The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced today that $500,000 in supplemental funding will be going to the Snowy Mountain Development Corporation to clean up and redevelop contaminated brownfield properties in central Montana. The investment is meant to address environmental justice issues in underserved communities It is one of 27 aw...
Robertson Draw Fire Continues To Grow At Rapid Rate
According to Custer Gallatin National Forest officials, the Robertson Draw fire burning south of Red Lodge grew to 21,000 acres overnight but as of this morning there are no plans to evacuate Red Lodge. Billy Chapman is a spokesman for the Custer Gallatin National Forest. https://northernbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/6-16_1137.mp...
Bozeman Schools Lift Mask Mandate
The Bozeman School District lifted its mask mandate this week after more than a year since it enacted a state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The decision to lift the mandate before a July 8th meeting was made to allow the adults who have had access to the vaccine and are working in the district during the summer to do so without a ...
Wildfire Ongoing On Crow Reservation
Crews are fighting a wildfire burning in a heavily timbered canyon on the Crow Indian Reservation in the Bighorn Mountains southwest of Fort Smith. The Buffalo Pasture is fire estimated to be 100 acres in size Tuesday morning is burning in an area known as Little Bull Elk Canyon between Little Bull Elk Ridge and the tribal bison pasture. https...
Water Well Coalition Pushing Congress To Include Private Wells In Infrastructure Plans
The Montana Well Drillers Association joined other groups urging congress to consider water wells in any future infrastructure spending. Montana has over 155,000 residential water wells. Association spokesperson Ben Frech says while they’re not opposed to the current spending proposals, there is room to provide grants to private well owners. h...
Tester’s Meat Packing Investigator Act Gains Support From Ag Secretary
Tuesday, Senator Jon Tester secured support from the Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack for his bipartisan Meat Packing Special Investigator Act which will create an Office of the Special Investigator for Competition Matters in the Department of Agriculture to investigate anti-competitive actions by meat packers and secure America’s food sec...
Governor Gianforte Declares Disaster In Five Counties
Governor Greg Gianforte has issued an executive order declaring a disaster in five Eastern Montana counties. In a press release Tuesday, Gianforte said the state of Montana is requesting federal disaster assistance on behalf of the communities in Dawson, Garfield, McCone, Richland and Roosevelt counties impacted by a recent series of severe th...
Commissioner Downing Highlights Potential Financial Abuse Towards Elders
Today is World Elder Abuse Awareness Day. The Office of Troy Downing, the Commissioner of Securities and Insurance, reminds financial professionals and the general public throughout Montana to be on the lookout for signs of elder financial abuse including potential exploitation by guardians. Whether publicly funded or privately appointed a gua...
FWP seeks input on proposed Brown fishing reg. changes on some rivers
Due to public concern regarding brown trout declines in some popular rivers in southwest Montana, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is seeking public input on potential fishing regulation changes. Studies conducted by FWP and the U.S. Geologic Survey suggest that flow is a primary limiting factor for many brown trout populations. Short-term t...
Suicide Hotline & Specialist Service In Montana To Go Nationwide
By July 2022, a national 988 hotline modeled on 911 is slated to launch for people to reach trained suicide prevention specialists and mental health counselors. Missoula began sending this special crew on emergency mental health calls in November as a pilot project and next month the program will become permanent. It’s one of six mobile crisis...