Roy McKenzie
Roy McKenzie is the Publisher of Western Montana News, where he reports on local government, politics, and current events in Missoula County. His work includes coverage of local responses to key events, election integrity, and political developments shaping Western Montana.
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- Anti-Trump Banner Crashers Reported to Police at UM Homecoming Parade
- Missoula Mayor’s Office Manufactures ‘Misinformation’ Crisis Regarding Migrant Placements
- Chaotic Scene at Butte St. Patrick’s Day Parade as Protester Disrupts Zinke Float
- Montana Democrats Share Photo of “Freezer Morgue” That’s Actually A Mobile MRI Unit, Hospital Says
- Montana Voting Software Linked to Chinese Data Leak Arrest
WATCH: Missoula Schools Trustee Declines Mask, Chair Suspends Meeting for “Spreading Germs”
On Tuesday night, the regular meeting of the Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS) Board of Trustees was suspended by board chair Diane Lorenzen after trustee Mike Gehl declined to wear a mask. An agenda item that was set for discussion was Montana High School Association sports eligibility issues, which the chair mentioned was “popular with…
WATCH: Local Artist Travis Mateer Releases “Engen’s Missoula” Documentary Online
Local artist and film producer Travis Mateer released his 3-hour documentary Engen’s Missoula late Wednesday night. “So happy to finally be able to share this, it’s been a long time in the making,” Mateer said in a tweet. The film covers specific points in the administration of Missoula’s 5-term Mayor, John Engen, including the redirection…
Lower Student COVID Rate in Mask Optional Schools, Billings Mask Lawsuit, State Data Shows
UPDATED (1/6/2022): Post updated to include letter from Billings teachers union president Douglas Robison discouraging educators from contributing statements to the lawsuit regarding the negative effects of masks on students. Parents in Billings and the non-profit Stand Up Montana filed their 200-page mask lawsuit against Billings Public Schools and Elysian Schools at the end of…
LISTEN: New Rock Ballad “In The Garden Of Engen” from darshan Pulse
“As life-long Missoula locals, we consider this track a unique holiday “thank you” to the man, the myth, the legend, who transformed a thriving working class community here in the Garden City into the gentrified nightmare it is today.”
Over 500 Montanans Sign “Vote of Confidence” Letter Supporting State Superintendent
Over 500 Montana signatories including school board trustees from Flathead, Lincoln, Missoula, and Ravalli counties and two-dozen elected officials have signed on to a “Vote of Confidence” letter supporting Montana’s head of schools, State Superintendent of Instruction Elsie Arntzen. “We write to refute the unauthorized “no-confidence” letter recently sent to you by certain school superintendents…
Roxy Theater Cancels Showing of Documentary Critical of Mayor Engen’s Administration
The Roxy Theater in Missoula cancelled a showing of a forthcoming documentary critical of Mayor John Engen’s 14-year administration titled Engen’s Missoula citing “overbooking.” Three days after signing a contract with the producer at the beginning of December, The Roxy Theater rental coordinator Christina Tripp notified the producer of the alleged overbooking, refunded the deposit,…
Media Response To Manzella Religious Liberty Speech Shows LGBTQ Victimization A Potent Tool To Silence Dissent
Rispen’s took Manzella’s words out of context, stripped them apart, and capped off Manzella’s original thought with a mischaracterization of her statement. Rispens suggested that Manzella was shrugging off violence against LGBTQ people as a “normal consequence” when Manzella specifically said that, according to her beliefs, all people should be approached “in love.”
UPDATED: Federal Judge Grants Montana’s Request For Injunction On CMS Vaccine Mandate, Benefis Insists on Jab
Montana healthcare workers are protected under HB-702 which adds vaccination status as a protected class.
PHOTOS: Statewide Rallies Against Vaccine Mandates Draw Over a Thousand Across Montana
Update (11/30/2021): A federal judge has blocked CMS vaccine mandates for healthcare workers. Yesterday, over a thousand Montanans showed up for statewide rallies against vaccine mandates imposed on healthcare workers by the Biden Administration. Demonstrators attended rallies in Billings, Bozeman, Glendive, Great Falls, Hamilton, Helena, Kalispell, Miles City, Missoula, and Sydney at 2:00pm in highly…
Missoula Healthcare Workers Join Statewide Protests Against Vaccine Mandates Nov 28th in 10 Montana Cities
Statewide protests against vaccine mandates set for November 28th at 2PM.
WATCH: In Forthcoming Documentary “Engen’s Missoula” Councilman Jesse Ramos Explains TIF
Yesterday, local writer, artist, and videographer Travis Mateer released a trailer for a forthcoming documentary about Missoula called “Engen’s Missoula.” The trailer features Ward 4 City Council member Jesse Ramos explaining how a tax scheme called “tax increment financing” skims off the top of property tax-payers yearly tax bill and redirects funds to the Missoula…
Community Hospital To Fire Unvaccinated Workers Despite Losing 26% of Beds Since September
Many nurses and healthcare workers have been seeing the writing on the wall for months now. Hospitals across the United States have been sending notices to their workers, pressuring them to get vaccinated. On Veteran’s Day, Missoula’s Community Medical Center went a step further and told workers that they need to either get vaccinated or…
University of Montana Unlawfully Discriminates Against Unvaccinated Athletes Requiring Masks and Testing
The UM Athletics Department appears to believe NCAA “recommendations” supersede Montana State Law.
Missoulian Reporter Hansen Solicits Only Positive Feedback for Puff Piece on Child Vaccines
Missoulian reporter Jordan Hansen filed a report Tuesday stating that “all” parents, doctors, and health officials were “excited” to get 5-11-year-olds vaccinated after soliciting feedback only from parents who planned to vaccinate their children. On November 3rd, Hansen took to Twitter requesting interviews with parents who were, “looking to get their kids vaxxed [sic] with…
Pfizer Vaccine Creates 164 Myocarditis Cases in Boys For Every 189 COVID-19 Hospital Stays Prevented
In one scenario, for every 21 hospitalizations of COVID-19 prevented, 179 boys will develop a case of myocarditis, 98 boys would be hospitalized, and 57 boys would be admitted to ICU’s.
Missoula Elections Office “Incompetent…Derelict” Integrity Group 52-Page Report to SoS, AG Alleges
The Missoula election integrity group released a 52-page report Tuesday documenting “a pattern of irregularities” in Missoula County’s 2020 General Election and “troubling issues” found in a study of the county voter registration database.
Senate Can Meet to Review Montana Elections, Legislative Legal Office Says
Legislative staff attorney Jaret Cole stated, “It is my opinion that the president of the Senate has the authority to create a Senate special committee to review Montana’s election laws and processes.”