U.S. Senator Jon Tester led the Senate June 17 in passing the Great American Outdoors Act, legislation that will fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900 million annually and allocate $9.5 billion to address maintenance backlogs on public lands across the United States. “Today, we made history,” said Tester. “This is a moment that Montanans have been working toward for decades,

U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced June 22 that he has secured nearly $1 million to help Montanans train for and secure jobs in health care. Tester announced the funds, which are available through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Health Resources and Services Administration, will benefit students at the University of Montana and Montana State University. UM will receive $438,278

A five-member commission tasked with redrawing Montana’s legislative boundaries following the 2020 census has shared frustrations over the state’s response rate in Native communities and other rural areas. The commission has cited the COVID-19 pandemic as the main reason for the disappointing rate of return. OnJune14,RepublicanJeff Essmann of Billings told media that an expected second

Roosevelt County Undersheriff John Summers told the Community News that citations were issued May 28 to three area minors for their parts in an April 9 break-in at Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Mc-Cabe. Local resident Karen Larsen Synan said the incident resulted in considerable damage to the church. According to Summers, RCSO deputy Ryan VanKerkhove visited two youth at a Homestead address on

To further meet the needs of U.S. small businesses and non-profits, the U.S. Small Business Administration reopened the Economic Injury Disaster Loan and EIDL Advance program portal to all eligible applicants experiencing economic impacts due to COVID-19. “The SBA is strongly committed to working around the clock, providing dedicated emergency assistance to the small businesses and non-profits

According to Lori Ryan, public information officer for the Montana Department of Transportation, a safety review is expected to begin on the crossing at Road 1013 near Bainville to determine if extra safety measures are needed. A May 29 crash took the life of Sidney’s Rocky Norby, prompting the review. “Upon further details of this crash,” said Ryan, “a diagnostic review process will

Fort Union staff is inviting the public to join them online for a new virtual Rendezvous experience the week of June 18-21. Their planned digital content will follow the same order of events as the previously scheduled live rendezvous that was canceled due to COVID-19 safety concerns. All digital content will be available on www.nps.gov/fous and at facebook.com/FortUnionTrading-PostNHS/. On Thursday,

Joshua Patrick Vanatta, 30, of Bainville appeared June 9 in Great Falls before U.S. Magistrate Judge John Johnston and pleaded not guilty on charges of possession of ammunition by a felon, possession of an unregistered firearm and possession of a firearm without a serial number. According to court documents, Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Deputy Patrick O’Conner searched classified ads on Facebook