Signal Peak Energy has been fined $1 million for violating environmental and employee safety regulations at Montana’s only underground coal mine located in Roundup. The mine through a representative pleaded guilty Thursday to four counts of willful violation of health and safety standards. In 2013 and 2015 mine managers improperly dispos...
Abortion Laws Blocked By Yellowstone Judge
Yellowstone County District Court Judge Michael Moses has put a halt to three laws restricting access to abortion passed by the Republican-majority Legislature earlier this year. The preliminary injunction ordered Thursday stops the laws from taking effect while a lawsuit filed by Planned Parenthood of Montana that seeks to overturn them progr...
UM Law School Dean Resigns Following Campus Protest
The University of Montana law school’s dean and associate dean will step down following allegations that they failed to take reports of sexual harassment and assault seriously. Dean Paul Kirgis wrote in a letter to the Alexander Blewett III School of Law that he and Associate Dean Sally Weaver will step down from their roles. The letter comes ...
Court Allows Challenge To Bill Addressing Voter Activity On College Campuses
A District Court judge has denied the state Attorney General’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit against a new multi-functional law saying the plaintiffs have proven their claims are worth hearing in court. It challenges Senate Bill 319 which was signed into law in May and prohibits groups from political activities on certain parts of college ...
Nearly 1 Million Acres Burned In Montana In 2021
There are 35 active wildfires burning in Montana according to the state’s fire tracking database with more than 2,500 wildfires reported so far this year and 930,788 acres burned. The state is in the second year of drought conditions that have continued into the fall season but firefighters have managed to contain the total land burned to belo...
Sydney Law Firm Latest To Challenge Vaccination Discrimination Bill
House Bill 702 passed by lawmakers and signed into law by Governor Greg Gianforte in May was aimed at preventing workplaces and customers from discrimination based on their vaccination status. Netzer Law Firm in Sydney is challenging it arguing it runs counter to the state Constitution’s equal-protection clause and its guarantee of a cle...
Montana Officials Take Action Towards Illegal Drug Trafficking
The Montana Department of Justice announced Wednesday its first round of grant awards for local law enforcement to intercept illegal drugs trafficked into the state. The state is drawing $300,000 from upcoming revenues from taxes on cannabis sales to combat methamphetamine and fentanyl trafficking. According to the Montana Board of Crime Contr...
Commission Narrows Down Montana’s New House Districts
Montana’s independent redistricting commission has proposed nine maps for the state’s two congressional districts. The setup of the commission is designed to ensure the process isn’t overly partisan. In most states the Legislature takes on the task of redrawing voting districts. Zuri Moreno with Fair Maps Montana says that often means partisan...
UM To Investigate Law School’s Culture Following Harassment Claims
Following a walkout and rally at the University of Montana’s law school, UM is launching an independent review to assess the school’s structure. As first reported by the Daily Montanan women from the law school say the dean and associate dean discouraged them from reporting allegations of sexual harassment and assault to the university&#...
South Moccasin Fire Up To 11,750 Acres
An update now on a fire that started Monday from our Lewistown affiliate KXLO’S News Director Heidi Weber. https://northernbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/10/10-06_1137.mp3