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‘Quick construction’ on tap for broken St. Mary canal siphons
Repairs to the broken St. Mary Canal pipes that are part of the Milk River Project can begin immediately through an emergency authorization with the Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester’s office announced Friday. The St. Mary Canal near Babb diverts water from the St. Mary River to the Milk River. The river provides […]
Elena Evans qualifies for Montana Public Service Commission race
Voters in western Montana will have a choice of candidates for the Public Service Commission with write-in Elena Evans on the ballot. The Secretary of State’s Office confirmed this week Evans, an independent, received more than 5,000 accepted signatures, more than the minimum 3,050. “This incredible — and humbling — support demonstrates that western Montanans […]
University of Montana graduate students form new union, one of largest in state
Graduate students at the University of Montana in Missoula have formed a union after two years of organizing, and with more than 400 eligible members, it will be one of the largest in the state. The Department of Labor and Industry certified the UM Graduate Employees Union last week, according to the Montana Federation of […]
Montana State University opens Campus Civil Rights unit
Montana State University announced this week it is opening a new Campus Civil Rights office this summer, a consolidation of a couple of other units at the Bozeman campus. “CCR will respond to concerns regarding all types of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation,” MSU said in an email Monday to the campus community. “It will also […]
Plan for bull trout in Gunsight Lake violates federal law, groups allege
Just because climate change could affect bull trout doesn’t mean federal agencies can move them to Gunsight Lake from other St. Mary watershed lakes without complying with the law. That’s according to a notice sent Monday to Glacier National Park, the National Park Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service by two conservation groups […]
Public records lawsuit set for oral argument with Montana Supreme Court
The Montana Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on a lawsuit over whether Gov. Greg Gianforte can claim “executive privilege” to withhold from the public internal records his office uses to track legislation. Oral arguments are scheduled for Friday, Sept. 13, in the lawsuit filed in Lewis and Clark County District Court. An introduction to […]
Popularity of public charters in Montana is high, cost is high too
More public charter schools are opening in Montana than expected, and they’ll cost the state more money too — an estimated $2.8 million, or three times more than budgeted, for the year. In legislative meetings last week, lawmakers praised the new schools, but they also said their popularity calls for some sideboards around approvals for […]
Federal judge in Montana quizzes lawyers on coyote trapping and grizzly bears
A federal lawsuit over whether wolf and coyote traps should be limited because they also ensnare endangered grizzlies will go to trial, possibly the first week of December. At a hearing Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Missoula, Judge Donald Molloy said he would not grant either party summary judgment. He directed the lawyers to […]
Montana law defining sex as ‘male’ or ‘female’ unconstitutional, judge says
A 2023 bill that defined sex as only male or female is unconstitutional because its subject wasn’t clear in its title as required by the Montana Constitution, a judge ruled Tuesday. As such, Missoula County District Court Judge Shane Vannatta granted a motion for summary judgment requested by a group of Montana residents who sued […]
Timber sale Pintler project pits mapped lynx habitat and grizzly turf over economic development
If a federal judge stops the timber sales that are part of the Pintler Face Project, the largest employer in Powell County, Sun Mountain Lumber, might not be able to keep its mill running, said a lawyer representing the company. Another company, Iron Pine Co., would have to lay off 12 people, said Julie Weis, […]
Montana offers $15.8M in one-time grants for behavioral health, developmental disabilities
The state of Montana is offering more money to support capacity for community-based residential providers offering behavioral health care or developmental disability services — $15.8 million in one-time grants, the Governor’s Office announced Monday. The Behavioral Health System for Future Generations Commission recommended the grants as another allocation of a $300 million fund reserved to […]
Starting teacher pay $9K higher in Montana than national report, state says
The Office of Public Instruction bungled a key program to boost starting teacher pay, and the number of districts using it recently fell by nearly half, according to a report Thursday to a legislative committee. One problem is that a hard deadline in state law means it would be nearly impossible to make adjustments now […]