A major disaster declaration for the state of Montana requested by Governor Greg Gianforte as a result of the Richard Spring Fire has been approved by President Joe Biden. It charred more than 170,000 acres on public and private property in Rosebud County and on the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. The federal aid that accompanies the maj...
ARPA Funds Approved To Improve Veterans’ Homes
The ARPA Health Advisory Commission has voted unanimously to spend $1.5 million in federal COVID-19 relief funds to improve veterans’ homes in Columbia Falls and Glendive through the American Rescue Plan Act passed by Congress earlier this year. Tuesday’s recommendations still need final approval from Governor Greg Gianforte. https://nor...
Wildfire Update For 9/27/21
As of Monday afternoon there were 11 active large fire incidence in Montana and there have been 36 new fire starts since Governor Greg Gianforte was last briefed last week. Approximately 54 residences have been lost this year to date with one structure lost in the last week in the Horsethief Fire. That is the top priority fire currently burnin...
Lane-Filtering To Become Legal In Montana Next Month
Montana is the third state to legalize “lane filtering,” which goes into effect October 1st. According to MTN News Senate Bill 9 allows drivers of two-wheeled motorcycles to overtake stopped or slow-moving vehicles at a speed not greater than 20 miles per hour in order to “filter” between lanes of stopped traffic travel...
MHA Sues Governor Gianforte Over Recent Legislation Affecting Medical Practices
In a lawsuit filed Wednesday the Montana Medical Association a Missoula hospital medical clinics and individuals with compromised immune systems seek to overturn a law passed earlier this year by Republican legislators that bars employers including hospitals from requiring their employees be vaccinated. It became the only law in the country to...
House & Senate Leaders Urge Governor Gianforte To Take Further Action Addressing Crowded Hospitals
Senate Minority Leader Jill Cohenour and House Minority Leader Kim Abbott sent a letter to Governor Greg Gianforte Tuesday asking him to take urgent concrete action to address extreme stresses on hospital capacity in the wake of rising in COVID-19 cases. The last several weeks have seen Montana report some of the worst COVID-19 case numbers of...
Hospitals Across Montana To Receive National Guard Assistance
Governor Greg Gianforte will be sending more Montana National Guardsmen to hospitals across the state to support their COVID-19 response. Northern News Network’s Eric Young has details. https://northernbroadcasting.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/9-22_637.mp3
Governor Gianforte Receives Wildfire Update
Governor Greg Gianforte’s wildfire briefing Tuesday told him there are 12 active large fire incidents in Montana. Since January 1st, there have been over 2,406 fire starts burning around 886,000 acres. Since the governor’s fire briefing a week earlier there have been 88 new fire starts. Officials estimate approximately 53 residences have been ...
Montana Officials Critical Of Continued Canadian Border Closure
Montana elected officials from both sides of the aisle have decried news the Biden administration will extend travel restrictions from Canada into the U.S. for at least another month. Senator Jon Tester said there was no basis for the continued restrictions for Canadians who are vaccinated against COVID-19. Senator Steve Daines also criticized...
Governor Gianforte May Push For VA Department To Accept Additional Patients
During the last week at least 45 more Montanans died of COVID-19 and more than 6,400 new cases have been added bringing the active case count to almost 10,000. Governor Greg Gianforte’s office is in discussions to ask the Department of Veterans Affairs to accept otherwise ineligible patients at its facilities. The state can submit a formal req...