A lawsuit has been filed against the Montana Secretary of State’s Office alleging that it overbilled potentially thousands of customers and even though it knew of the glitch refused to issue refunds unless residents requested the money back in writing. The complaint alleges residents and businesses had no choice but to use the electronic porta...
Montana Supreme Court Denies Subpoena-Power Reconsideration
The Montana Supreme Court has rejected a motion by the GOP-led Montana Legislature to reconsider its July decision which found lawmakers overstepped their authority when they subpoenaed judicial branch records without a legislative purpose. In their Tuesday order the justices wrote their July ruling did not foreclose discussions between the br...
Body Found In Flathead River
Rafters spotted human remains in the Flathead River while floating past a fishing access site northeast of Kalispell in Flathead County. Northern News Network’s Eric Young has details. https://northernbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/9-08_537.mp3
Montana’s Fishing Industry Feeling The Impact Of Summer Drought
Streams are shrinking because of heat and drought. In the Rocky Mountains, the attention is on trout fishing, a big part of both the United States’ $1-billion-a-year fly fishing industry and the region’s over $100-billion-a-year outdoor recreation industry. This summer, Montana imposed hoot owl restrictions on fabled trout rivers i...
New School Bus Safety Measures To Take Effect Next Month
Earlier this year the Montana State Legislature passed two new laws impacting school bus safety and upgrades on buses statewide are on the way. MTN News reports House Bill 207 legislated that more red lights could be added to school buses to alert drivers and House Bill 267 legislated that stop arms should extend further into the roadway obstr...
Montana To Receive USDA Funding For Renewable Energy Infrastructure
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack will hold a media call to announce investments in renewable energy infrastructure in rural communities across the country Wednesday. States impacted by the announcement include Montana and neighboring states Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota and Idaho. https://northernbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021...
Missoula District Judge Denies Motion From NorthWestern For Lawsuit
A lawsuit challenging the state’s pre-approval statute can proceed following Missoula District Court Judge Jason Marks’ ruling denying NorthWestern Energy’s motion filed with support from Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and the Montana Public Service Commission to dismiss the lawsuit. At issue is the constitutionality of the stat...
New Laws Criminalize Protests & Accomplices In Montana
States including Montana have passed laws that increase penalties for protesters of critical infrastructure like oil pipelines. Rosalyn LaPier who teaches environmental studies at the University of Montana says if someone is convicted under this law, they could be fined up to $150,000 and spend 30 years in prison. https://northernbroadcasting....
Montanans At Risk Of New Type Of Scam
Scams come in many forms. One is what’s called a virtual kidnapping where either through text email social media or a phone call a person is literally held ransom by someone saying he’s holding a relative and unless you fork over some dough they’ll be harmed. Don’t fall for it don’t feel ashamed either. Special FBI Agent Drew Scown. https://no...
FWP Aiming To Address Major Potential Changes At Upcoming Review
Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks is starting a biennial review of the state’s hunting regulations and this year, the department is looking to take a fresh approach. The review typically has resulted in only minor changes to existing regulations but this year, FWP will tackle more significant changes such as combining hunting districts and...