Article Summary – Public schools in Montana are struggling with multimillion-dollar budget shortfalls, prompting calls for additional taxpayer support. School districts have been hit hard by the expiration of federal pandemic relief funding, inflation outpacing allocations from state lawmakers, and stagnant or declining student enrollment. The shortfalls have led to
Article Summary – A legislative audit of the Montana Department of Corrections has highlighted several deficiencies in the department’s educational programs at state prisons, including low participation in such programs, a gap between the training provided and workforce needs, and poor enforcement of agreements with private prisons. The audit was
Article Summary – The federal Office of Surface Mining Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) plans to reject a law passed by the 2023 Montana Legislature that was intended to relax water quality laws related to coal mining. This rejection is due to the claim that the law is inconsistent and less
Article Summary – A veto override attempt on Montana’s marijuana revenue bill failed, with the override poll garnering only 41 “yes” votes from state representatives and 14 from state senators, falling short of the required two-thirds majority. The proposed Bill 442 would have reallocated tax revenues from Montana’s adult-use marijuana
Article Summary – A moose that wandered onto the campus of Capital High School in Helena, Montana, caused a disruption to the school schedule, leading to a short-lived shelter-in-place order. The school’s principal, Brett Zanto, alerted the students to stay in their classrooms until the situation was resolved. The moose,
Article Summary – The Montana 2024 U.S. Senate race between incumbent Democrat Jon Tester and Republican businessman Tim Sheehy has seen Tester raise over $7 million in Q1, doubling Sheehy’s fundraising. Tester has also continued to spend less than he is raising, leaving him with over $12 million on hand.
Article Summary – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has adopted a rule that aims to balance conservation initiatives with commercial uses of federal land, such as oil and gas leasing and grazing. The rule, which has been applauded by conservation and environmental organizations, will allow the BLM to lease
Article Summary – Montana State Hospital, an adult psychiatric facility, is dealing with severe operational issues and concerns for patient safety. The hospital lost its federal certification two years ago due to patient deaths, safety concerns, and removal of federal oversight, leading to the loss of millions in federal reimbursements.
Article Summary – The American Independent Foundation, a national progressive media organization linked to a Democratic Party-aligned super PAC, has launched a self-proclaimed news outlet in Montana as the state gears up for high-profile elections. The Montana Independent emulates other Montana news outlets in format and content, but its writers
Article Summary – The Washington Post reported that Tim Sheehy, Republican U.S. Senate candidate and former Navy SEAL, lied about the origin of a combat injury, and Sheehy’s campaign responded by attacking the publication and invoking his veteran status. Sheehy’s campaign published emails from Post reporters to illustrate the focus
Article Summary – Public Service Commission member and Republican candidate for lieutenant governor, Randy Pinocci, has had an eventful week in court with two major legal cases. Firstly, a federal court judge temporarily blocked enforcement of a law that limits how long campaign signs can be displayed post-election; Pinocci had
Article Summary – Ed Walker, a former state lawmaker, announced the suspension of his campaign for the Eastern District U.S. House race in Montana, reducing the number of Republican candidates to eight. Walker, who had around $74,000 in his campaign treasury by the end of 2023, encouraged other candidates to
