The state of Montana is increasing its base pay for seasonal firefighters to a minimum of $15.50 per hour to help recruit and retain highly qualified personnel. Montana is advertising for 41 seasonal firefighters along with engine bosses dispatchers fuel truck drivers and helicopter crew members. According to state, job listings the job can pa...
Denton Fire Fighters Fortifying Resources For Future Wildfires
It’s been over two months since the West Wind Fire devastated the small ag community of Denton in which two dozen homes and several dozen other structures were completely destroyed. Recently on Voices of Montana, farmer, elevator owner and rural firefighter Brock Linker said steps are underway to prevent a repeat. https://northernbroadca...
BNSF Taking Over Montana Rail Link Tracks
Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway will take over Montana Rail Link and its 900 miles of track in Montana and Idaho. The Monday announcement said the deal will eliminate BNSF’s need to change freight between the two railroads will continue strengthening the resiliency of the supply chain and enhance rail capacity in the Pacific Northwest. MR...
The Wyoming Cutt-Slam capped its 25th. Year
It was another successful year for anglers involved in one of the more unique fishing challenges offered by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department. The Wyoming Cutt-Slam capped its 25th year in 2021 with 168 anglers who documented catching the state’s four native subspecies of cutthroat trout: Bonneville, Colorado, Snake River and Yellowstone. ...
FWP to improve mgmt. of Pub. Rec. on Flathead Lake Islands
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is moving forward with plans to improve management of public recreation on its Flathead Lake island properties, including Bird, Cedar, Douglas, and Goose islands. FWP manages the four islands as Wildlife Habitat Protection Areas (WHPAs) guided by a plan developed in 2009 by a committee of stakeholders. Recrea...
Legislative Auditor Finds Numerous Deficiencies In State Foster Care System
An investigation by Montana’s Legislative Auditor released this week shows the state’s foster care system hampered by obsolete software, inconsistent leadership and approach to reports of abuse or neglect. The report also revealed that Montana ranks last in the percentage of children receiving monthly caseworker visits. The number of kids in f...
Billings Clinic Facing New Shortage Of Nurses
According to Kaiser Health News Billings Clinic is hiring two dozen nurses from other countries to offset a nursing shortage that has been made worse by the pandemic. Billings Clinic is just one of scores of hospitals taking this strategy. Demand is so high and the nursing shortage is so great there’s a backlog of thousands of international he...
Montana Lawmakers Approve Additional Child Care Funding
Thursday Montana’s American Rescue Plan Act Health Commission voted to advance $30 million in stabilization funding to child care providers impacted by the pandemic. Director of Public Health and Human Services Adam Meier explained during the commission meeting that these funds come from previously determined funds that were not yet approved. ...
Keystone XL Lawsuit Dismissed
U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown dismissed a 23-state case Thursday that was filed against President Biden which included Montana over his decision to cancel the Keystone XL Pipeline cross border permit on his first day in office. In his decision Judge Brown wrote the court takes TC Energy at its word that Keystone XL is dead saying the court...
Montana Still In Sever Drought
According to the website drought.gov more than 86% of Montana remains in severe drought with 53% in extreme drought and almost 14% in exceptional drought the worst possible rating. Based on current runoff trends soil moisture and plains and mountain snowpack the dry conditions are expected to continue. In 127 years of record keeping 2021 was t...