Latest Montana state government News
Montana seeks to end protections for Glacier-area grizzlies
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Montana is asking the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to lift threatened species protections for grizzly bears in the northern portion of the state, including areas in and around Glacier National Park, officials said Monday. The request, if granted, would...
Pandemic relief to help health care workers with child care
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana is using $5.5 million in pandemic relief money to help health care workers pay for licensed child care over the next year, the health department and the governor announced Monday. Funds will be available for parents and guardians who work in health...
COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations declining in Montana
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — The number of COVID-19 cases and related hospitalizations have been declining in Montana, the state health department told the governor. COVID-19 cases in the fourth week of November declined 43% from the week prior, with 1,904 cases reported....
Montana lacks snow plow drivers, road clearing could be slow
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana's Department of Transportation warned residents Thursday that it could take longer to clear snow from highways this winter because the state has been unable to hire enough snow plow drivers. The department is advertising for 89 temporary,...
Judge blocks law that would allow more guns on campuses
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana lawmakers overstepped their authority in passing legislation that would allow more people to carry guns on public college campuses, a state judge has ruled. District Court Judge Michael McMahon on Tuesday granted the state Board of Regents'...
US House candidate Zinke files financial disclosure report
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Montana Republican U.S. House candidate Ryan Zinke filed a financial disclosure that reports he has received nearly $800,000 in consulting fees so far this year and collected between $25,000 and $80,000 in rent from three properties in Whitefish. ...
Over $4 million to be invested in reducing crime in Billings
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — The state of Montana, Yellowstone County and Billings are investing more than $4 million over the next three years to fight and prosecute crimes in the Billings area, the governor's office announced. The state is using $2.3 million in pandemic...
Query of hospital threats finds voicemail by former senator
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — An investigation into a complaint that public officials tried to intimidate employees of Montana hospital into treating a COVID-19 patient with unapproved medication uncovered a voicemail left by a former state senator in which she said she didn't think “senators...
As crime rates rise, Montana city blames arriving convicts
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — It was just about sunset on an autumn night in downtown Billings, and the staff of Jake’s restaurant was handling the dinner rush as 6 p.m. approached. The restaurant’s manager heard a disturbance near the bar and went to investigate. There he found the man he had...
Montana's unemployment rate down to 3.1%; 525,000 working
HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A record number of Montana residents are working and the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate reached a 14-year low in October, the governor's office said Friday. Total employment in Montana grew by nearly 2,400 jobs last month to 525,220,...
