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Montana AG: Six dead following multi-vehicle crash in Hardin
Six Montanans have died following a crash involving 10 vehicles in Hardin on Friday. According to a news release sent out by the Montana Attorney General’s office on Monday, the investigation into the pile-up will continue “for days to come,” but so far, it “continues to support that a sudden dust storm caused the incident.” […]
Report: Fatal Ovando bear attack likely caused by food-conditioned bear
The final report on the Ovando bear attack that killed a California bicyclist last summer found that the incident was likely an attack driven by a food-conditioned bear. The recently released Interagency Grizzly Bear Executive Committee report found that food and toiletries inside and near the tent, as well as food scent left behind from […]
Republicans in Ravalli and Lewis and Clark ‘formally’ reject results of 2020 election
Two Republican committees in Montana have recently passed resolutions rejecting the results of the 2020 presidential election. The Ravalli County Republican Central Committee and the Lewis and Clark County Montana Republican Party passed the resolutions on July 5 and 11, respectively. The resolutions were adopted just before the Montana Republican Party’s platform convention in Billings […]
New DPHHS survey shows problems at healthcare facilities span beyond Montana State Hospital
A new survey released by the Department of Public Health and Human Services shows the state’s psychiatric hospital is not the only state-run health facility dealing with staff, culture and management challenges. While the Montana State Hospital in Warm Springs has been in the news for its failure to prevent patient deaths, resulting in a […]
Former Oath Keeper says conversation at Montana grocery store was the ‘last straw’
Jason Van Tatenhove’s involvement with the far-right paramilitary group the Oath Keepers started and ended in Montana. He first met up with the group in Montana to participate in the 2014 standoff between Cliven Bundy and the Bureau of Land Management over grazing fees. He then left the group in 2018 after overhearing a conversation […]
Stakeholders announce transition to 988 Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline
Gov. Greg Gianforte joined mental health professionals on Tuesday to announce the state’s new Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline. Starting Saturday, along with the rest of the country, Montanans experiencing suicidal ideations or a mental health crisis will be able to call 988, and all calls will be routed to one of the […]
Experts warn of uptick in wildfires in coming months
A cooler than normal winter that delayed snowmelt combined with heavy precipitation this spring has temporarily decreased the drought severity and wildfire conditions in Montana — but experts say with warming temperatures, that temporary relief will fade. “Even with these conditions, our firefighting resources have already begun responding to wildfire starts and are preparing for […]
Conservation groups sue U.S. Forest Service over logging project in northern Montana
A pair of conservation groups are suing the U.S. Forest Service over its approval of a logging project that they say would be detrimental to the grizzly bear population on the Montana-Canada border. The Center for Biological Diversity and WildEarth Guardians filed the lawsuit Thursday in Missoula federal court. The logging project, or the Black […]
Property tax initiative doesn’t get the signatures, will be off November ballot
A constitutional initiative to put a cap on residential property taxes will not appear on the November ballot. Numbers from the Montana Secretary of State showed the Constitutional Initiative 121 only received about 5,000 of the 60,359 signatures necessary. While July 15 is the deadline for county election administrators to file certified ballot issue petitions […]
Opponents show up in force to challenge new health department birth certificate rule
Opponents testifying against an emergency rule from the state health department that would bar transgender Montanans from changing the sex designation on their birth certificate far outweighed supporters during a lengthy public hearing on Thursday. Around 100 people, including transgender Montanans, transgender rights activists, parents, teachers, faith leaders and medical professionals, testified against the emergency […]
Adam Meier out at state health department; Gianforte health policy advisor to take over in August
Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Director Adam Meier will be leaving his post on August 12, and the Governor’s health policy advisor will take over leading the department, according to a Thursday press release from the Governor’s office. Meier will be transitioning out of his role due to “an ongoing family health […]
Helena man charged in starting wildfire northwest of Helena
Ryan P. Barrow, a 39-year-old Helena man was cited for igniting a fire, in a burn barrel, without a permit — setting off a three-acre wildfire northwest of Helena that burned for about three-and-a-half hours. The fire at Three Mile road northwest of Mount Helena started around 4:30 p.m. Monday evening and lasted until about […]