The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
The Blackfoot Valley's News Source Since 1980
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Bill Aims to Strip Clean Air Act and Allow Smoking Indoors If a bill in the Senate Public Health, Welfare, and Safety committee gets approval from lawmakers, businesses could again allow smoking indoors, but only if people under the age of 18 are not permitted in the establishment when smoking is allowed. Sen. Jeremy Trebas, R-Great Falls, is sponsoring Senate Bill 205, which would revise the Clean Indoor Air Act and allow private establishments to obtain smoking licenses...
In the last 11 years, the city of Havre has had 255 water main breaks. The city's public works director, Dave Pederson, says 46 of those breaks happened in the last two years alone. "During main breaks, large sections of the city are without water for a long period of time," Pederson said. Restoring Havre's water system is at the top of a long list of water, sewer and other infrastructure projects across the state that lawmakers are considering in the 2023 Montana...
Gov. Greg Gianforte Touts Tax Relief, Eliminating "Red Tape" in Second State of the State Address HELENA – Gov. Greg Gianforte told the Montana Legislature in his second State of the State speech that he expects lawmakers to address issues like childcare, tax relief, and affordable housing. "We laid out an ambitious agenda with our sights set on building a place where more Montanans are realizing the American dream," Gianforte said. "We know our journey is far from over. We s...
DENVER – Tax season kicked off Jan. 23, and IRS Criminal Investigation reminds U.S. taxpayers to take extra steps to protect their identities and wallets when filing their taxes. "Education and outreach are key to preventing tax fraud," said IRS-CI Chief Jim Lee. "If U.S. taxpayers know what to lookout for, they can avoid falling victim to the latest tax fraud scheme." Forgo fraud this filing season: 1. Choose a tax preparer wisely. Look for a preparer who is available y...
HELENA – One week before Gov. Greg Gianforte was scheduled to give his State of the State address to the Montana Legislature, a panel of lawmakers tabled and then revived one of the flagship bills in his tax package, which would spend a quarter of the state's nearly $2 billion surplus on property tax relief for homeowners. In the Legislature's third week in Helena, two key property tax bills got hearings in the House Taxation Committee – House Bills 222 and 189. Rep. Tom Wel...
Supporters Say Clarifying "Proficiency-Based Learning" Will Allow More Students to Personalize Their Education HELENA – Supporters of a bill that aims to allow more Montana students to access so-called "proficiency-based learning" say it is essential to keeping students interested in school. Sen. Shannon O'Brien, D-Missoula, is sponsoring Senate Bill 8 on behalf of the Education Interim Committee. The bill would add definitions of proficiency-based learning, which O'Brien s...
HELENA – Sen. Jodee Etchart, R-Billings, told the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, Jan. 11 that according to stats from the Department of Justice, human trafficking in Montana has risen roughly 300 percent from 2021 to 2022. Etchart said that is why she is sponsoring House Bill 112, which supporters say would address the issue and strengthen the state’s ability to prosecute those found guilty of human trafficking. “Human trafficking is a form of modern-day slavery where traffickers, which are often organized crimi...
Lincoln firefighters spent part of Sunday, Jan 15 at Station 3 east of Lincoln getting to know the latest addition to the Lincoln Rural Fire District's fleet of emergency vehicles, a 1991 Pierce fire engine. The LRFD acquired the truck from Gardner, Mont. to replace the aging LeFrance fire engine the district has used since the early 2000's. "I wanted to get a bunch of people here so we could drain the other truck and use this one and pump with it," Muse said. The new fire eng...
BOZEMAN - Montana has the second highest demand for leaders per capita in the country, according to the findings of a report that will be presented in a Montana State University Extension webinar at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18. The publication, prepared for Montana by rural sociologist Benjamin Winchester of the University of Minnesota Extension, is titled "Montana's Leadership Demand." It reports that one in every 13 adults must hold a leadership position to keep the state'...
HELENA – The laws that regulate water, arguably Montana's most valuable natural resource, are complex and tied to nearly every industry in the state, so when lawmakers gather in Helena every two years for the legislative session, it's often at the top of the agenda. In the 2023 Montana Legislature, the water debate is shaping up to focus on two pieces of legislation: one that would tackle the future of water courts and another that would update the water permitting process. B...
Lawmakers Take Oath, Elect Leadership HELENA – The 68th Montana Legislative Session kicked off on Monday, Jan. 2, in Helena. Senators and Representatives took an oath to uphold the constitution and were sworn in during simultaneous ceremonies in their respective chambers at the state Capitol. Republicans hold a so-called "super majority" with 68 of the possible 100 seats in the House and 34 of the 50 Senate seats. Republican Representatives chose Rep. Matt Regier, R...
Lincoln, MT - The Montana Department of Transportation would like to announce and invite the public to comment on a proposal to widen one mile of Montana Highway 200, north of Rogers Pass. The project begins approximately 24 miles north of Lincoln at mile marker 95.8 and extends north for one mile ending at mile marker 96.8. Proposed work includes widening the shoulders of the roadway along the curves, flattening side slopes, adding shoulder and centerline rumble strips, and...
