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Montana Free Press
Montana judge signs injunction verifying inactive voter signatures
A state judge in Helena Friday extended a legal freeze on Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen’s rejection of thousands of petition signatures on a trio of constitutional initiatives seeking inclusion on the November ballot. After a brief morning hearing, Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Mike Menahan...
A week of moderate fire activity abuts a forecast filled with red flags
On the morning of Thursday, July 25, responders at the Miller Peak and Butler Creek fires rushed to locate areas of spread and spot fires caused by the previous night’s extreme winds. But Wednesday’s gusts had a limited impact on the Butler Creek Fire, a 284-acre blaze just five miles northwest of Missoula.
Montana Democrats including Tester sit out Kamala Harris’ Ascension
Get an insider’s look into what’s happening in and around the halls of power with expert reporting, analysis and insight from the editors and reporters of Montana Free Press. Sign up to get the free Capitolized newsletter delivered to your inbox every Thursday. July 25, 2024. The early...
Judge sides with FWP in elk management lawsuit
A state district court judge on Monday sided with Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and a coalition of hunting groups in key aspects of a lawsuit where property owners had sought to compel the state to aggressively reduce elk populations. In a trio of rulings, Judge Gregory Todd found that...
Who gives back, and how much?
Montana is poised to become the latest state to increase scrutiny of how its nonprofit hospitals deliver community benefits in exchange for their tax-exempt status. Under proposed rules, the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services plans to collect data on nonprofit hospitals’ charitable acts, such as discounting prices, providing health education, or conducting free screenings. Montana officials expect to adopt the new rules in August, but state officials have yet to set standards for exactly what constitutes acceptable giving or how much hospitals must do.
To vote, or not to vote?
In a dimly lit high school civics classroom, Autumn Ploot and her classmates watched as an election hinged on one vote: Kevin Costner’s. The 2008 movie “Swing Vote” featured the A-list actor as Bud, a man from New Mexico whose singular vote would decide the outcome of the presidential election. The bargain-basket flick was intended to emphasize the importance of participating in elections.
What to know about smoke, heat and health
When teachers, nurses and coaches call to ask about air quality in their rural Montana school districts, staff at the Department of Environmental Quality sometimes feel limited by the information that’s available from the current network of regulatory sensors scattered around the state. “That just doesn’t feel good enough,”...
‘Unprecedented’ fishing restrictions placed on Flathead’s North Fork amid heat wave
For the first time ever, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is instituting “hoot owl” fishing restrictions on the North Fork of the Flathead River amid a heat wave that continues to bake western Montana. The restrictions were set to begin at 2 p.m. Wednesday and remain in effect until further notice.
Supreme Court unswayed by secretary of state in petition lawsuit
The Montana Supreme Court Tuesday rejected Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen’s request that it intervene in a recent lawsuit stemming from her office’s handling of the 2024 ballot issue petition process. Jacobsen’s request to the court last week came days after her attorneys helped negotiate the terms of...
Surprise blast of rock, water and steam sends dozens running for safety in Yellowstone
CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A surprise eruption that shot steam, water and dark-colored rock and dirt dozens of feet into the sky Tuesday sent people running for safety in Yellowstone National Park. The hydrothermal explosion happened around 10 a.m. in Biscuit Basin, a collection of hot springs a couple...
Montana secures $50 million grant for forestry- and agriculture-related climate initiatives
Montana is set to receive a nearly $50 million federal grant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with the agriculture and forestry industries. The Climate Pollution Reduction Grant that Montana secured is part of a sweeping U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-administered program that on Monday pledged $4.3 billion toward “community-driven solutions to the climate crisis.” EPA approved funding for 25 applications that the agency said will “reduce air pollution, advance environmental justice and accelerate America’s clean energy transition.”
Facing closure, The Ivy nursing home sues state health department
The Ivy at Great Falls, the state’s largest nursing home that faces closure due to a long record of quality issues, is suing the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services. The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) initiated the pending closure of The Ivy in June....
Colstrip owners turn to recent Supreme Court ruling that weakens EPA
Colstrip Power Plant owner Talen Energy, in its battle against tougher air pollution laws, is turning to a recent Supreme Court ruling weakening the EPA’s courtroom clout. Talen advised the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit that justices could no longer defer to EPA’s judgment on new emissions standards affecting Colstrip.
Washington State utility Puget Sound Energy announces major contract with Montana wind farm
A Washington utility announced Tuesday that it is accelerating its investment in Montana wind energy as Washington state climate laws require it to replace coal power. The company, Puget Sound Energy has agreed to buy power from the Haymaker Wind Farm, a 315-megawatt wind project under development near Two Dot.
Federal government, Fort Belknap Indian Community ink agreement to conserve grassland
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Fort Belknap Indian Community are partnering on a grassland conservation initiative modeled after the Conservation Reserve Program, a nearly 40-year-old program designed to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production. The 2018 Farm Bill established the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program as a permanent...
FWP solicits public comment on mule deer management
This story is excerpted from the MT Lowdown, a weekly newsletter digest containing original reporting and analysis published every Friday. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is seeking public input as it overhauls mule deer management and works to understand what’s driving down mule deer populations in eastern Montana. In...
Montana education board discusses trends, concerns in student achievement
State education leaders in Helena last week discussed the myriad of academic challenges facing Montana students and potential remedies to improve student success across the public school and university systems. The issue of student achievement arose repeatedly during the Montana Board of Public Education’s latest three-day meeting, which often struck...
Screen door uproar in Great Falls public housing
This story is excerpted from Great Falls This Week, a weekly newsletter featuring Great Falls city government, public school meetings, business news and upcoming entertainment and events. Want to see Great Falls This Week in your inbox every Monday? Sign up here. There was a small notice in the summer...
When (and Why) Nursing Homes Fail
The MT Lowdown is a weekly digest that showcases a more personal side of Montana Free Press’ high-quality reporting while keeping you up to speed on the biggest news impacting Montanans. Want to see the MT Lowdown in your inbox every Friday? Sign up here. Late last month, nursing...
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