Customers of Montana-Dakota Utilities will see their electric bills go up $10.32 a month on average starting April 1.

Tuesday, the Montana Public Service Commission approved an interim rate increase for the monopoly utility.

The request had been pending for five months, and the PSC took up the matter a couple of times, but didn’t approve any increase until this week.

A staff report said MDU argued the Public Service Commission’s “failure or refusal” to act on the interim request was “an arbitrary and capricious abuse of discretion.”

It also said intervenors, including the Montana Consumer Counsel, had not opposed the rate increase. The Consumer Counsel advocates on behalf of customers.

MDU argued it is “undisputed” that the company was under-earning on electric operations, so without an interim increase, the rates were confiscatory, or unfair to the utility, the staff memo said.

The PSC said MDU’s costs to provide electricity to its Montana customers increased in the three years since its last rate case. MDU requested a revenue increase of $14.1 million, but the PSC’s decision on the interim rate gives the utility $7.7 million as the case proceeds, the PSC said.

In an analysis of legal standards, PSC staff said the U.S. Constitution protects a public utility’s property from the effect of a confiscatory rate.

“Any rate that is so low as to deny a utility a reasonable opportunity to earn a fair return on property used to provide service is unconstitutional,” the staff memo said.

MDU serves roughly 25,500 customers in Montana. An MDU spokesperson said the utility would be able to provide the total bill impact by Thursday.

Commissioner Brad Molnar moved to deny the rate increase for numerous reasons, including because he said MDU hadn’t conducted a robust search for generation or established its choices were “of maximum benefit to the ratepayers.”

“Important facts are missing, so they need to be addressed,” Molnar said.

Commissioner Jennifer Fielder said she too has had concerns with MDU’s application, and previously voted against increases.

However, Fielder offered a motion instead to grant a portion of MDU’s request, 55%.

Fielder said PSC staff closely reviewed the case, and it was important to protect ratepayers but also allow a regulated utility to recover legitimate costs.

She said her proposal would mean a roughly $10 monthly increase for the average customer starting on April 1 instead of a $14 monthly increase starting Jan. 1, 2026.

“This just balances the need for the company to be able to recover legitimate costs while ratepayers aren’t straddled with potentially higher costs that aren’t legitimate,” Fielder said.

In the meantime, she said, the PSC will continue to do a full review of the case to determine a final rate.

On its website, MDU notes it filed the case at the end of September 2025, and the PSC typically has up to nine months to issue a decision.

PSC President Jeff Welborn and Commissioner Annie Bukacek joined Fielder in supporting the interim increase. Commissioner Randy Pinocci and Molnar opposed it.

A surface trough is expected to move through the area from now through noon on Friday. There is moderate confidence of accumulating wintry mix occurring. Anywhere between a trace of snow up to 1.5 inches of snow are expected.

Story Credit to Norther Plain Independent of Wolf Point:

Well over 300 people attended a fundraiser in Froid Feb. 28 for the family of Roberto Orozco-Ramirez, who has been detained on a charge of illegal reentry since he surrendered to authorities Jan. 25. Fundraising efforts exceeded expectations as people poured into the tiny community from around the state and region.

Organizer Keith Nordlund told the Community News that most participants were local but added that the number of guests who stopped to sign in at the door far exceeded the municipal population.
“Our entire community was there and many people we didn’t know,” Nordlund said. “And everyone there was there to support the family. No left or right talk, just community helping our neighbors.”
There was a line around the corner leading to the entrance of the event, with standing room only inside during the live auction portion. “I think my favorite part of the evening was seeing the crowd and how full the community center was,” Nordlund said. “Seats were full, people were standing.”
Froid’s Mayor Sheri Crain said she couldn’t remember another local event to rival the turnout. “I couldn’t sleep last night,” Crain said during a follow up interview on March 1.

Along with a big turnout from locals, Democratic politicians from across the state showed up to support the Orozcos. In all, seven lawmakers from as far away as Billings and Helena attended, including Rep. Frank Smith and Sen. Jonathon Windy Boy, as well as the party’s executive director Emily Marburger. Asked about her motivations for attending, Sen. Cora Neumann from Bozeman said, “I wanted to represent the Democratic Party in Froid.” In a social media post after the event, Neumann said, “When something happens to one person in a town of 195, it happens to everyone. And Froid proved that Montanans show up for each other.”

