Firefighters are responding to two separate wildfires burning on the Custer Gallatin National Forest in south‑central Montana, one prompting evacuations near Red Lodge and another smoldering in remote terrain south of Big Timber. The East Side Fire, (top photo, morning of April 21), burning along East Side Road south of Red Lodge on the Beartooth Ranger District, has grown to
By Tom Schultz, Voices of Montana MONTANA – April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and advocates across Montana are emphasizing both prevention and recovery efforts for children and families impacted by abuse. On Voices of Montana, host Tom Schultz opened a three-part discussion by noting the lasting impact of child abuse and the importance of addressing both the causes and
By Tom Schultz, Voices of Montana HELENA, Mont. – The Montana Supreme Court has sided with a lower court in continuing to block enforcement of a 2023 Montana law defining sex as strictly male or female for purposes of state records. In a 5–2 decision released April 14, the court upheld a preliminary injunction against Senate Bill 458, allowing the
Stockman Bank was recently named to the Forbes list of the world’s best banks for 2026, marking the fifth consecutive year the 73-year-old Montana institution has appeared in the rankings. Among U.S. institutions, just 72 banks were included in the rankings this year. Stockman Bank is the only bank headquartered in Montana to make the list. CEO Bill Coffee says
By Tom Schultz A growing policy debate in Montana centers on a fundamental question of governance: should the state’s Public Service Commission remain elected by voters, or transition to an appointed regulatory body? The discussion is expected to surface during the 2027 legislative session, where lawmakers are considering a proposal that would replace Montana’s five elected Public Service Commissioners with