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Wednesday, April 23, 2025

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Marco Rubio unveils massive State Dept. overhaul with reductions of staff and bureaus; Visas revoked, status changed for international students in TX; Alaska lawmakers work to improve in-school mental health care; Montana DEQ denies Big Hole River decision, cites law opposed by EPA; Indiana moves to regulate legal THC sales and branding.

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White House defends Secretary Hegseth amid media scrutiny, federal judges block efforts to dismantle U.S. international broadcasters, and major restructuring hits the State Department and rural programs.

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Schools in timber country face an uncertain future without Congress' reauthorization of a rural program, DOGE cuts threaten plant species needed for U.S. food security, and farmers will soon see federal dollars for energy projects unlocked.

Kathleen Shannon

Producer

Kathleen Shannon (she/her) is an audio producer and writer who’s reported in camouflage, wildland fire pants, crampons and other specialized gear. She has worked at Montana Public Radio, KDNK Community Radio in Colorado and has done freelance reporting, producing and editing for various podcasts. She earned her MA in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Journalism from the University of Montana in Missoula, where she still lives and explores the mountains.


Honors and Awards: 2022 Crown Reporting Fellow, 2020 Award of Excellence from the Colorado Broadcasters Association

Languages Spoken: English

Topic Expertise: climate, Tribal issues, wildlife management, public lands, food systems, housing, agriculture, MMIW

Local Expertise: Rocky Mountain Region

Location: Missoula, MT

Demographic Expertise: rural, Tribal nations

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Latest Work

Montana DEQ denies Big Hole River decision, cites law opposed by EPA

Montana officials have denied a petition asking the state to designate the Big Hole River as "impaired" by pollution. Two conservation groups …

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Federal funding cuts could hit Montana harder than other states, says report

A new report showed Montana receives a larger share of federal funding than the national average and the effects of continued cuts could be "dramatic.…

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Passenger rail funding bill narrowly fails Montana Senate vote

Communities in southern and eastern Montana were connected to passenger rail lines running from Chicago to Seattle until 1979. An effort to fund the …

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Push to make Montana judicial elections partisan fails

A handful of Montana bills pushing for partisan judicial elections as part of a broader movement in the state were defeated this month. Montana law …

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Wyomingites celebrate 'near miss' on access to Social Security

A plan from the Social Security Administration that would have ended certain telephone services as of today was canceled late last week, due largely …

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District court to determine future of MT fair-housing grants

Since February, 66 fair-housing groups across the country have been in limbo while their federal grants were cut, temporarily restored, then tied in …

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Mining claim map shows encroachment on national parks, monuments

The number of mining claims on U.S. public lands is growing. A 27% increase since 2019 has brought the total to nearly a half-million. A new study …

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Montana map of news shows rural regions lose

By Ilana Newman for The Daily Yonder.Broadcast version by Kathleen Shannon for Big Sky Connection for the Public News Service/Daily Yonder Collaborati…

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Wyoming elk occupancy agreements aim to rein in cattle conflicts

Wyoming's practice of feeding elk over winters is a century old but the spread of disease has increased concerns. Now, the Greater Yellowstone …

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Montana workers oppose bill to change compensation laws

CORRECTION: Niki Zupanic is a lobbyist for the Montana Trial Lawyers Association. Her title in an earlier version of the story was incorrect…

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