For the most part, the politicians were swallowed up by the crowd. A sign at the door warned participants against turning the family fundraiser into a setting for political debates. A decision from organizers to limit beverages to nonalcoholic options also helped keep things polite.
Nordlund and other organizers were overwhelmed by the level of support. “I just opened five more envelopes with money for the family. Got one all the way from Illinois,” he said.

Nordlund said donations for the fundraiser came from all over the country, but stressed that local contributions were the most prominent, adding that even large sums offered from out-of-town supporters were quickly beaten by locals during live bidding. He said many donations came from area families and ranch operators with conflicted political views, who nonetheless wanted to support a local family during a difficult time.

Crain said high school boys set up chairs and helped staff the event, along with numerous area residents who donated their time and energy. Nordlund singled out Froid’s Kayla Luff Johnson for praise, saying that she has spearheaded letter writing efforts and attempts to contact Montana’s congressional delegation for help.

While the event was an unqualified success, the future remains uncertain for Orozco and his family,
“We will continue to stand by this family and help them as much as we can,” Nordlund said. “I encourage everyone to continue to reach out to our elected officials and encourage them to look into this case and help in anyway they can.”

Nordlund added that Orozco reached out to express his gratitude following the event. “Roberto just called me and wanted me to make sure to let everyone know how grateful he is for the support for his family.”

Nordlund said that anyone interested in contacting Orozco can write to him care of Cascade County Detention Center, 3800 ULM North Frontage Road, in Great Falls.

The filing deadline for political offices in Montana was Wednesday.

Valley County candidate filings:

John Rogenes- Valley County Commissioner, District 1
Paul Tweten- Valley County Commissioner, District 1

Brenda J Anderson-Valley County Treasurer

Christina M Hillman-Valley County Justice of the Peace

Tom Boyer-Valley County Sheriff/Coroner

Dylan Jensen- Valley County Attorney

Marie Pippin- Valley County Clerk and Recorder/Superintendent of Schools

Tara Strommen- Valley County Clerk of District Court

Montana Legislature filings

Senate District 14
R-Eric Albus
R- Mark Wicks
D- Blake Borst

House District #28
R- John South
R- Chisolm Christensen

House District #29
R- Linda Harmon
R- Valerie Moore
D- Tess Fahlgren
D- Rachel Sundheim

House District #31
D- Lance Fourstar
D- Natalie Oneal

Montana Public Service Commission District #1
R- Jeff Pattison
R- Jeremy Trebas
D- Angeline Cheek

United States Senate
R- Kurt Alme
Lib- Kyle Austin
D- Michael Hummert
D- Alani Bankhead
D- Michael Black Wolf
D- Reilly Neill
I- Seth Bodnar
R- Lee Calhoun
Lib-Tom Jandron
D-Christopher Kehoe
R- Charles Walking Child

2nd Congressional District (Central and Eastern Montana)
D- Brian Miller
D- Sam Lux
R- Troy Downing
D- Jonathan Windy Boy
I- MIchael Eisenhauer
Lib-Patrick Mccracken
I- Michael Eisenhauer

1st Congressional District (Western Montana)
D- Russell Cleveland
D- Matt Rains
D- Ryan Busse
D- Sam Forstag
R- Al "Doc" Olszewski
R- Aaron Flint
R- Christi Jacobsen
R- Ray Curtis
Lib- Nick Sheedy
I- Kimberly Perisco

Montanans love living in the “406,” but Montana could run out of 406 phone numbers by 2033.

It’s not because all the numbers will be in use by far.

Still, the clock is ticking on assigning a new second area code, and there’s no question Montanans have pride around the 406.

“Montana is one of the last states with a single area code,” said Mike Sheard, with the Montana Public Service Commission. “ … The 406 area code has become a real popular feature of the state’s identity.”

Tuesday, the Public Service Commission voted unanimously to take a step to try to make sure one area code will work for a lot longer by sending a letter to Qwest Corporation, a telecommunications company that controls at least a couple of pieces of the puzzle.

It isn’t the first time the PSC has taken up the 406 area code.

