Featured
Case marks latest in series of illegal reentry prosecutions involving Havre area encounters
Flathead County Faces Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit Over Dismissed Trespass Case
Dennis Thornton seeks $50 million in damages, alleging malicious prosecution despite property ownership records
Martin City Man Pleads Guilty to Producing, Distributing Child Pornography of 6-Year-Old He Babysat
Defendant faces mandatory minimum 15-30 years in federal prison, fled home before arrest
Recent
Belgrade Joins Push to Restore Montana Passenger Rail Service
Partnership adds to growing coalition of Montana jurisdictions supporting rail project
Belgrade Man Sentenced to 6 Years for Fentanyl Trafficking From Washington
Justin Olen Brown admitted to buying fentanyl pills in Spokane for distribution in Montana
Hardin Gains Fiber Broadband Access as Rural Expansion Continues
Visionary Broadband completes Hardin project, continues construction in Butte and Whitehall
Montana Expands Business Lending as Timber Harvest Goals Double Statewide
Loan fund relaunch comes as Montana prepares for massive increase in timber activity
Montana Residents Get 10-Day Head Start on Upland Bird Hunting Under New Law
Senate Bill 514 establishes resident-first hunting period for upland game birds, effective March 2026
Mansfield’s Stand: How a Montana Statesman Forged Peace
A Montana Senator’s moral courage shaped U.S.–Japan reconciliation
Crime Reports
Missoula County
Wednesday, July 16, 2025
Multiple Wildland Fires and Suspicious Activities Reported
Opinion
Popular
HSI Kalispell Arrests Previously Deported Mexican National on Outstanding Drug Warrant
Duarte-Nieto remains in ICE custody pending criminal and immigration proceedings
Montana Residents Charged in Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in DOJ History
Three Montanans face federal charges as part of nationwide crackdown involving $14.6 billion in alleged fraud
Martin City Man Pleads Guilty to Producing, Distributing Child Pornography of 6-Year-Old He Babysat
Defendant faces mandatory minimum 15-30 years in federal prison, fled home before arrest
Shelby Woman Convicted in Multi-County Illegal Immigration Case Spanning Border to Helena
Repeat offender faces up to 5 years as border encounters surge 690% in Mountain region
Federal Agents Arrest Illegal Alien in Helena After Alleged Kidnapping Attempt, Vehicle Ramming Incident
Honduran national faces removal proceedings after allegedly ramming federal agent's vehicle during arrest attempt
Poll
Business
Hardin Gains Fiber Broadband Access as Rural Expansion Continues
Visionary Broadband completes Hardin project, continues construction in Butte and Whitehall
Montana Expands Business Lending as Timber Harvest Goals Double Statewide
Loan fund relaunch comes as Montana prepares for massive increase in timber activity
Montana Business Registrations Top 6,000 for Fourth Straight Month
June numbers put state on track to shatter 2024 record with nearly 38,000 new businesses in first half of year
Montana Lawmakers Fight Federal Coal Ban That Would Cut Mine Life by 27 Years
Entire Montana delegation unites to challenge Bureau of Land Management decision
Federal Timber Goals Set to Double Montana’s Forest Harvest
Daines secures commitment to nearly double timber sales as litigation threatens fire prevention projects
Coal Communities Invest in Their Future with $240,000 in State Grants
State funding helps coal-dependent communities navigate federal energy policy shifts and plan economic transitions
Culture
Mansfield’s Stand: How a Montana Statesman Forged Peace
A Montana Senator’s moral courage shaped U.S.–Japan reconciliation
Montana Family’s Three-Generation Car Collection Heads to Auction
Over 500 classic vehicles from Box Elder farm to be sold online July 28
The Left’s Political Philosophy: Persuasion with a Government Club
When government becomes the left’s favorite tool for social change
Montana Supreme Court Declines to Block Abortion Amendment as CI-128 Takes Effect, Legal Fight Continues
“Justice delayed—not justice denied,” Montana Family Foundation says, vowing to continue fight in district court
Mountain Line Sponsors University River Shuttle for Second Year
Transit agency covers operational costs for shuttle to river access points
Montana Student Prioritizes Connections Over Cash in Prestigious Space Scholarship
Montana State continues producing nationally competitive STEM graduates who think strategically about their careers
Government
Belgrade Joins Push to Restore Montana Passenger Rail Service
Partnership adds to growing coalition of Montana jurisdictions supporting rail project
Hardin Gains Fiber Broadband Access as Rural Expansion Continues
Visionary Broadband completes Hardin project, continues construction in Butte and Whitehall
Flathead County Faces Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit Over Dismissed Trespass Case
Dennis Thornton seeks $50 million in damages, alleging malicious prosecution despite property ownership records
Montana Expands Business Lending as Timber Harvest Goals Double Statewide
