Northern News Network Headlines

Lodge Grass Boys, Baker Girls Win Southern B, Poised for State

Baker girls basketball team poses with their trophy.

BILLINGS — The unbeaten Lodge Grass boys rolled past Three Forks 66-43 in the Southern B divisional title game Saturday at First Interstate Bank Arena at MetraPark. TJ Gros Ventre led the Indians with 20 points and said the team’s trust in each other helped spark the decisive win after a slow start. “Confidence. We came out with confidence. We...

Shortage of Sports Officials Prompts Recruitment Push in Montana

ref

High school sports in Montana — like much of the country — are facing a growing shortage of referees and game officials. The issue has developed over the past decade as longtime officials retire and fewer new recruits enter the profession. Officials say the shortage has become noticeable enough that schools sometimes adjust game schedules just...

Montana Businesses to See Workers’ Comp Rate Reduction

Montana State Fund Logo

Montana State Fund Proposes Rate Cut, Continuing Trend of Lower Costs for Employers HELENA, Mont.  — Montana businesses could soon see some relief in their workers’ compensation insurance costs. Montana State Fund (MSF), the state’s non-profit workers’ compensation insurer, has proposed a 5% average rate reduction for Montana busin...

Iranian People Key to Regime Change Amid Escalating War

A man presenting.

As tensions escalate between Iran, Israel and the United States, a University of Montana scholar says the most important questions may not be about military conflict but whether the Iranian people could ultimately overthrow their oppressive government. Mehrdad Kia, director of the Central and Southwest Asian Studies Center at the University of...

Data Centers Stir Community Debate on Energy, Resources, Benefits

5C Data Center

Montana emerging as potential hub for AI, cloud data centers Montana is emerging as a potential hub in the growing national race to build artificial intelligence and cloud computing data centers, but the projects are also prompting debate over water use, electricity demand and local economic impacts. Energy experts speaking on the “Voices of M...

‘Goodbye Wives and Daughters’ Revives Memory of Montana’s Deadliest Mining Disaster

Theatre in Ronan, MT.

RED LODGE, Mont. — Eighty-three years after Montana’s deadliest mining disaster, a new song and community event are helping preserve the memory of the 74 miners who died in the 1943 Smith Mine explosion near Bearcreek. Singer-songwriter Linda McKenzie recently released “Goodbye Wives and Daughters,” a tribute inspired by one miner’s final chal...

Code Girls Stand United: CEO Marianne Smith Says Human Skills Still Key in New Tech Era

Code Girls United

BILLINGS, Mont. — Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping the tech world, and Montana is no exception. Recent reports indicate AI is writing an increasing portion of code, with some industry leaders claiming it can now handle nearly all programming tasks. But what does this mean for Montana’s workforce and the skills needed to thrive in a...

Dillon Boys Look To Continue Dominance

Beaverhead County High School Logo

BILLINGS — The Beaverhead County boys basketball team begins its quest for a Class A state three-peat Thursday as the Western A Divisional Basketball Tournament tips off in Hamilton. Impressive field This year’s field is stacked. The Beavers, Butte Central and Frenchtown each enter with 8-2 Southwest A conference records, while Ronan and Colum...