HELENA – As the 68th Montana Legislature gets into full swing in Helena, party leaders say affordable housing, the cost of living, access to child care and reducing red tape will be some of the top issues lawmakers will attempt to tackle in the 90-day session. Republicans hold control of the governor's office and the Legislature, and in the Legislature, they hold what is called a "super majority" with 68 of the 100 House seats and 34 of the 50 Senate seats. Republican party l...
Helena, MT – Following a joint meeting on January 3, 2023, the County Commissioners of Powell County and Lewis and Clark County announced the appointment of Zach Wirth to represent Montana House District 80. The seat was vacated by Representative Becky Beard following her appointment to Montana Senate District 40. Zach Wirth is a business owner and lives in Lewis and Clark County. Other candidates interviewed by the Joint Commission included Hailey Oestreicher and Nathan N...
HELENA – Lawmakers heard testimony Tuesday on a bill that would provide $61,000 of the state's money to pay for a grant program for training local, community-led teams to help coordinate searches for missing persons. Rep. Tyson Running Wolf D-Browning is a member of the Blackfeet Nation and is the sponsor of House Bill 18, which was requested by the State-Tribal Government Committee. "This bill will forge stronger connections between the local communities, public safety agenci...
HELENA – Lawmakers from across the state gathered in Helena Monday to be sworn in for the start of the 2023 Montana legislative session. Republicans hold a majority in both the House and Senate and on Monday, leaders said their top issues will include inflation, affordable housing and the cost of living. "As we always do, we're going to pass a conservative, balanced budget, which funds our government, but also prepares us for the challenges of tomorrow," said Senate M...
The Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office received a call from the Hi-Country Trading Post Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, reporting a break-in. They reported a large amount of merchandise had been stolen from the store. A deputy responded to take the report. The deputy reviewed video footage provided by the store and took photographs of the area and evidence. The incident is under investigation and leads are being followed-up on. If any members of the public noticed anything...
Lincoln - The Montana Department of Transportation would like to announce and invite the public to comment on a proposal to improve about 10 miles of Montana Highway 200, around Lincoln. The project begins at the Lewis and Clark County line and extends east through Lincoln, ending before Abe Lincoln Road. Proposed work includes new centerline asphalt, full-width crack seal and seal and cover (chip seal), and new pavement markings. The purpose of the project is to extend the...
At the end of the year, Lincoln District Ranger Rob Gump will bid farewell to both Lincoln and his time with the U.S. Forest Service. Gump will retire Dec. 31 after a year and a half in Lincoln and more than 38 years with the Forest Service. "I didn't really come here with the idea I was going to retire at this moment. At the end of the day, life is kind of short," he said, noting that he's been eligible for retirement for a while. Although he didn't go into detail about his...
Bozeman, Mont. – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small announced Dec. 5, that USDA is accepting applications for grants to establish and operate Agriculture Innovation Centers (AIC). AICs provide technical and business development assistance to agricultural producers seeking to market or produce value-added products. USDA is making $8 million available under the Agriculture Innovation Center Program. AICs may use the g...
BATON ROUGE, LA-- Sage Kamps of Ovando, Mont., was recently initiated into The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation's oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Kamps was initiated at University of Montana. Kamps is among approximately 25,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10 percent of...
MISSOULA – The University of Montana launched the Grizzly Promise initiative this week to tear down financial barriers and make college more affordable for Montana students. The Grizzly Promise initiative is funded through a combination of scholarships, grants, waivers and other financial aid packaged together specifically for Montana students who attend UM. "With the cost of living quickly rising in our state, we are fully committed to taking aggressive action to ensure e...
The high winds that hit the Lincoln area Tuesday took a toll on the large radio antenna atop Stonewall Mountain, toppling the upper half structure and affecting radio communications around the Upper Blackfoot. Charlie Gilmore, the Communication systems manager with the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff's Office, said the combination of ice loading and the high winds that buffet the top of Stonewall Mountain likely led to the collapse of the top section of the radio tower....
HELENA – Attorney General Austin Knudsen is warning Montanans of scammers attempting to obtain personal information from unsuspecting individuals over the phone by claiming to be law enforcement officials. The fraudsters are disguising their phone number, so on caller ID it appears the number is coming from a legitimate law enforcement office, which is also referred to as "spoofing." Once on the phone with an individual, the scammer will threaten the victim with outstanding wa...
Members of the Lewis and Clark and Powell County Republican central committees on Friday advanced three candidates to replace resigning Sen. Terry Gauthier, R-Helena, in Senate District 40. By statute, the decision now falls to the Lewis and Clark and Powell county commissions, which will choose between sitting Rep. Becky Beard, R-Elliston, Helena businessman and former state Senate candidate Matt Olson, and Conrad Evarts, who guides international hunting and adventure trips...
