Article Summary – Western Materials is requesting permission to expand its 80-acre gravel operation, located in a zone designated for low-density residential use. Residents in the local area are against the expansion, citing potential negative impacts on their quality of life, the environment, and their property values. The company proposes
Article Summary – The newly formed Senate Select Committee on Judicial Oversight and Reform in Montana had its first meeting, which primarily served as a lesson in constitutional law delivered by Jim Ramlow, a non-voting citizen member. The committee was formed by Senate President Jason Ellsworth in response to recent
Article Summary – A study by the Center for Children and Families at Georgetown University showed a 27% decline in childhood Medicaid enrollment in Montana between April and December 2023. This was the second-highest drop in the nation, with over four million children nationwide being dis-enrolled. Despite Montana’s Governor and
Article Summary – Over 100 students and community members gathered at the University of Montana to protest against Israel’s actions in Gaza and called for the university to disclose its investments and divest from companies tied to Israel. This protest is part of a wave of student protests that began
Article Summary – The Montana Supreme Court has confirmed the state’s Department of Natural Resources and Conservation retains an ownership interest in a water right used to irrigate both private and public land, following a dispute initiated in 2019. The ruling affirms that the state must hold some ownership over
Article Summary – The Montana Public Service Commission will reopen public commentary on a petition requesting the integration of climate impacts in the commission’s regulatory work. The petition, submitted by 41 businesses and nonprofits, asks regulators to adopt a framework that takes climate impacts into account when overseeing monopoly power
Article Summary – Two individuals from Idaho Falls were arrested at Yellowstone National Park for allegedly harassing wildlife, among other charges; one of them was reported to have kicked a bison in the leg. Clarence Yoder and Mckenna Bass pleaded not guilty and were released on a $3,500 bond, banned
Article Summary – Six wildlife and animal rights groups, including Animal Wellness Action and the Gallatin Wildlife Association, plan to sue the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to restore endangered species protections for wolves, alleging that Northern Rockies states have irresponsibly managed the species. The move follows an incident
Article Summary – Donald Trump Jr. attended a “Protecting Freedom” event where he rallied for leading Republican candidates in Montana, urging support for a conservative agenda he said would help win elections in November. The event was hosted by Montana Association of Conservatives and criticized the current Biden administration, Democrats,
Article Summary – President Biden has nominated Danna Jackson, a lawyer for the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, to succeed Judge Dana Christensen in Montana’s U.S. District Court. Jackson, who could become the state’s first Native American federal judge, worked in the U.S. Department of the Interior as a lawyer
Article Summary – Two Republican candidates, Charles Walking Child, a U.S. Senate primary candidate, and Tanner Smith, a gubernatorial candidate, have been disallowed to attend a high-profile GOP campaign event in Missoula, Montana featuring Donald Trump Jr. and Alex Bruesewitz. The event, hosted by the Montana Association of Conservatives PAC
Article Summary – Montana’s state Medicaid Director, Mike Randol, has resigned from his position to take a job in the private sector. During his tenure, Randol oversaw the application for a Medicaid program waiver expansion that created new reimbursement opportunities for substance use disorder treatments and services, and implemented significant
