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Montana Free Press
Maintenance, pedestrian accessibility are priorities in forthcoming Great Falls transportation plan
A multi-agency effort is underway to develop the latest long-range transportation plan for Great Falls, which was last updated in 2018. Drivers shouldn’t expect major changes coming from this effort. Great Falls and Cascade County are seeing nearly flat growth trajectories, which is a departure from Montana’s other largest counties. Thus, the top-line goal for the 2024 plan is the preservation and maintenance of the existing transportation system.
Future in doubt for Kalispell shelter amid neighborhood complaints
The city of Kalispell is considering amending or revoking the permit for the area’s only low-barrier homeless shelter following a rash of complaints from area residents about how it has impacted their neighborhood. The Kalispell City Council has been grappling with complaints about the Flathead Warming Center on North...
How election admins say the primary went
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. Tuesday’s primary election made...
Tester and Sheehy have first debate
FAIRMONT HOT SPRINGS — In the first debate of Montana’s high-profile U.S. Senate race, Republican challenger Tim Sheehy Sunday repeatedly portrayed America as a country ravaged by problems enabled by Democrats and said he’s part of “new leadership” that can fix things. “Americans, they don’t...
Yellowstone National Park calls for more bison in new plan
This story is adapted from the MT Lowdown, a weekly newsletter digest containing original reporting and analysis published every Friday. Yellowstone National Park is proposing a major shift in its strategy for managing bison, one that could mean larger herds, expanded hunting opportunities beyond park borders, and more bison transfers to tribal governments.
MTFP to present inaugural Free Press Fest
Montana Free Press today announced the inaugural Free Press Fest, a two-day event taking place September 5-7, 2024, at the University of Montana. The festival aims to promote civic engagement, celebrate the state’s rich culture, and advance conversations around issues that matter to Montanans. Presented by the nonprofit, nonpartisan,...
The primary tug of war between hardline and moderate GOP legislative candidates
This story is excerpted from Capitolized, a weekly newsletter featuring expert reporting, analysis and insight from the reporters and editors of Montana Free Press. Want to see Capitolized in your inbox every Thursday? Sign up here. As is long tradition in Montana politics, Tuesday night’s primary election saw a sweat-drenched...
An incredible life, an amazing woman
Nearly 50 years after Xong Xiong left her home country of Laos amid the turmoil following the Vietnam War, the Missoula resident will celebrate her 100th birthday on Saturday surrounded by family and friends. Like many Hmong people, Xiong doesn’t know her exact age, but she turned 100, or close...
Mixed results from the Montana GOP’s primary tug of war
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. June 6, 2024. As is...
Experimental student testing model slated for statewide rollout
This spring marked a departure from the usual end-of-year testing regime at Missoula’s Hellgate Elementary School District. Gone were the back-to-back weeks of summative assessments students and teachers had grown accustomed to. Instead, the nine months leading up to this week’s final hours of instruction had been sprinkled with scaled-down tests designed to incrementally gauge students’ competence in math and reading.
State environmental quality director appointed to lead highway department
The office of Gov. Greg Gianforte announced Thursday that Chris Dorrington, a longtime state official who has led the Montana Department of Environmental Quality since 2021, will be taking the helm at the Montana Department of Transportation. DEQ, which among other duties regulates water quality, mining and some aspects of...
One-third of Montana municipalities to review local governments after primary vote
Over the next two years, dozens of cities and counties across Montana will review their local governments as called for by a voter initiative in Tuesday’s primary elections. Once a decade, Montana’s Constitution offers voters the chance to study and potentially change the structure of local governments. The measure appeared on primary ballots across all counties and incorporated cities or towns in the state.
Molnar wins GOP primary for Public Service Commission, Welborn leads in District 3 race
Two Republican state senators — Brad Molnar of Laurel and Jeff Welborn of Dillon — are positioned to win primary elections for open seats on Montana’s utility board. If elected in the general election in November, Molnar and Welborn will regulate monopoly utility companies to balance their financial health with the interests of ratepayers, who cannot secure power, water or garbage service from alternative providers.
Downing wins GOP primary for Montana’s eastern U.S. House district
Montana State Auditor Troy Downing Tuesday easily won the crowded Republican primary in the race to represent the state’s eastern U.S. House district. With almost all ballots counted, Downing captured 36% of the vote. Following him were former congressman Denny Rehberg and former Drug Enforcement Agency official Stacy Zinn, respectively. Rehberg, a late entry to the race, received just 17% of the vote, handing Downing a decisive victory.
Helena voters split over fire station, public safety levy
Helena voters Tuesday appeared to approve, by less than 100 votes, the construction of a new fire station in the city but rejected a public safety tax that would have, among other things, paid the salaries of new firefighters, according to unofficial results. Lewis and Clark County election officials received...
Lynch, Swanson, Wilson and Bidegaray advance to Montana Supreme Court general election
The four most prominent candidates for the Montana Supreme Court all advanced from their primary elections Tuesday evening. With almost all ballots counted, Broadwater County Attorney Cory Swanson captured 46% of the vote and came in first in the primary for chief justice of the Montana Supreme Court, followed by former federal magistrate Jerry Lynch, who took 37% of the vote. In the race for the second open seat on the high court, eastern Montana district court Judge Katherine Bidegaray came in first with 48% of the vote, followed by Flathead County District Court Judge Dan Wilson.
Brown wins GOP primary race for Montana state auditor
James Brown, current president of the all-Republican Montana Public Service Commission, has won the primary for state auditor. As of Wednesday morning, Brown had secured 70% of the race’s votes to John Willoughby’s 30%. As president of the Montana Public Service Commission, Brown regulates monopoly utility companies to...
Missoula voters approve fire and emergency services levy
Missoula’s fire and emergency services levy is on track to pass, according to initial primary election results as of Wednesday morning. The levy received 63% approval, or 12,393 “yes” votes, with 7,348 voters opposed to the measure. Andy Drobeck, president of the Missoula firefighters union, said it’s...
Hinebauch beats incumbent Grulkowski in Cascade County commission primary
Eric Hinebauch secured his spot as the Republican candidate for Cascade County Commission District 3 in Tuesday’s primary. He defeated incumbent and current commissioner Rae Grulkowski, who often broke from the two other Republican commissioners’ votes, notably when the county clerk and recorder was stripped of election oversight last year.
Susie Hedalen claims victory in Republican superintendent primary
Susie Hedalen has secured a spot in the general election as the Republican contender for Montana superintendent of public instruction, defeating Sharyl Allen with 62% of the statewide vote in unofficial results posted by the secretary of state’s office. Hedalen, who currently serves as superintendent for the Townsend Public...
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