As lawmakers meet to cultivate Montana’s next crop of laws this winter, there are more ideas flying around the Capitol than any single person can possibly keep track of. As is a longstanding tradition at the Legislature, they range the gamut from wise to bonkers — some of them trivial measures and others bills that, if enacted, would realign the trajectory of Montana’s future. With 392 bills introduced as of Jan. 11 and hundreds more on the way, the Montana Free Press newsroom is hard at work trying to make sense of this year’s legislative process. The same is true of the other journalists staffing the state press corps, the legions of lobbyists who work the Capit...
HELENA — As the 68th Montana Legislature gets into full swing in Helena, party leaders say affordable housing, the cost of living, access to childcare 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 go...
RONAN — The Flathead Water Compact board held a meeting on Jan. 12, and with that came a draft of the much-anticipated application for well drilling or development of springs. Different from the individual domestic allowance application, the presented draft of the 60DF (D) Part A form h...
By Taylor Davison / Valley Journal MONTANA — Special Olympics of Montana is celebrating their third year of the STRIDE Challenge, inviting athletes involved in the organization throughout Montana to get active. An eight-week endeavor, the virtual challenge got its start in 2021 when the o...
News from Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services COVID tests can help you know if you have COVID-19 when you have symptoms, have been exposed, or are about to meet up with others.COVID.gov is a website with helpful information and a place where you can order free at-home COVID-19 tests t...
POLSON — The Polson Senior Center is open from 8 a.m.– 3 p.m. on weekdays. Lunch is available from 11:45 a. to 12:30 p. weekdays. For more information call 406-883-4735, Email: polsonseniorcenter@gmail.com; mail or visit us at 504 Third Ave. E. Income tax filing assistance is available now at ...
LAKE COUNTY — On Tuesday, Jan. 3, the Lake County Commissioners voted to withdraw the county from Public Law 280. PL280 is an agreement with the State of Montana passed in 1964 to conduct law enforcement and provide other services on the Flathead Reservation. According to Commissioner Bill Bar...
News from MDT LAKE COUNTY — The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) has developed a study of the US Highway 93 Ninepipe corridor to evaluate the feasibility of improvements to the Ninepipe segment. The 4.5-mile study corridor extends from Gunlock Road to Brooke Lane near the Ninepipe and Ki...
MONTANA — An amended set of rules to govern the Montana House of Representatives passed Wednesday afternoon after heated debate within the Republican caucus. The new set of rules, in addition to making a number of technical changes, will lower the number of votes required to pull tabled bills ...
POLSON — Mark Clary, the director for Lake County’s Office of Emergency Management, couldn’t be more pleased with the recent improvements made to the County’s emergency dispatch center. He says “miles of old wire” were removed from the ceiling. Now each of the four worksta...
