An updated report from Quote Wizard by Lending Tree LLC on state-by-state vaccine hesitancy shows Montana where 22% of the population is still unvaccinated 52% are worried about side effects. 42% don’t trust COVID-19 vaccines. 36% are waiting to see if it’s safe. 32% don’t trust the government. 19% don’t believe they need it and 17% don’t thin...
Montana Could See As Much As $125 Million For Water Infrastructure Through ARPA
The Infrastructure Advisory Commission has recommended more than $125 million in federal COVID relief money to be awarded as grants for water and wastewater projects across the state. The money is part of more than $2 billion Montana received through the American Rescue Plan Act to offset some of the economic impacts of the pandemic. A final d...
Missoula Health Board Faces Potential Legal Challenge Over Mask Mandate
The Missoula Board of Health said Tuesday it will continue to follow Centers for Disease Control guidelines for quarantining COVID-19 close contacts which could put the board in violation of state law. The Missoulian reports House Bill 702 sponsored by Republican Representative Jennifer Carlson of Manhattan bars discrimination against unvaccin...
University of Montana Adapting To COVID-19 Restrictions
The COVID-19 pandemic has and continues to challenge students and educators to adapt criteria to maintain health and safety. University of Montana Director of Strategic Communications Dave Kuntz on how some courses plan to keep some of these changes permanently. https://northernbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/8-25_637.mp3
Governor Gianforte Won’t Enact Mandates Amid Rising COVID Numbers
Montana has crossed 50 percent of eligible residents vaccinated with over 456,726 Montanans now considered fully vaccinated. According to the Department of Public Health and Human Service website there have been 122,964 cumulative cases of COVID in Montana. The cumulative number of recoveries as of Monday was 117,420. You can visit the website...
Montana Employers Struggle With Vaccine Requirements As COVID Cases Rise
While many large companies across the U.S. have announced that COVID-19 vaccines will be required for their employees to return to work in-person, there is one state where such requirements are banned: Montana. Under a new law passed by the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature earlier this year, requiring vaccines as a condition for...
Superintendent Stands By Mask Mandate
Following a group of COVID-19 cases in Billings high school students, School District 2 Superintendent Greg Upham made the decision over the weekend to instate mask mandates in public schools after previously stating they would be optional. This has been met with criticism from local parents, but he defended his decision this morning as the sc...
New Research Shows Montana Had Successful Recovery From Pandemic
Montana has seen a strong and quick rebound from the economic impacts of the COVID crisis, according to a recent mid-year report sponsored by the Montana Chamber of Commerce. Head of the UM Bureau of Business and Economic Research Dr. Patrick Barkey reported that the COVID-19 pandemic brought down predicted growth in personal income and gross ...
Yellowstone National Park Breaks All-Time Visitation Records
Yellowstone National Park hosted 1,080,767 recreation visits in July making it the most-visited July on record a 13% increase from July 2020 and up 15% from 2019. This July also marked the most-visited month on record in Yellowstone’s history and the first-time visitation exceeded 1 million visits in a single month. So far in 2021, the park ha...
1st COVID Case In Montana State Prison Reported In 2 Months
The Montana State Prison has reported its first COVID-19 cases among inmates at the facility since May. The Montana Department of Corrections reported three new cases on its website this week bringing the total cases among inmates there to 493 since its first case last October. One inmate is currently hospitalized while six have died from comp...