News

This story is excerpted from the MT Lowdown, a weekly newsletter digest containing original reporting and analysis published every Friday. In early December 2023, the Federal Railroad Administration announced that it awarded a $500,000 grant to the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority to explore the feasibility of restoring passenger rail service along the North Coast Hiawatha route, which passed through many of Montana’s largest cities along its Chicago-to-Seattle route before the service was scrapped four decades ago. The planning grant will allow the authority, which formed in 2020 under an obscure, century-old piece of Montana law, to catalog what needs to happen to get passenger t...

News from the office of Governor Gianforte HELENA — Governor Greg Gianforte announced an investment of up to $17.5 million to increase Montanans’ access to community-based behavioral health and developmental disabilities care. The investment represents the first allocation of $300 million...

News from MT Fish, Wildlife & Parks HELENA — Kick off the New Year right with a First Day Hike at a state park near you. On Jan. 1, Montana State Parks will host First Day Hikes at Flathead Lake State Park (Wayfarers, West Shore and Lone Pine units), Somers Beach State Park, Missouri Headwater...

RONAN — The Ronan town council met for their last meeting of 2023 on Dec. 27 with new members sworn in. Ellen Kaphammer was sworn in as the council president. She accepted and  thanked everyone. “Ellen, you are a veteran council member now,” Mayor Chris Adler said. Lawrence Ra...

News from the Montana Historical Society MONTANA — The Montana Historical Society invites community members of all ages to attend its January lectures on writer Mary McLane of Butte; North America prior to the European settlers; and noted photographer F. Jay Haynes.  On Thursday, Jan. 4, a...

  News from Western Montana Conservation Commission HELENA – The Western Montana Conservation Commission (WMCC) is proud to announce a groundbreaking initiative aimed at mitigating toxic pollution in the headwaters of the Columbia River Basin. Bolstered by a $7 million grant through the Bipart...

News from Dept. of Labor and Industry HELENA — Governor Greg Gianforte and Sarah Swanson, commissioner of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry (DLI), recently announced the state’s total employment and labor force grew in the month of November, setting new state records for both, acc...

News from the office of Governor Gianforte HELENA — Governor Greg Gianforte recently announced the winners of the 2023 Governor’s Youth Hunting Story Contest. “Every youth hunter in Montana should be proud of the hunting legacy they’re helping carry on,” Gov. Gianforte s...

News from MT fish, Wildlife & Parks HELENA – Starting Jan. 1, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will require Hunter and Bowhunter Education students age 12 to 17 who take the online course to pass an in-person field day. Students in that age group must pass both the online exam and the field ...

News from DNRC MONTANA — The Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation announced the availability of $400,000 in grant funds for innovative forestry projects to improve the urban tree canopy of Montana. Applications for two distinct categories, with funding requests ranging from $10...