In 2013, the PSC received federal permission to implement a more efficient way of assigning numbers, and it ordered telecommunications companies to follow it, according to the Great Falls Tribune. The Tribune said that change pushed back the “exhaust” date of the 406 area code for a while.

Alaska, the Dakotas, and Wyoming are among the states that still have a single area code, according to allareacodes.com.

Now, however, an organization that assigns area codes could be getting to work soon on another one for Montana.

The North American Numbering Plan Administrator oversees the distribution and use of telephone numbers across North America, and it’s the organization that projects Montana will run out of 406 numbers in the first quarter of 2033, according to a PSC staff memo.

Generally, the organization starts planning three years prior to a forecasted “exhaust” date, or the first quarter of 2030 in this case, but the staff memo said the idea might not go over well.

“The implementation of a second area code in Montana could be complicated, costly and may result in confusion and dissatisfaction,” the memo said.

However, in the letter, the PSC is requesting Qwest provide an analysis of “rate center consolidation,” basically, a different way to distribute and “conserve” phone numbers.

Qwest Corporation could not be reached for comment on Tuesday; multiple emails to media contacts were returned as no longer valid.

In a presentation and staff memo, PSC regulatory and compliance staff outlined the way area codes and phone numbers work.

The memo described the different parts of a phone number — the area code, then, the NXX code, and the four-digit line number. (For example, the PSC’s NXX number is 444, with a phone number of 406-444-6150.)

“In Montana, it is the dwindling number of unused NXX codes that is causing the state to run out of telephone numbers,” the staff memo said.

The maximum number of NXX codes available for telephone companies to use is 786, and of those, 753 are already in use, according to the staff memo. That means only 33 NXX codes are left for Montana.

Those codes are all assigned to smaller geographic areas called “rate centers,” which often coincide with municipal boundaries, the staff memo said. Montana has 516 rate centers.

Each NXX code also is associated with a specific telephone company, such as the PSC’s 444 code being connected with Qwest’s “switching center” in Helena. A call to the PSC goes to that “switching center,” which then sends it to the PSC using the last four digits.

But the memo said service providers typically want numbers in multiple rate centers to establish a footprint in a specific geographic area. Those providers are typically assigned telephone numbers in 1,000 number blocks.

“Once a service provider puts 100 or more of the numbers in a block into active service, the entire block is considered ‘contaminated,’ and the rest of the numbers in that block are reserved for the exclusive use of that service provider,” the memo said.

That demand for numbers in multiple rate centers means service providers are allocated a lot more numbers than they’ll use to serve their customers, which means many numbers are “stranded” and unusable by others, the memo said.

“It is likely the total telephone numbers that are actively in-service for Montana’s 406 area code is less than 50% of total available numbers,” the memo said.

One solution is to start combining rate centers into one, the memo said. That way, a service provider can use its chunk of numbers to serve any customer in a larger area, allocating more numbers.

One hurdle in Montana is rate centers can only be consolidated within the same local access transport area, or LATA, and Montana has an eastern and western LATA, the memo said. The state has 277 rate centers in the west and 239 in the east.

Montana has 65 service providers with 406 area code numbers assigned to them, but the staff memo said much of the demand for new NXX codes is associated with one or both of Qwest’s tandem switches.

Qwest uses most of the NXX codes in Montana, it serves the most rate centers in Montana, and it operates in the eastern and western districts, the memo said.

“These rate centers, typically in more urban areas of the state, are also where the most requests for numbers occur,” the memo said.

The memo said the idea of consolidation is not new, and the Federal Communications Commission has encouraged it whenever possible; it’s taken place in Kansas, Colorado, Iowa, Idaho, Nebraska and Maine.

In the memo, staff recommended the best starting point for consolidation would be to require Qwest, the largest user of numbers, to consolidate its 26 rate centers in the eastern area into one rate center, and consolidate its 30 rate centers in the west into one.

During discussion, PSC President Jeff Welborn said if consolidation takes place, rural areas could help more populated areas, and some numbers could be put into use that would otherwise be locked up.

“There’s a lot of potential statewide to preserve a lot of phone numbers under the 406 umbrella,” Welborn said.

