The Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks State Trails Advisory Committee will meet March 22 and 23. The group will meet in person, at the Great Falls Region 4 office in the public conference room; a virtual option will also be available. On March 22, the meeting will run from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. and continue on March 23 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The STAC advises FWP on trail issues in Montana,

Montana is the only state in the nation where the percentage of Indigenous elected lawmakers exceeds the state’s overall Indigenous population, potentially giving Native Americans a bigger voice in their government. There are 12 tribes in Montana living on seven reservations, making Native Americans the largest minority population in the state. However, raising that voice can be difficult.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte has announced Montana’s unemployment rate declined to 2.5 percent in January, matching the record low set in the governor’s second year in office, according to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. Montana’s unemployment rate in January is the fourth lowest in the nation. “Hardworking Montanans