Montana News & Current Events | Public News Service

Wildfires in the western United States have burned more than 1.3 million acres of vegetation so far in 2024. Officials warn flooding is a serious danger in the burn scars left by the blazes after the flames are out. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, July 25, 2024

Dangerous floods loom following Montana wildfires

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation has issued flood alerts following wildfires burning huge swaths of the state. Floods …

The University of Montana is using traditional gender stereotypes in its marketing materials to attract male students, whose numbers have been down in recent years. Administrators say the campaign seems to be having an effect. (University of Montana)

UM 'leans in' to gender stereotypes to attract male students

By Jon Marcus for The Hechinger Report.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Big Sky Connection reporting for The Hechinger Report-Public News Service C…

An outdoor coalition is fighting plans for a $4 billion copper mine on land near Sheep Creek, which feeds the iconic Smith River. (Miranda Hernandez)

Coalition: Mine threatens Montana's iconic Smith River

Nearly 10,000 Montanans have petitioned the U.S. Forest Service to prevent mining activity in the iconic Smith River watershed. The Smith is known …

A report by the mental health advocacy organization Inseparable showed one in five police shootings involve someone with a mental illness. (Adobe Stock)

Montana's mental health hotline addresses crises

A national mental health advocacy organization called Inseparable has released a report on the rollout of the 988 crisis line for people going through…

Montana was chosen to host the $41 million Headwaters Hub partly because its rural geography makes it ideal for studying and creating jobs in photonics. (Adobe Stock)

Headwaters tech hub brings $41 million to MT

Montana has been granted $41 million to create a training and education program for new jobs in the high-tech sector. The Headwaters Hub is part of …

Western Montana could see highs up to 105 degrees this week, according to the National Weather Service. (Adobe Stock)

Excessive Montana heat prompts virtual emergency health care

Health care experts are warning people outdoors to use caution when engaging in sunny summertime activities. Medical service providers say virtual …

Doctors and the Montana Department of Health and Human Services have structured the previously informal process of

'Drive-thru' blood network addresses critical shortage in rural MT

By Arielle Zionts for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Big Sky Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Service Col…

The Northern Goshawk is dependent on old-growth forests and is especially good at getting into tight spaces. A federal judge in Montana has blocked a logging project that threatened the birds' habitat. (Adobe Stock)

Federal judge blocks logging project, protects iconic hawk

A federal court judge in Montana blocked a large project which would have logged or clear-cut more than 10,000 acres of old-growth forest and threaten…

Wild animals can be aggressive if people don't respect their space, according to the National Park Service. (Adobe Stock)

After 83-year-old gored in Yellowstone, wildlife experts warn bison 'not in a zoo'

Wildlife experts are warning people not to get too close to the animals in national parks as the summer travel season heats up. Overeager tourists …

Montana currently has no law against the use of gestation crates to raise livestock. (Adobe Stock)

Montana feels effects of California 'price gouging'

California joined a dozen other states across the U.S. either banning or regulating the use of gestation crates to raise livestock and a ballot …

'Death by a thousand cuts' for Bozeman's low-income renters

A group formed to fight for the rights of Bozeman's lower-income renters is pushing for mandatory legal assistance for people facing eviction…

The Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness is popular with hikers in Montana. (Adobe Stock)

Judge set to rule on massive MT logging project

A federal judge in Montana is holding a hearing next Tuesday on a motion for an injunction against the Pintler Face logging and burning project on Bea…

Many of the rules governing oil and gas operations on Montana public lands had not been updated in a century. (Adobe Stock)

MT groups fight to preserve new BLM oil and gas rule

Montana groups are working to save a new Bureau of Land Management rule about oil and gas leasing on public lands. They have hand-delivered a …

Energy derived by coal in Montana overtook hydropower last year as the result of Western drought. Hydropower had been the recent leader. (Adobe Stock)

Rural MT emissions up in the air

While only 18% of Americans live in rural areas, they produce more than a third of the nation's emissions. Nearly half of Montana's population is …

In Montana, one-third of fourth graders scored at or above proficient in reading in 2022, according to the new Annie E. Casey Kids Count Data Book. (Adobe Stock)

Report: MT kids face poverty, lack reading and math proficiency

New data show Montana ranks 20th for the overall well-being of its children. The Annie E. Casey Foundation's "Kids Count Data Book" reported the …

Montana is not among the list of states outlawing or restricting restaurants' use of meat products from producers using gestation crates to raise their livestock for the food chain. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Popular MT restaurants 'lag' in banning gestation crates

A prominent animal-safety group is calling on restaurants to do more to ban the use of animal gestation crates where livestock and poultry are grown f…

With the online tool Ballot Builder, advocates are working to make voting easier, more accessible and efficient for Indigenous people living on Montana's seven reservations. (Adobe Stock)