Commissioner Brad Molnar wanted to know if an appeal was possible to undo the LATA designation, and he said he would be willing to call the Congressional delegation should legislation be necessary for change.

“I can’t imagine they’d be adverse to being the champion of 406,” Molnar said.

Commissioner Randy Pinocci said a waiting list could be developed for people who want a 406 number, but he’s seeing more and more people who live in Montana and don’t have a 406 area code either.

“There are people that could care less whether they have a 406, alright? And there are those people that will want one, especially businesses, or someone who kind of wants to say, ‘That’s our brand’ when you call, right?’” Pinocci said.

In the letter, the PSC will ask Qwest to provide an analysis of a consolidation of its rate centers into each of the state’s two districts, including how it would work technically; its operational efficiencies or inefficiencies; call routing impacts; and timelines and cost.

PSC Vice President Jennifer Fielder supported the move to send the letter to Qwest, but she also cautioned that promising that Montana remains the 406-only state wasn’t a sure bet because the Commission doesn’t control all the factors.

American Prairie has acquired 2,082 acres of “high-value wetland” and grassland habitat in Phillips County, Montana – an area renowned as one of the most important waterfowl breeding regions in North America.

Located south of Dodson, and locally known as “Pintail Flatt,” this property comprises 1,762 deeded acres and 320 leased Bureau of Land Management acres. The acquisition strengthens a growing corridor of conserved habitat, as it is adjacent to American Prairie’s existing Wild Horse unit and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Korsbeck Waterfowl Production Area.

This latest acquisition brings American Prairie’s total habitat base to 605,739 acres, which comprises 168,832 deeded acres and 436,907 leased public acres.

“Phillips County sits within the famed prairie pothole region, an area that is often called North America’s duck factory,” said Garrett Budds, Chief Conservation Officer at American Prairie. “This region’s extraordinary ecological value has been well documented as the Montana Hi-Line boasts some of the highest wetland densities on the prairies. Pintail Flatt lies at the heart of this landscape and is a key breeding ground for several species of waterfowl.”

Wetlands make up 142 acres of Pintail Flatt — approximately 8 percent of the property. That figure is striking when compared to Montana’s statewide wetland average of just 2.6 percent, underscoring the outsized ecological importance of this parcel.

“Wetlands play an enormous ecological role, serving as habitat for a diverse array of wildlife, sequestering carbon and filtering water,” said Andy Boyce-Pero, research ecologist at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute. “In the Great Plains, water is a crucial resource, and the protection of this habitat will have significant benefits for the broader ecosystem.”

The property is protected by an existing Conservation Easement managed by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks, ensuring long-term safeguards for wetlands and bird habitat while maintaining public access for hunting and recreation. American Prairie will continue working closely with FWP to steward the property, reflecting a shared commitment to conserving wildlife habitat and keeping Montana landscapes accessible to all.

Beyond waterfowl, Pintail Flatt supports high-quality habitat for mule deer, white-tailed deer, and pronghorn, along with thriving prairie dog colonies. The area was previously designated by the BLM as a “Prairie Dog Towns Area of Critical Environmental Concern.”

The property is currently leased to a local rancher for cattle grazing, and that partnership will continue. American Prairie works closely with dozens of livestock producers, leasing land across 10 of its 12 management units to 25 ranchers running more than 8,000 head of cattle. Nearly all of the nonprofit’s 167,070 private acres are open to the public, and American Prairie remains one of the largest participants in Montana FWP’s Block Management Program, with more than 80,000 acres enrolled for public hunting access.

As conservation efforts expand, so do recreational opportunities. In 2025, American Prairie recorded its eighth consecutive year of increased visitation, welcoming more than 6,600 overnight guests to its huts and campgrounds and more than 5,000 visitors to its National Discovery Center in Lewistown.

With the addition of Pintail Flatt, American Prairie continues building a connected landscape where wildlife can thrive, working lands endure, and Montanans, along with visitors from across the country, can experience one of North America’s most iconic prairie ecosystems.

The Montana Department of Commerce announced last week that 51 Montana cities, towns, counties and water and sewer districts will share $1.5 million of grant funding to help communities complete preliminary engineering reports, capital improvement plans and master plans. The funding is through Commerce’s Montana Coal Endowment Program, which helps address the affordability of local infrastructure projects by providing grants to lower the cost of constructing public facilities.

