The bald eagle which has about 700 pairs with breeding grounds in Montana is now officially the United States’ official national bird after President Joe Biden signed legislation making it so. State wildlife agencies began aerial surveys of bald eagle nests in the early 1970s as the bird’s numbers plummeted because pesticides were workin...
Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen officially launched the 69th Legislative Assembly and the 2025 Session Monday afternoon where legislators from across the state completed their oaths of office ahead of the Legislative Session. After being sworn into office, representatives and senators attended the first House and Senate Floor Sessi...
Norovirus sometimes known as the “winter vomiting bug” is making a big comeback it’s hitting Montana hard. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services warns the virus thrives in crowded places like schools daycares and family gatherings. Norovirus is also the leading cause of outbreaks from contaminated food in the US with about...
The Montana Supreme Court upheld Sandfire Resources’ mine permit Thursday. If found the state complied with the Montana Water Use Act when it issued a permit for the former Tintina Montana Incorporated’s Black Butte copper project near White Sulphur Springs to extract approximately 14 million tons of the metal. The Montana Supreme...
12.5 million visitors spent $5.45 billion in Montana last year according to the University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research. One unique aspect about 2024 was the high visitation in the late summer and early fall when the region saw mild temperatures and clear skies. Businesses enjoyed revenue generated by a stro...
After years of being pushed back and put on hold Real IDs will be a reality for those planning to travel by plane starting May 7th 2025. According to the Department of Homeland Security one will be necessary to fly domestically unless you have a passport or enhanced license. A Real ID will also be needed to access federal facilities. They were...
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen is leading a coalition of 22 attorneys general in filing an amicus brief asking the U.S. Supreme Court to uphold the national TikTok divest-or-ban legislation passed by Congress earlier this year. The high court is set to hold oral arguments on it January 10th. Federal judge Donald Molloy has temporarily...
A significant winter storm through the weekend could drop a foot or two of snow in the mountains of western Montana delivering deep fresh powder at the height of the holidays but also increasing the risk of large deadly avalanches. Mountain snowfall is predicted to be nearly constant through at least Sunday evening and likely continuing into n...
A proposed Federal Wildfire Relief Fund would ensure all communities have access to insurance and reliable affordable electricity regardless of the wildfire risks in their region. It would also ensure the federal government aligns with state plans acknowledging that local governments are best equipped to manage wildfire mitigation strategies. ...
Montana recently received an infrastructure report card from the American Society of Civil Engineers and the state’s school infrastructure earned a “D” grade. The average age of school facilities in Montana is 53 years old with more than 2/3 of the schools built before 1970. Few facilities have plans on updating and maintaining this infr...
