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Montana Free Press
May storm improves outlook, but drought concerns persist following warm, dry winter
This week’s widespread, wet storm has brought a measure of relief to parts of Montana reeling from one of the driest winters on record, but water managers say it’s too early to tell how much of that water will stick around to sustain streams, crops and forests through the hottest months of the year.
Buttigieg heralds infrastructure bill, expansion of Missoula airport
U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg touted the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Montana projects it helped fund during a visit to the Missoula Montana Airport on Monday. “I’m proud to support the expansion of this airport with $41 million and counting,” he said. Grants from the bipartisan bill...
A sharp drop in state health coverage for low-income kids
The MT Lowdown is a weekly digest that showcases a more personal side of Montana Free Press’ high-quality reporting while keeping you up to speed on the biggest news impacting Montanans. Want to see the MT Lowdown in your inbox every Friday? Sign up here. While lawmakers, health advocacy...
Montana records largest drop in childhood Medicaid coverage from pre-pandemic figures, study shows
Montana had a 27% drop in childhood Medicaid enrollment from April to December 2023, the second highest in the nation, according to a new report that evaluates how states handled post-pandemic Medicaid eligibility throughout much of last year. The study, authored by researchers at the Center for Children and Families...
Pro-Palestinian demonstrators march at the University of Montana, call for an end to war
Shortly after the University of Montana’s clocktower struck 1 p.m. on Wednesday, calls of “free, free Palestine” rang out across the campus Oval. More than 100 students and community members peacefully gathered at University Hall to denounce Israel’s actions in Gaza, calling for the university to disclose its investments and divest from companies with ties to Israel.
Public Service Commission extends comment deadline for climate petition
The Montana Public Service Commission voted Tuesday to reopen comment on a petition that seeks to integrate climate impacts into the commission’s regulatory work. Following the commission’s 4-1 vote, the public will have until July 1 to weigh in on the petition, which asks regulators to adopt a framework for considering climate impacts in its oversight of monopoly power companies.
Key takeaways from our reporting on Montana’s public school budgets
This story is adapted from the MT Lowdown, a weekly newsletter digest containing original reporting and analysis published every Friday. Over the past few months, I’ve spent hours interviewing public education leaders from across the state about the financial challenges they’re facing ahead of the 2024-25 school year. Our conversations have taken us deep into the weeds of school funding in Montana and touched on how local districts are attempting to navigate considerable budget shortfalls. We published an in-depth look at the situation this week, but for brevity’s sake, here are a few key takeaways:
School budget woes land on May ballots
The MT Lowdown is a weekly digest that showcases a more personal side of Montana Free Press’ high-quality reporting while keeping you up to speed on the biggest news impacting Montanans. Want to see the MT Lowdown in your inbox every Friday? Sign up here. Over the past few...
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