Briefs
Gov: Unemployment rate ties an ‘all time low,’ prison wages going up
Montana’s unemployment rate tied an all-time low record in January, Gov. Greg Gianforte announced at a recent press conference. “We’re unleashing the engine of economic growth, business development and job creation that for too long has sputtered in Montana,” Gianforte said at a news conference last week. The rate dropped to 2.5% in January, and […]
Montana Senate votes to repeal state energy policy
The state of Montana took a big step Tuesday to do away with the state’s energy policy. The Senate voted 33-17 in favor of House Bill 170, to repeal the policy. It addresses energy efficiency and conservation, calls for development of Montana’s coal reserves and wind capacity, and supports new technologies, among other provisions. The […]
University of Montana selects law school dean
The University of Montana announced Tuesday longtime faculty member and interim dean Elaine Gagliardi will serve as the permanent dean of the Alexander Blewett III School of Law. “I am thrilled for the opportunity to continue leading the Alexander Blewett III School of Law, an institution that means so much to our state,” Gagliardi said […]
Browning man sentenced to five months in prison for assault of teenager
A Browning man who pleaded guilty to assaulting and kicking a 16-year old victim in the face was sentenced Wednesday to five years prison and two years of supervised release, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Montana. According to a U.S. Department of Justice press release, Jasper Ryan Rattler, 20, admitted to assault […]
Coalition touts advancement of bipartisan elk legislation
The Montana Citizens’ Elk Management Coalition has touted elk management and hunting bills that have passed through their respective chambers in advance of the halftime deadline last week for general legislation. In a news release Friday, the coalition said the bills are sponsored by a group of bipartisan lawmakers and have the support of the […]
Montana PSC will continue to be elected, but new districts possible
Montanans will keep choosing Public Service Commissioners at the ballot box, but some voters might soon be in new districts. A tally of the progress of bills introduced in the 68th Montana Legislature counts 825 transmitted to the second chamber prior to the deadline for general bills to meet that milestone. House Bill 755, which […]
EPA announces $65M toward three Montana Superfund site cleanups
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is putting $65 million from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law toward cleanups at three Superfund former mining sites in Montana, the agency announced Tuesday. The money will go toward ongoing cleanup efforts at the Basin Mining Area in Jefferson County, the Carpenter Snow Creek Mining District in Cascade County and the […]
Charles ‘Chuck’ Johnson, tower of Montana journalism, dies
Charles S. Johnson, retired Montana reporter, Capitol bureau chief, and longtime mentor to journalists, has died, the Helena Independent Record reported Monday. “Johnson’s wife, Pat, told friends he was supposed to have dinner over the weekend with his relatives and, when he did not show, ‘they did a welfare check and found him gone,’ friends […]
Glacier National Park announces 2023 campground operations
Glacier National Park announced Friday the re-opening of Avalanche Campground in spring 2023 after being closed since 2020. Avalanche, Two Medicine and Many Glacier campgrounds will become advance reservation only through Recreation.gov, according to the news release from Glacier. Most of the campsites at Avalanche, Two Medicine, and Many Glacier campgrounds are reservable approximately six […]
U.S. Attorney: Kalispell man charged with making threats to kill U.S. Sen. Jon Tester
A Kalispell man accused of threatening to injure and murder Montana U.S. Senator Jon Tester was arraigned on Feb. 23 on an indictment, the U.S. Attorney’s Office said Friday in a news release. Kevin Patrick Smith, 45, pleaded not guilty to an indictment filed on Feb. 22 charging him with two counts of threats to […]
Billings photojournalists recall seeing balloon before it was identified, shot down
The two Billings photojournalists who captured the Chinese surveillance balloon told their story Monday to a national television outlet and are talking with a statewide radio show as well. Chase Doak, who provided his photo of the balloon last week to the Daily Montanan, told Fox News he thought the ground stop Wednesday at the […]
Legislative redistricting recommendations sent to secretary of state and commission
The legislature sent its recommendations for legislative districts to the Montana Districting and Apportionment Commission and secretary of state on Thursday. The redistricting commission is meeting next week, Feb 10 and 11, to take the legislature’s recommendations into consideration. The recommendations in Senate Joint Resolution 8 were approved by both chambers and are unchanged from […]