Government & Politics
Biden signs law making Juneteenth a new federal holiday
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden on Thursday signed into law legislation declaring a legal public holiday annually on June 19, the date of the end of slavery in the U.S. known as “Juneteenth.” “Throughout history, Juneteenth has been known by many names—Jubilee Day, Freedom Day, Liberation Day,” Vice President Kamala Harris said at the White […]
Opponents: ‘This is a life or death matter’
In a Zoom meeting — temporarily hijacked by racist comments and trolling music — medical professionals, LGBTQ people, and other community members said a proposed rule requiring a judge’s order and proof of a gender-affirming surgical procedure to change the designated gender on a person’s birth certificate would harmfully impact transgender people. “Our ability to […]
Osprey population recovered, but new threats emerge
NorthWestern Energy was in Augusta earlier this month putting up a nesting platform for ospreys following a fire this spring from a nest built on a power pole. “Traditionally, they look for dead trees, snags, with the tops broken off for a nesting place,” said Marco Restani, NorthWestern biologist, in a statement. “Power poles, especially […]
Intersection of Grizzly bears and tourists discussed at Wednesday’s management meeting
Plans for a historic number of visitors to national parks coupled with a peaking grizzly bear population have prompted leaders in the Interagency Grizzly Bear Commission to consider how to manage the potential conflicts. One bear specifically, Bear 863, commonly known as “Felicia,” was brought up multiple times as an example of the clash between […]
Unmatched doctor organizations have ties to anti-immigration groups
In their last year of medical school, fourth-year students get matched to a hospital where they will serve their residency. The annual rite of passage is called the National Resident Matching Program. To the students, it’s simply the Match. Except not every medical student is successful. While tens of thousands do land a residency slot […]
Federal judge halts Biden pause on new oil and gas leases
A federal judge in Louisiana has ordered the Biden administration to restart regular sales of oil and gas leases, forcing the administration to prematurely abandon a central piece of its climate change agenda. In a preliminary ruling issued Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty granted the request of Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry and 12 other Republican-led […]
ICYMI: Prison gerrymandering could impact Indian Country voters
Six months ago, lawmakers and policy experts in Montana were contemplating a legislative proposal for the forthcoming session to end what’s known as prison gerrymandering — a political consequence of a longstanding U.S. Census Bureau practice that counts incarcerated people as residents of the prison or jails that confine them, rather than of the places […]
‘Fire Fauci’ legislation unlikely to go anywhere as Greene leads charge
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia on Tuesday led a group of House Republicans calling for the firing of Dr. Anthony Fauci, formalizing their intense criticism of his public statements and actions throughout the coronavirus pandemic into legislation. Those GOP lawmakers can’t oust Fauci from his post as director of the National Institute […]
U.S. House probes clean-up of ‘exploited’ coal mining sites
A U.S. House Natural Resources subcommittee examined the cleanup needs for regions transitioning away from coal production Tuesday, with witnesses representing coal workers and Native American communities saying energy companies should be responsible for returning the land to its pre-mining state. Much of the conversation at the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee hearing centered on […]
Gianforte requests federal disaster aid for eastern Montana power outages
Gov. Greg Gianforte on Tuesday issued a disaster declaration and requested federal assistance due to storm damage and power outages in five eastern Montana counties: Dawson, Garfield, McCone, Richland, and Roosevelt. The region was hit by severe thunderstorms, 90-plus mile-per-hour winds, and up to three-inch chunks of hail on June 10, damaging over 800 power […]
Bozeman mayor, others beg Congress to do something about affordable housing
WASHINGTON—The mayors of cities in Ohio, Montana and Arizona stressed the need for affordable housing to be included in any congressional infrastructure package during a Tuesday hearing before the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs Committee. Mayors Daniel Horrigan of Akron, Ohio, Cyndy Andrus of Bozeman, Mont., and Corey Woods of Tempe, Ariz., all said […]
In a mental health crisis, a 911 call brings help — maybe no cops
By the time Kiki Radermacher, a mental health therapist, arrived at a Missoula, Montana, home on an emergency 911 call in late May, the man who had called for help was backed into a corner and yelling at police officers. The home, which he was renting, was about to be sold. He had called 911 […]