New Postal Rule Could Slow Voter Mail in Rural Montana A new U.S. Postal Service rule on postmarks could impact rural voters in Montana and across the country, and advocates for Native communities are particularly concerned. Instead of postmarking mail on the day it is received by local post offices, the postmark will now reflect the date it r...
Judge allows B–SB–led lawsuit over tainted fire gear to proceed U.S. District Judge Brian Morris is allowing a class-action lawsuit to proceed against the manufacturers and sellers of chemicals used in firefighter gear that have allegedly been linked to cancer and other illnesses. Butte–Silver Bow joined the lawsuit in April. On Tuesday, Morri...
Mountain Snowpack Thin at End of 2025, but the Future Looks Snowier Montana’s snowpack at the end of December was meager compared to the long-term average, according to Natural Resources Conservation Service data. However, the National Weather Service is predicting that much of the state will see above-average precipitation over the next one t...
Health Tips as Montana Flu Cases Rise During the Holidays Flu cases are on the rise in Montana, and experts are sharing advice on staying healthy in the new year. Everyone six months and older should receive a flu vaccine. Anyone 65 and older who has not yet been vaccinated is encouraged to receive a high-dose flu vaccine. Basic hand hygiene c...
Libby, Fort Belknap Still Without Drinking Water as Calendar Turns to New Year As the calendar turns to a new year in Montana, a handful of communities are still reeling from separate natural disasters that damaged water supply systems, leaving thousands of residents without clean drinking water. Communities in both Libby and the Fort Belknap ...
Celebrating 20 Years of Smoke-Free Spaces in Montana 2025 marks the 20th anniversary of Montana’s Clean Indoor Air Act. The law affirms that everyone—from bartenders and cocktail waitresses to night-shift fry cooks—deserves clean, smoke-free air. No one should have to choose between a paycheck and their lungs. This year, state lawmakers update...
Atlantic Richfield Not Ready Yet Last year, Atlantic Richfield said preliminary analysis of the Berkeley Pit suggested the contaminated lake was shaping up as a preferred option to accept Superfund wastes from sites in the Silver Bow Creek Corridor—but not yet. The company said continued analysis of the Berkeley Pit is needed, which will delay...
Health officials confirm first Yellowstone County influenza death of the season Hospitalization rates are increasing for respiratory illnesses, including influenza and COVID-19. Health officials say vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones against the flu and its potentially serious complications. Influenza spreads t...
No Means to Process Sheep Creek Ore Concerns surrounding the proposed Sheep Creek mine in Montana largely focus on the lack of infrastructure to process its ore. The deposit contains rare earth elements and gallium, but the United States currently has limited domestic capacity to refine these materials. Critics of the project, which is located...
BLM Makes More Lands Inhabited by Greater Sage-Grouse Available for Energy Development The Trump administration is planning to make more acres of public land available for energy and mineral development, a move that is worrying environmentalists who are monitoring the declining population of greater sage-grouse. On Monday, the Bureau of Land M...
