Government & Politics
U.S. sanctions Putin’s personal assets, readies forces for NATO deployment
President Joe Biden will sanction Russian President Vladimir Putin and his top diplomat personally, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday, escalating penalties on the Russian government for its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. The United States is also readying 10,000 to 12,000 U.S. troops to deploy to Europe as part of a NATO effort […]
COVID aid to protect Montana’s prisons, jails sits unused
Last summer, Montana created a list of more than a dozen upgrades for its state prison facilities to protect inmates and staffers from COVID-19 infections, all of which would be paid for with nearly $2.5 million in federal COVID relief money. But the money, part of $700 million in aid to states to detect and […]
Jacobsen proposes new PSC districts under court order despite disagreement
Montana’s Secretary of State has proposed a redrawing of the state’s Public Service Commission districts which would likely bring them in constitutional compliance, despite the office’s insistence that only the Legislature should adjust the body’s electoral geography. Attorneys for Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen argued in court documents this week that the 2022 elections for […]
February investigation of Montana State Hospital outlines 4 deaths in 5 months
The Montana State Hospital received an “Immediate Jeopardy” citation on Feb. 9, after a federal investigation found the hospital failed to follow federal guidelines, contributing to the death of four patients. Without corrective action, the hospital will lose its federal funding. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services report, completed in early February, said the […]
USDA warns farmers about even higher fertilizer prices after Russian invasion
The Russian invasion of Ukraine this week might drive up the costs of farm fertilizers globally — which nearly quadrupled last year in price in the United States and remain high — and presents an opportunity for unscrupulous companies to artificially inflate those prices further, according to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack. “That’s my […]
New U.S. sanctions on Russia target banks, high-tech imports
WASHINGTON — The United States and Western allies stepped up economic sanctions on Russia following its escalated attack on Ukraine, President Joe Biden said at the White House on Thursday. Biden had for weeks pledged to impose significant sanctions on Russia if President Vladimir Putin followed through on plans to invade Ukraine. As the invasion ramped […]
Waves of Russian forces launch assault on Ukraine and U.S. prepares added sanctions
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden Thursday vowed a “united and decisive” wave of sanctions against Russia after the country’s leaders ordered a military assault on Ukraine. Russian military forces began attacking several cities and towns throughout the country, according to multiple news reports. “President Putin has chosen a premeditated war that will bring a catastrophic loss […]
Missoula negotiates $4.13M settlement with Carlyle
The City of Missoula and The Carlyle Group have negotiated a $4.13 million settlement on the final bill owed to the private equity firm following eight years of litigation stemming from the city’s eminent domain takeover of the water utility, according to the City of Missoula. “It settles all of the litigation that’s pending,” Mayor […]
Two cases of brucellosis identified so far this year, but state says a larger outbreak is unlikely
Two cows from Gallatin and Madison counties have tested positive for brucellosis in the last two months, but the Montana Department of Livestock said it does not believe the cases represent an increased risk of an outbreak. The department reported the first positive case on Jan. 5 and the second on Feb. 22. Both infected […]
Biden sanctions Russian natural gas pipeline company Nord Stream 2
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Wednesday sanctioned the Russian company tasked with building and operating the Nord Stream 2 natural gas pipeline, as well as its corporate officers. Biden said in a statement the sanctions are part of the “initial tranche” of economic restrictions the United States began imposing on Russia earlier this week after it […]
Before any U.S. troops are sent to Ukraine, some in Congress want a say
WASHINGTON — U.S. Reps. Peter DeFazio of Oregon, a Democrat, and Warren Davidson of Ohio, a Republican, are leading a broad, bipartisan coalition of lawmakers urging the president to not send U.S. troops into Ukraine, or declare war, before receiving authorization from Congress. President Joe Biden has not dispatched troops to Ukraine following Russia’s invasion […]
Parents suing University of Montana after ‘excessive’ asbestos found in childcare facilities
A group of parents and a grandparent whose toddlers attended childcare facilities at the University of Montana have alleged UM was negligent when it delayed alerting them to a possible asbestos exposure in late 2018 in a building where their children played and deprived them of making informed decisions about how to keep their children […]