Loan fund relaunch comes as Montana prepares for massive increase in timber activity
Montana Residents Get 10-Day Head Start on Upland Bird Hunting Under New Law
Senate Bill 514 establishes resident-first hunting period for upland game birds, effective March 2026
Montana Issues Kill Order for Invasive Brown Trout in Flathead River
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks deploys environmental DNA sampling to assess invasive species spread
Politics
Montana GOP Delegation Backs “Big Beautiful Bill” as Democrats Issue Dire Warnings
Republican delegation celebrates passage while state Democrats warn of healthcare ‘catastrophe’
Montana Congressional Delegation Warns of Grid Reliability Threats from Alberta
Alberta’s electricity rules could undermine Montana grid during extreme cold
Who Counts? Trump Poised To Try To Remove Noncitizens From Census
Montana Would Have Gained a Second House Seat Earlier Under a Citizen-Only Census Count, Reviving Debate Over Representation
Supreme Court Clears Path to Defund Planned Parenthood as ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Takes a Byrd Bath
Supreme Court clears the way to defund Planned Parenthood—now it’s Montana’s turn
ACLU Montana Weaponizes Race in Latest Challenge to New Voter Registration Law
Third voting law challenge in six years prompts questions about “disproportionate” effect on Native Americans, litigation strategy and true motivations
Montana GOP Leaders Rally Behind Trump’s Iran Strikes as Libertarians Condemn ‘Illegal’ Action
Swift GOP praise contrasts with Libertarian warnings about fracturing Trump’s coalition
National
Montana Lawmakers Fight Federal Coal Ban That Would Cut Mine Life by 27 Years
Entire Montana delegation unites to challenge Bureau of Land Management decision
Trump Nominates Montana Rep. Bill Mercer to Federal District Court
Former U.S. Attorney and current state legislator nominated to serve on U.S. District Court for District of Montana
Montana Leads 23-State Coalition Challenging School Gender Policies as State Faces Own Parental Rights Battles
AG Knudsen files brief supporting parental rights in Delaware federal court case
Montana GOP Delegation Backs “Big Beautiful Bill” as Democrats Issue Dire Warnings
Republican delegation celebrates passage while state Democrats warn of healthcare ‘catastrophe’
Mountain West Leaders to Congress: Stop Handing Big Tech the AI Monopoly
Regional business coalition warns that patchwork state regulations create compliance barriers only tech giants can afford
Montana Residents Charged in Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in DOJ History
Three Montanans face federal charges as part of nationwide crackdown involving $14.6 billion in alleged fraud
Elections
ACLU Montana Weaponizes Race in Latest Challenge to New Voter Registration Law
Third voting law challenge in six years prompts questions about “disproportionate” effect on Native Americans, litigation strategy and true motivations
Montana Abortion Amendment Faces Serious Court Challenge Before July Deadline
Montana’s “abortion rights” constitutional amendment could be thrown out not because of what it says, but because of what voters never got to see.
Montana’s Foreign Money ‘Ban’ Wouldn’t Have Stopped $3 Million in 2024 Abortion Amendment Funding
Watchdogs say the state’s election finance reform falls short of its promise to keep foreign influence out of ballot campaigns
Missoula County Mails Out 75,000 Ballots for School and Special District Elections
Residents encouraged to plan early ballot returns for May 6th mail-only election
East Missoula Fire District’s Levy Proposal Clarified Amid Initial Confusion
Community to vote on a proposed $300,000 levy for the East Missoula Rural Fire District in the upcoming Special District Election.
Montana Seeks Federal Help to Clean Voter Rolls and Verify Eligibility
With support from the Trump administration, Montana plans deeper checks on voter eligibility
Health
Montana to receive $2.5 million in opioid settlement with eight drug manufacturers
Attorney General Knudsen announces settlement funds will support opioid abatement programs statewide
Medicaid Reform Analysis: What the ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Actually Does in Montana
Policy analysis examines federal reforms affecting 218,000 Montanans enrolled in Medicaid
New Online Hub Maps Montana’s Growing Direct Patient Care Network
New online portal maps Direct Patient Care clinics and price-transparent healthcare options across the state following 2021 legislative reforms
Supreme Court Clears Path to Defund Planned Parenthood as ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ Takes a Byrd Bath
Supreme Court clears the way to defund Planned Parenthood—now it’s Montana’s turn
Montana Bets $2.5M on Local Innovation to Fix Rural Mental Health Gaps
State gives rural counties and tribes up to $250,000 each to design their own behavioral health solutions
$1 Billion St. Vincent Hospital Breaks Ground in Billings, Creating 1,200 Construction Jobs
14-story, 243-bed facility to replace current hospital by 2029