MT goes live with online tool for Indigenous voters

Indigenous leaders in Montana have announced the release of an online tool to help Native voters learn about the issues and candidates on the ballot…

Nationwide, about 27% of voters between the ages of 18 and 29 cast a ballot in the 2022 midterm election, according to the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University. (Adobe Stock)

MT's young, rural voters in spotlight

Get-out-the-vote advocates in Montana are spending more time and money than ever to get young people educated about the elections and get them to the …

The Department of Veterans Affairs Volunteer Transportation Network is a partnership with Disabled American Veterans. The administration is recruiting more drivers in Montana to provide rides to vets who often live far from their health care providers. (Adobe Stock)

VA needs more volunteer drivers in rural Montana

The Department of Veterans Affairs is warning that rural America is in drastic need of volunteer drivers to help get vets to medical appointments…

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte vetoed Senate Bill 442 after the Senate had adjourned, leaving lawmakers no chance to override the veto of the popular measure. (Adobe Stock)

Marijuana revenue veto override fails as critics claim 'judicial overreach'

Montana constitutional experts say the state Supreme Court did the right thing by providing lawmakers a chance to override the governor's veto of a po…

Montana is among 10 election battleground states featured in a new report on attitudes of rural American voters. (Adobe Stock)

Poll: Montana battleground voters are 'economic populists'

A new report by the Rural Democracy Initiative shows voters in key battleground states, including Montana, could play a significant role in the 2024 …

Corporate grocery chains raised prices well above what was necessary during the pandemic, and continue to do so today, according to a report by the Federal Trade Commission. (Adobe Stock)

FTC says corporate grocers gouge Montana shoppers

The latest report from the Federal Trade Commission says despite an easing of pandemic related supply chains and economic stressors, major grocers …

In Montana, 6.9% of children do not have health insurance, ranking the state 44th out of 51, according to Georgetown University's study. (Adobe Stock)

MT sees nation's highest percentage of kids losing Medicaid

More than 4 million children nationwide were removed from Medicaid and CHIP health coverage by the end of 2023 as the government reset the programs af…

New federal rules will govern 245 million acres of public lands in the United States, including in Montana. (Adobe Stock)

New oil and gas mining rules benefit wilderness, rankle companies

The Bureau of Land Management has released a pair of rules that will change how the agency manages 245 million acres of public land. The rules …

Montana classrooms have seen a more than 12% increase in the number of special education students, according to the latest data. (Adobe Stock)

MT disability advocates sue to stop school vouchers

Advocates for the rights of people with disabilities have joined the Montana Quality Education Association in a suit to stop a school voucher bill in …

An estimated 2,700 people identify as transgender in Montana, or about one-third of 1% of the state's population, according to the UCLA Law School. (Adobe Stock)

Advocates ask MT Supreme Court to allow minors gender-affirming care

Advocates for end-of-life care options in Montana have asked the state Supreme Court to uphold an injunction of a bill banning gender-affirming care f…

It's estimated about 3,400 transgender people, age 18 and older, live in Montana, according to the UCLA School of Law. (Adobe Stock)

Civil rights advocates file suit over MT birth certificate mandate

The Montana chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union has filed class-action lawsuit challenging a measure barring people from listing a gender on…

Shoppers are feeling the pinch of higher grocery prices in Montana, where food costs rose ninth-most in the nation in 2023. (Adobe Stock)

FTC: Grocers gouging consumers with food prices

Food prices remain high, in Montana and across the country. A new report by the Federal Trade Commission says the country's largest grocery …

Expanding the Child Tax Credit could lift as many as 16 million kids in the U.S out of poverty, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. But the measure awaiting action in the U.S. Senate does not have broad public support. (Adobe Stock)

Child Tax Credit would benefit 46,000 MT kids

Advocates of the Child Tax Credit are calling on Washington lawmakers to expand it as they return to the Capitol this week. It's estimated an …

Montana has more than 3 million acres of inaccessible public lands, tops in the West, according to the Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership. (Adobe Stock)

SB 442 veto override ballots due back this week

Ballots are due back in the Montana Secretary of State's office later this week, as lawmakers decide whether to override Gov. Greg Gianforte's veto …

Montana is home to about 1,100 wolves, according to state wildlife officials. (Adobe Stock)

MT sues for federal wolf protection

A coalition of conservation groups has sued the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for refusing to relist wolves under the Endangered Species Act…

New research at the University of Montana recommends letting smaller wildfires burn where possible, heading off potentially more dangerous blazes later. (Adobe Stock)

MT researchers: Let smaller wildfires burn

A new study in the journal Nature Communications by Montana researchers said suppressing small wildfires is leading to larger, more intense and …

