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Montana Free Press
Several Democratic candidates call for Gaza ceasefire
This story is excerpted from Capitolized, a weekly newsletter featuring expert reporting, analysis and insight from the editors and reporters of Montana Free Press. Want to see Capitolized in your inbox every Thursday? Sign up here. Several Montana Democratic candidates this week issued statements calling for an “immediate, permanent, bilateral”...
(Some) Dem candidates call for Gaza ceasefire
Get an insider’s look into what’s happening in and around the halls of power with expert reporting, analysis and insight from the editors and reporters of Montana Free Press. Sign up to get the free Capitolized newsletter delivered to your inbox every Thursday. March 21, 2024. Several Montana...
Superintendent Arntzen doubles down on lawmaker-criticized approach to new education laws
State Superintendent Elsie Arntzen held a virtual meeting Wednesday evening where she sought to counter bipartisan criticism from lawmakers that the Office of Public Instruction, under her leadership, has fumbled the implementation of several high-profile education laws passed in the 2023 session. The Zoom event, virtually attended by 13 people...
Work begins to transform Missoula Superfund site into vibrant neighborhood
After a nearly 100-year-old lumber mill closed on Missoula’s Northside in the mid-1990s, officials didn’t see the contaminated land ever becoming housing. Almost three decades later, their vision for the area is coming to fruition with the construction of 89 homes and more than 200 apartments as part of the Scott Street-Ravara housing development.
Helena’s nonprofit community unites in search of housing solutions
Helena organizations are making strides to help solve problems around housing insecurity in the city by creating new permanent supportive places to live and establishing a new family shelter, according to nonprofit officials. The United Way of Lewis and Clark Area announced earlier this month that the nonprofit is purchasing...
Secretary of State issues veto override poll on long-in-limbo marijuana revenue measure
Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen on Tuesday complied with a state district court order by sending a poll that could give lawmakers the ability to override Gov. Greg Gianforte’s veto of a marijuana tax reallocation measure, a significant step in a now almost yearlong fight about the separation of powers and proper veto procedure.
Montana Supreme Court allows abortion ballot proposal to proceed
After two months of litigation and consideration, the Montana Supreme Court on Monday overruled the state attorney general’s January finding that a constitutional initiative to explicitly protect abortion rights is “legally insufficient,” resolving one of many obstacles to the proposal being placed before voters on the November ballot.
Pathways to clarity
When four hunters used a specially constructed ladder to step from one corner of public land in southern Wyoming to another, the ripples from that decision were initially small but have since ignited an impassioned debate that could open — or unequivocally restrict — access to more than eight million acres of public land across the West. Here, in the final installment of our three-part series, we explore how judges, lawmakers and public land managers could clear up some of the legal ambiguity surrounding corner-crossing.
Can’t name your legislative district? Our maps aim to help
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. A confession: I cover...
The race to replace Supreme Court Justice Dirk Sandefur
This story is excerpted from Capitolized, a weekly newsletter featuring expert reporting, analysis and insight from the editors and reporters of Montana Free Press. Want to see Capitolized in your inbox every Thursday? Sign up here. The stage is set for a three-way contest to replace retiring Montana Supreme Court...
Montana Supreme Court rules with New York Post in Whitefish venture capitalist’s defamation case
The Montana Supreme Court this week determined that the broad privilege New York law affords journalists to report on public affairs supersedes Montana law in Whitefish venture capitalist Michael Goguen’s lawsuit against the New York Post. Authored by Justice Laurie McKinnon, the court’s unanimous March 12 order reversed part...
The Other State Supreme Court Race
Get an insider’s look into what’s happening in and around the halls of power with expert reporting, analysis and insight from the editors and reporters of Montana Free Press. Sign up to get the free Capitolized newsletter delivered to your inbox every Thursday. March 14, 2024. The stage...
Supplemental tax bills heading toward many Montana property owners
Last year, during a dispute with Gov. Greg Gianforte over the state’s “95 mill” school equalization property tax, officials with 49 of Montana’s 56 counties chose to reduce their fall tax bills against the wishes of the Montana Department of Revenue. This month, after landing on the losing side of a November Montana Supreme Court ruling, those counties’ treasurers are left with the thankless task of sending supplemental property tax bills to hundreds of thousands of property owners across the state.
Slow Supreme Court ruling could make timeline for abortion ballot initiative ‘virtually impossible’
Proponents and opponents are keenly anticipating a Montana Supreme Court ruling about whether a proposed constitutional amendment to protect abortion access in Montana passes legal muster to appear on the 2024 ballot. But after nearly two months of litigation, backers of the initiative say they’re running out of time to clear myriad other hurdles required to put the proposal before voters, including collecting upwards of 60,000 signatures across dozens of state House districts.
Rebuilding Glacier’s ‘Reds’
COLUMBIA FALLS — Inside a nondescript garage south of Columbia Falls sits one of the most beloved fleets of historic vehicles anywhere in America. Dave Eglsaer, the man responsible for the fleet, said keeping them inside this time of year is key because the moment they park one outside, people stop to take pictures and even ask for tours of the shop.
Lawmakers chastise Superintendent Arntzen over alleged delays, inefficiencies at Montana’s K-12 education agency
Montana lawmakers formally expressed their disappointment Wednesday with state Superintendent Elsie Arntzen’s unwillingness to appear before a legislative committee to resolve conflicts over the implementation of new education laws passed last session. In a letter approved by the Education Interim Budget Committee, members called upon Arntzen to “turn your...
Health department shares Medicaid disenrollment numbers for children, seniors, Native Americans
As Montana’s multi-month review of Medicaid eligibility comes to a close, the state health department is disclosing more details about how many children, older adults and Native Americans have lost health coverage over the last year, and how the redetermination process has impacted specific counties. The latest release of...
Montana incorporates forestry, agricultural and school-related initiatives in climate plan
The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has generated a list of 15 initiatives to reduce greenhouse gasses in the state that it views as strong candidates for federal funding. The DEQ submitted the Montana Climate Pollution Reduction Priorities to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on March 1 to comply with...
Proposed changes at Missoula post office ignite criticism, concern
A U.S. Postal Service review of Missoula’s mail-processing facility has sparked local concern about the potential move of some work to Spokane. Opposition to the proposed transfer, including from Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines, drew a response from the USPS seeking to “dispel myths” about the review ahead of a public meeting on Friday.
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