Montana’s unemployment rate was 3.2% in August, lower than the national average of 4.2%, marking 38 consecutive months of the state’s unemployment rate at or below 3.4%. In August total employment rose by 532 jobs, and 1,046 more entered the labor force. Through the state’s property tax rebate program, people who paid property taxe...
MONTANA HEADLINE NEWS, 09/20 – The legislative auditor’s office has identified $26.2 million in spending from the Montana Department of Health that didn’t comply with federal requirements or wasn’t supported by adequate documentation. About $21.5 million of that is attributed to the Child Care and Development Fund, the division tha...
MONTANA HEADLINE NEWS, 09/19 Childcare shortages exist in every county in Montana and 59 percent of counties are designated as child care deserts with the highest unmet childcare demands in rural parts of the state with four counties having no licensed childcare providers at all. In 2023 more than 46,000 Montana children under six lived in hou...
The Federation of Women’s Club of Montana is a group that focuses on enhancing community efforts across the state, which includes advocacy for local children. Florence Diedee is the Federation’s President and recently gave some examples of how their helping Montana children. https://northernbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/11-26_12...
The City of Billings recently introduced a new proposal that would fine commercial businesses for false alarm emergency calls. Mayor Bill Cole explains what brought about this idea. https://northernbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/11-26_1137.mp3
Montana State University announced a philanthropic gift of $101 million for its College of Nursing from Mark and Robyn Jones, founders of Goosehead Insurance as they seek to help address access to health care for rural and frontier communities. It is the largest single donation given to a nursing program and will provide funding for new facili...
The U.S. Canadian Border remains closed for non-essential travelers from up north due to the coronavirus pandemic, resulting in an economic strain on many towns along the Hi Line. Montana State Senator Mike Cuffe recently spoke about what’s being done to strengthen relations between the two nations going forward. https://northernbroadcasting.c...
After a public comment period that drew more than 26,000 comments, the Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted several changes to the 2021/2022 wolf hunting and trapping regulations. Changes include eliminating quotas, increasing the number of wolf trapping and hunting licenses allowed for individual hunters, extending wolf trapping seasons and t...
A recent string of developments and deadlines have begun to offer a clearer picture of how Montana’s public school system will make use of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funding for K-12 education. Alex Sarkissian with the Montana Free Press reports that last Tuesday marked the submission deadline for school distric...
Teck Resources Ltd. this month filed a petition with the Montana Board of Environmental Review to challenge their recently applied water quality standard for the trace element selenium, a byproduct of coal mining that can kill fish and inhibit growth on both sides of the border. Teck are asking them to nullify the new standard, claiming itR...
