Montana Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force Reports 3,300 Tips and 40+ Arrests in 2025 The Montana Department of Justice is raising alarms after receiving more than 3,300 tips regarding internet crimes against children last year. State investigators launched over 600 cases in 2025, with a specialized digital lab processing more than 30...
The 2026 Economic Outlook Seminar hosted by the University of Montana’s BBER has Started Across the State The 2026 Economic Outlook Seminar hosted by the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research when done, will have visited nine cities across Montana through March. Director Jeff Michael has a preview this ti...
Labor Groups Push Back on Water-Use Concerns Ahead of Quantica Data Center Build Some Montana and Wyoming-based unions are advocating new technologies in their support for the construction of new data centers. Riley McCauley is with the Western States Carpenters Union. He says concerns about massive water usage to cool data centers are not war...
Montana Unemployment Edges Up to 3.4%, Still Among Nation’s Lowest Montana’s unemployment rate ticked up to 3.4 percent in December, but the state still ranks among the top ten in the nation for lowest joblessness. Governor Greg Gianforte says the state’s long‑term stability is backed by continued job growth, with payrolls adding more than two...
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 rat...
Conservation nonprofits sue feds over wolverine management A coalition of environmental groups is suing the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for failing to designate critical habitat for the wolverine. The species was listed as threatened in November 2023, primarily due to the effects of climate change. Federal law requires the agency to designa...
Rural ambulance funding program in jeopardy A program aimed at keeping Montana’s rural ambulance services financially afloat is in jeopardy after federal health officials said the state cannot implement it. A provision in the “Big Beautiful Bill” prohibits states from creating new provider taxes to obtain additional federal funding. Existing p...
Out-of-state providers target Native people in $55M insurance scheme According to an announcement from State Auditor James Brown, out-of-state substance use treatment facilities have been carrying out a deceptive scheme targeting Native people in Montana, resulting in up to $55 million in fraudulent health insurance claims. PacificSource alert...
Rocky Mountain Grid Monitored as Jan. 20 Solar Storm Arrives A severe geomagnetic storm in effect today is expected to reach Earth as Arctic cold spreads into the Rocky Mountains, prompting increased monitoring of power systems and other critical infrastructure across high-elevation and rural regions. The G4 storm watch includes Montana, where...
Bison Grazing Rejected The U.S. Department of the Interior is revoking seven grazing permits in Phillips County. The decision directly impacts the American Prairie Reserve, which had been acquiring the permits to graze its herd of bison. The 1934 Taylor Grazing Act requires that grazing on publicly owned federal lands be “limited to cases wher...
