There has been a lot of focus on mental health issues in Montana during the past few years, specifically aimed toward marginalized groups like the LGTBQ community and indigenous peoples. And for good reason. But one statistic that might surprise people is that a high percentage of the suicides in Montana occur in the farming and ranching community, among middle-aged men. Courtney Kibblewhite

Two bills seeking to reallocate the recreational marijuana taxes the state collects are bound for Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte’s desk. Senate Bill 537, described by its sponsor as a “cops and conservation bill,” cleared its final legislative vote Tuesday, April 29, garnering support from three-quarters of state lawmakers. The following day, House Bill 932, which addresses only the conservation

ditor Dear Editor: The last city council meeting ended with a 6-2 vote not to stop the sale of Triangle Park. This came after nearly 70 citizens voiced their strong opposition to the sale, albeit later than the city requested, mostly because a lot of people no longer read the paper, or whatever. The point being they now have. More money and resources will now be squandered for selling the

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks game wardens report that Cody H. Carr, 30, of Kalispell, was found guilty at trial in Flathead County Justice Court for seven criminal counts related to poaching crimes committed in November of 2023. Carr was convicted of two counts of unlawful possession of wildlife, two counts of hunting or killing an overlimit of game animals, two counts of waste of game

The drawings for Montana deer and elk permits and for nonresident combination licenses are complete and applicants can check their results online. This is the fifth year of the new online application process, which allows Fish, Wildlife and Parks to complete the drawing much faster than in years past. There are a few ways to get your drawing results. Visit fwp. mt.gov, click on MyFWP Login

The Montana Senate passed Senate Bill 147, sponsored by Sen. Jonathan Windy Boy, which updates and strengthens protections under the Montana Indian Child Welfare Act. “Indian children deserve to grow up connected to their families, communities, and cultural heritage. Montana Indian Child Welfare Act reflects our commitment to addressing historical injustices and ensuring that Native voices

More than 85,000 out-ofstate hunters descend on the Treasure State each year for the chance to take a shot at a Montana elk, antelope, bear or bird. To pay for that opportunity, they fork over $15 as a base license fee, in addition to buying a tag — ranging from $5.50 for a college student migratory bird license to $1,250 for a moose or bighorn sheep. But the Montana Legislature has

Montana Health officials have announced five confirmed cases of measles in Gallatin County. The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services along with the Gallatin City-County Health Department in Bozeman confirmed its the first instance of the highly infectious disease since 1990. The individuals are children and adults who were exposed to measles while traveling outside of Montana.

The House of Representatives advanced a bill Monday, April 7, that would provide continuous eligibility for two years for kids younger than six enrolled in the Healthy Montana Kids program. The sponsor says it will address gaps in health insurance coverage for children. The current system for the free or low-cost health insurance program for low-income families requires families to reapply for eligibility

The Fort Peck Summer Theatre has opened the Jake Etchart Memorial Scholarship application window for this year. Prospective applicants must be enrolled full time as an undergraduate or graduate student at an accredited university and have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.50 (priority is given to undergraduate applicants). Preference will be shown to applicants who have a history