Montana's homelessness problem is a combination of unprecedented growth, mental health problems and higher housing costs, according to groups working to shelter more people. (2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report)

MT homeless population increase leads the nation

A new report shows Montana has the nation's most rapidly rising homeless population. Advocates for more affordable housing call the situation …

Tiny particulate matter in wildfire smoke can lodge deep in the lungs and cause serious respiratory problems. (Adobe Stock)

MT earmarks millions to cooperate on reducing wildfire threat

The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation has awarded $3.1 million for 13 projects to reduce wildfire risk to communities and impro…

The Lolo National Forest's geographic location is seen as critical for connecting wildlife habitats. (Adobe Stock)

Wildlife habitat, connectivity, key to Lolo National Forest management plan

Today is the deadline for public comment on Montana's Lolo National Forest management plan. Advocates say the input will shape how the land is used …

Montana land proposed for solar power

The Bureau of Land Management has proposed expanding the public land available for solar power production in 11 states, including Montana. The BLM's …

According to the Montana Farmers Union, data is often harvested by third parties through precision ag tools, without a farmer's knowledge. (Adobe Stock)

Montana farmers want ag data protection

Montana farmers have testified before a panel of state lawmakers asking them to protect agricultural data that is collected by precision farming techn…

Indigenous people will be discussing tribal identity on and off Montana reservations and learn what it means to be

Indigenous conference to address cultural identity

Billings-based Western Native Voice is holding its annual membership conference in Great Falls starting tomorrow, and members are discussing …

Environmental advocates contend a logging project bordering Montana's Anaconda-Pintler Wilderness Area threatens habitat for the lynx, which is listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. (Adobe Stock)

Environmental advocates sue over MT logging project

The Alliance for the Wild Rockies has sued the U.S. Forest Service over a logging project in southwestern Montana. The group claims the agency …

Montana doctors and nurses say state law is not clear about whether health care workers can access mental health and addiction treatment without notifying the boards overseeing them. (Adobe Stock)

Montana clinicians want confidential mental health treatment

By Katheryn Houghton for KFF Health News.Broadcast version by Mark Moran for Big Sky Connection reporting for the KFF Health News-Public News Service …

Gov. Greg Gianforte vetoed SB 442 after the Montana Legislature adjourned, which could affect veterans' programs and other services. Critics of the veto now want lawmakers to override it. (Adobe Stock)

MT military veterans support veto override

A Montana court has denied Gov. Greg Gianforte's attempt to stop the Legislature from having an opportunity to override his veto of a bill that …

One of the more well-known housing discrimination cases in Montana involved a $37,343 verdict against a Bozeman landlord for charging $1,000 to a resident with physical and psychiatric disabilities to have a service animal in 2017. (Adobe Stock)

HUD files discrimination charge against MT apartment owner

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has charged a Livingston landlord with discrimination after investigating a complaint filed by a …

Environmental groups recently sued the Montana Department of Environmental Quality over its CAFO water pollution permit. (Adobe Stock)

Farm group calls on changes to USDA environmental funding

A farm advocacy group says large corporate agriculture producers are getting federal environmental safeguard funds that were intended for smaller oper…

The union that represents Montana's public school teachers has filed suit to stop a pair of school choice bills in the state. One would create Educational Savings Accounts, the other a charter school system, both of which would be funded with state education money. (Adobe Stock)

MT teachers union files pair of 'school choice' lawsuits

Montana's largest teachers union has filed two lawsuits against "school choice" measures in the state. Montana lawmakers passed House Bill 393 last …

Consumer Direct Montana is the latest agency in Montana to unionize, and just last month, completed bargaining for its first union contract with in-home caregivers, who are currently voting to ratify the tentative agreement. (Adobe Stock)

MT health care workers vote on large pay increase

A group of health-care workers in Montana will learn tomorrow whether their new union contract has been ratified. The tentative deal, between SEIU 7…

The Helena point-in-time survey is conducted each year to count people either living in shelters or other temporary housing. (Adobe Stock)

Helena ups efforts to track, shelter homeless Montanans

Helena is stepping up efforts to track its homeless population. The number of people living without shelter has risen sharply since the city started …

Montana faces above-average rates of obesity and diabetes, both of which are dangerous to heart health. (Adobe Stock)

MT faces unique challenges during Heart Month

Doctors in Montana are asking people to pay close attention to their cardiac health during February, which is National Heart Month - especially since …

Despite concern over the influence of foreign money on statewide elections, Montana has just increased its campaign contribution limits for PACs and individuals to $1,120 from $1,000. (Adobe Stock)

Montana political candidates receive among highest foreign donations

New research from a campaign finance-tracking group shows foreign corporations are investing heavily in statewide elections. Montana is one of a …

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