Following President Joe Biden’s announcement for vaccine mandates for millions of workers in the country last Thursday, Montana is preparing for potential legal action. Montana is the only state with a law that makes discrimination based on vaccination status illegal. The federal mandate could clash with state law, also known as House Bill 702...
Montana Health Officials Object To HB 702 Given Rising COVID Cases
There were 1,001 new Covid-19 in Montana Thursday. Statewide 1,830 people have died of COVID-19. The latest surge of COVID-19 cases has drawn attention to actions of the most recent legislature House Bill 702 which forbids differential treatment between vaccinated and nonvaccinated people is now being called out by local health departments. Ye...
Air Quality Raised To Unhealthy Across Montana
Smoke pollution from wildfires burning across the West has made the air unhealthy to breathe throughout much of western Montana. State officials said air quality reached unhealthy levels Thursday across a 20-county area and the poor air quality is expected to linger into today. Wildfire smoke contains microscopic particles that can irritate th...
Montana COVID-19 Cases Significantly Increased In The Month Of August
State health officials reported 1001 new COVID-19 cases today with 6,784 active cases in Montana. Richland county has the most active cases in Eastern Montana with 69 while Flathead County has the most out west with 973. Yellowstone County still leads the state in new, active and total cases of COVID-19. Yellowstone Health Officer John Felton...
$20 Million In COVID Relief Funds Could Go Towards Disabled Montanans
A legislative panel voted Wednesday to direct $22 million in federal COVID relief money to increase job training opportunities for out-of-work Montanans and to help people with disabilities find employment. The recommendations from the commission established by the Legislature earlier this year to administer workforce related funding from the ...
Montana Halfway To Being Fully Vaccinated
Montana has reached the halfway point in COVID-19 vaccinations. 51% of the eligible population is now fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. 957,354 total doses have been administered. 468,483 Montanans are now fully immunized. Beaverhead and Big Horn Counties are doing even better than the state’s average with 52% of their population...
Billings Medical Workers Exhausted Of Staff and Resources
The National Guard was recently called in to provide assistance to medical workers at Billings Clinic due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases and a lack of space and staff. Billings Mayor Bill Cole on the recent rise in cases. https://northernbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/9-03_737.mp3
UM To Expand Telehealth Services
The University of Montana College of Health will be able to expand its telehealth services through a second round of pandemic relief funds from the Federal Communications Commission. Just over $679,000 will be allocated to the college which will allow it to purchase telemedicine kits that will expand services to those living in rural settings....
School Districts Submit Spending Plans For Federal Relief Funding
A recent string of developments and deadlines have begun to offer a clearer picture of how Montana’s public school system will make use of hundreds of millions of dollars in federal COVID-19 relief funding for K-12 education. Alex Sarkissian with the Montana Free Press reports that last Tuesday marked the submission deadline for school distric...
Superintendent Arntzen Explains State Orders On Masks In Schools
As COVID-19 cases continue to increase Governor Greg Gianforte and Superintendent of Public Instruction are on the same page. There will be no state mandate to wear marks in schools or to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. On Voices of Montana, Arntzen explained. https://northernbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/8-27_437.mp3