News
Missoula opens ‘transformational’ $38M library
Roughly a decade ago, the Missoula Public Library Foundation’s Karl Olson made a passing remark to Honore Bray, the library director. At the time, it looked like the library’s plan to expand would not be possible in its existing building. “It just might be worth asking a few other organizations if they want to share […]
Collecting FEMA money takes time, tenacity
As a funeral director at Ingold Funeral and Cremation in Fontana, California, Jessica Rodriguez helps families say goodbye to their loved ones. “We serve predominantly Latino families, most of them second- and third-generation” residents, said Rodriguez. “We do have quite a few that are first-generation, that don’t speak any English.” Most are unaware of a […]
Group sues VA system, claiming long wait-times, and new programs aren’t being utilized
Seven years ago, the Department of Veteran Affairs was rocked by a series of scandals that showed the agency had months-long waiting times and created secret wait lists that were hidden to prevent revealing how long some some veterans waited to get care. A lawsuit filed in Washington, D.C., but involving Fort Harrison in Montana, […]
Yellowstone National Park closes some fishing because of high temperatures, low flow
Effective July 24, Yellowstone National Park’s rivers and streams will close to fishing in the afternoon and evening due to high-water temperatures and unprecedented low stream flows. This closure will protect the park’s native and wild trout fisheries. What will be closed? Fishing on rivers and streams will be prohibited from 2 p.m. to sunrise the […]
Rosendale proposes making telehealth for Medicare a permanent option
A lot of facets of everyday life were disrupted during the COVID pandemic. However, one of the things that seemed to work and may be here to stay is telehealth. And Congressman Matt Rosendale, R-Montana, has introduced legislation that makes telehealth visits for behavioral health and counseling a permanent part of Medicare. Telehealth, especially for […]
Philosophy of fairness up for debate in legislative district criteria
State officials this week adopted criteria to help shape Montana’s legislative districts in the current redistricting cycle, concluding the second half of a meeting of the Districting and Apportionment Commission that began with a lengthy debate on congressional criteria earlier in July. As with the adoption of congressional criteria — which consisted both of widely […]
Attorney General intervenes in NorthWestern Energy application
An uncommon party is intervening in NorthWestern Energy’s application to add power with the Laurel Generating Station and a couple of other contracts. In addition to the usual suspects, such as other companies working in the energy industry, conservation groups, and the Montana Consumer Counsel, the intervenors include the State of Montana through Attorney General […]
Missoula Democratic Sen. Bryce Bennett resigns
Missoula Senator Bryce Bennett, a fixture of the state Democratic politics for the last decade, is resigning his seat to work for a civics organization in Washington, D.C., he announced Thursday. Bennett has represented the 50th Senate District since 2019. Prior, he represented two Missoula-area House districts from 2011 to 2019. “Even though I’m leaving […]
Montana tribes say state is violating Indian Education for All Act requirements
Montana tribes along with the American Civil Liberties Union of Montana and the Native American Rights Fund alleged in a lawsuit Thursday that state educational agencies have failed to meet constitutional and statutory requirements ensuring students in Montana’s K-12 public schools are properly taught about indigenous history and culture. The tribes included in the class-action […]
Stone-Manning nomination set to advance to U.S. Senate after emotions run high at committee vote
In a contentious meeting that distilled a weeks-long fight, the U.S. Senate Energy & Natural Resources Committee deadlocked 10-10 along party lines Thursday on approving Tracy Stone-Manning’s nomination as head of the Bureau of Land Management. That means an extra procedural vote will be forced before the full U.S. Senate takes up the nomination of […]
Wildfire smoke drives people in low-vaccinated areas indoors, raising outbreak fears in Montana
MISSOULA, Mont. — Missoula’s new downtown library was teeming with people who might typically spend a Saturday afternoon hiking, biking or otherwise making the most of Montana’s abundant outdoor recreation. One look at the soupy haze blanketing the city and it was clear why. “We’re definitely trying to stay out of the smoke,” Charlie Booher […]
Alder Creek fire is nation’s top priority fire
The Alder Creek Fire, which has consumed more than 5,000 acres in the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest, is the nation’s top fire priority, according to a readout from a briefing between Gov. Greg Gianforte and the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation As of noon Wednesday, there were 19 large fires burning in Montana with the […]