BNSF Railway filed a lawsuit Sunday against its major unions over its mandate to require all its employees to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific have filed similar lawsuits. The unions which have filed some of their own lawsuits in response argue that the railroads should have negotiated with them before...
New Report Reveals Massive Turnover Rate At Office Of Public Instruction
According to a recent termination report from the Montana Office of Public Instruction, 180 employees have left OPI in the past five years — a turnover rate of nearly 90%. The Montana Free Press Reports 57 staff members left due to “personal reasons,” 45 employees left to pursue other career options, and 38 employees retired since January 2017...
Impact Statement Released For Helena-Lewis and Clark National Forest
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service recently released the revised Helena–Lewis and Clark National Forest Land Management Plan and final environmental impact statement. The 2.9-million-acre forest is expected to drive management for the next 15 years. The plan recommends protections for 45 rivers or streams as wild and scenic wh...
Iowa Deer Test Positive For COVID-19
A recently released Iowa study found about one-third of 280 captive and free-ranging deer had tested positive for COVID-19 raising concerns about deer being a reservoir for the virus to mutate. Jennifer Ramsey wildlife veterinarian for Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks calls the recent research concerning because there’s a lot of uncertainty ab...
BLM Digitize Easements Of Montana Land With Public Access
The Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service have digitized easements identifying access routes to 450 tracts of public land including about 29,600 acres in Montana and Idaho that had previously been identified as landlocked. Efforts are also underway via legislation introduced in Congress. Both the House and Senate are considering the MA...
Vaccinated Travelers Can Now Pass Through The U.S. – Canadian Border
The United States has kept its land border with Canada closed to non-essential travel since the start of the pandemic in March 2020 but today will allow travelers from Canada as long as they’re fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Travelers entering by land will not have to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test but should be prepared to v...
Montana Tribes Voice Concerns Over Final Congressional Map
Tribal nations and organizations say they’re frustrated with the congressional map Montana’s redistricting and apportionment commission has chosen. Chair Maylinn Smith broke a tie in favor of a map drawn by Republican commission members. Ta’jin Perez with the Native American advocacy group Western Native Voice says tribes in the state have exp...
AG Knudsen Files Suit Against Biden Administration
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen filed a lawsuit today asking a federal court to immediately block the Biden administration’s newly released COVID-19 vaccine mandate for private employers. It contends if allowed to take effect the mandate will harm Montana employers and employees who are already struggling. https://northernbroadcasting....
Conservation Advocates Win Big In Municipal Elections
Results are in and conservation is one of the big winners from this week’s elections in Montana. Stacie Anderson won her race for city council in Missoula along with four other Montana Conservation Voters-backed candidates for city council. She says conservation is an important part of municipal government. https://northernbroadcasting.com/wp-...
Montana VA Clinics To Begin Offering Vaccination Clinics
A series of VA COVID-19 and flu shot clinics began this week in Billings and will continue every Thursday through March. Jolyn Hoff VA Clinic Manager says more clinics across the Treasure State are on the way. https://northernbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/11-05_832.mp3