March second, with a deadline of May fifteenth.
Other News
Yellowstone National Park visitation in 2025 narrowly outpaced last year to become the second busiest on record. According to the National Park Service’s statistics website, more than 4.76 million people visited the park last year compared to 4.74 million in 2024. In 2021, 4.86 million visited the park following the lifting of Covid 19 restrictions.
A jury on Friday found Montana’s child protection agency negligent for allegedly taking months to adequately inform police that a girl had been raped and gave birth at age 12. The girl is now 23 and the jury directed the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services to pay her $5.5 million in compensatory damages for past and future emotional distress, mental anguish and pain and suffering.
Passenger and freight traffic across Montana’s northern border fell sharply in the first 11 months of 2025, with commercial freight seeing the sharpest decline from comparable periods in at least 30 years. According to the Montana Free Press, the number of inbound people crossing also saw the steepest year-over-year percentage declines of recent decades outside of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A student at Billings West High School has been charged with felony intimidation after the FBI and Billings police determined shooting threats the student made were “credible. This past Friday morning the school’s resource officer was contacted by the FBI regarding a 16-year-old boy who had posted threats online about carrying out a shooting at the school. After being charged with felony intimidation the student was placed in custody at Youth Services.
