As a part of the bipartisan infrastructure law, U.S. Senator Jon Tester announced that he secured more than $30 million for Montana rural and urban public transit. Earlier this year, Tester announced $11 million in partial-year transit funding for Montana — this new figure represents the total amount for Fiscal Year 2022 designated for Montana public transportation in the infrastructure package.

Culbertson native Lucas Oelkers has been elected the new president for the Associated Students of Montana State University. Oelkers, a junior studying mechanical engineering, served as the ASMSU Supreme Court Chief Justice and is involved with engineering clubs, Lutheran Campus Ministries, Cross-Life and was a Montana FFA state officer. He and vice president Isabella Roccisano said their

After inviting the public to help name three new publicly released wheat varieties and one new barley variety, the Montana Wheat & Barley Committee and Montana State University Plant Sciences and Plant Pathology Department are announcing the highly awaited results. The official winners are: MTD18313 (Semi-Dwarf Spring Durum) – MT Raska MTD18348 (Spring Durum) – MT Blackbeard MT16F02902

Conditions were a mix of snow, precipitation and wind for the last blizzard event April 22-24 in Northeast Montana. Many locations further west were passed over for measurable snow but precipitation and high winds caused power outages throughout the area, affecting customers region wide. At press time April 26, Montana- Dakota Utilities show more than a dozen outages remaining north of Poplar near

to health care in rural Montana. AllCheck Medical Clinic serves Richland County with child well-check visits, minor surgical procedures, management of chronic illnesses, and employment physical exams. The governor then visited MiMi’s Kitchen. After a fire destroyed her business in October of 2020, owner Billie Jo Hillesland rebuilt her business into a local eatery, retail storefront, and

said the program is worth it if it makes even a few employees healthier. “They say if you are a healthy employee, you are more productive,” Oelkers said. Macdonald is hopeful that CARES funds can help pay for the program. Commissioners approved the purchase of a vehicle and trailer for the health department. The Northern Plains Independent requested that commissioners hold fewer