“Assisting communities in need of upgrades to crucial infrastructure like water treatment facilities, bridges and collection systems improves health and safety for residents,” said Commerce Director Marta Bertoglio. “The Montana Coal Endowment Program exists to make these improvements possible even if a community lacks financial resources.”

Area communities receiving grant funding:

The Town of Circle will receive $25,000 to complete a water preliminary engineering report.
The City of Glasgow will receive $30,000 to complete a stormwater preliminary engineering report.
The City of Harlem will receive $30,000 to complete a water preliminary engineering report.
The Town of Nashua will receive $30,000 to complete a wastewater preliminary engineering report.
The Town of Saco will receive $25,000 to complete a water preliminary engineering report.
The City of Wolf Point will receive $30,000 to complete a wastewater preliminary engineering report.

Each year the Montana Electric Cooperatives’ Association (MECA) holds an essay contest to select one student to be sponsored by MECA on the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) Youth Tour.

The winner this year is Amelia Gilchrist, a junior at Glasgow High School, whose parents are members of NorVal Electric Cooperative.

This year’s essay topic was: All cooperatives share a concern for their communities. Write about how your local cooperative supports your community or detail new ways they could get involved.

Below is Amelia’s winning essay with minor edits to match RM style.

NorVal Electric: Leading our community toward a brighter future
ESSAY BY Amelia Gilchrist | MECA STATEWIDE YOUTH TOUR WINNER

NorVal Electric Cooperative is a company that is fully invested in the surrounding communities. From Scobey to Wolf Point, and Opheim to Glasgow, this co-op not only keeps the lights on but also helps those in need all across eastern Montana.

This support is especially important in our rural and underserved community. NorVal contributes over $3.5 million annually to the local economy. This helps fund the numerous philanthropic and community projects that enhance our small town and the surrounding areas.

NorVal Electric is a business that supports our rural population through numerous activities, such as donations to nonprofits, offering scholarship opportunities to local high school students, and encouraging its employees to volunteer as coaches and mentors in the surrounding area. Our community wouldn’t be the same without NorVal Electric Cooperative.

Recently, NorVal has both donated to and participated in our local Festival of Trees, which is where different groups, businesses or people in our community decorate Christmas trees to be auctioned to the highest bidder. This money is donated to the Valley County non-profit HOPE (Help Others Pay Expenses) Project, which supports citizens of Valley County who are struggling with medical bills. According to the Centers for Disease Control, the average hospital stay in 2019 was over $14,000, while according to CensusReporter.org, the annual per capita income in Glasgow is only $34,439, with 13 percent of individuals being below the poverty line. Considering these two facts, medical bills could easily result in crushing debt or even bankruptcy.

One community member has said, “Your thoughtfulness means so much more than words can say. Thank you seems so inadequate for all the help you have given us. Thank you so much,” concerning how the HOPE project affected their life. This assistance wouldn’t be possible without support from individuals and organizations such as NorVal Electric.

When the government shutdown threatened the most vulnerable people in our community with the loss of SNAP benefits, NorVal answered the call for assistance. NorVal collected food donations for the Valley Community Emergency Food Bank, offering credits to those who donated canned food. This generosity is nothing new as NorVal has a long history of supporting the local food bank, helping to provide nourishment to those who need it most.

NorVal keeps an eye toward the future. Every year, the humble co-op offers several scholarships for local member high school graduates. These scholarships are especially important as the cost of attending college or a technical/vocational school is only increasing. According to US News, the average college sticker price in 2025 rose over the past year by 3.3 percent for private institutions and in-state public college students, and by 3.7 percent for out-of-state public college students. The average four-year degree costs $19,068 annually, which is a lot to ask, especially for students below the poverty line in Valley County. Without the help of scholarships like these, many students in our community wouldn’t be able to attend these programs.

NorVal’s dedicated employees are involved in the community just as much as the co-op itself. Employees such as Eric Feit, Cody Odom, Jayson Nelson, Kyle Barras and Tracy Henry coach athletic activities and mentor students. These people have had a great impact on our community. NorVal’s workforce is committed to volunteering and influencing our youth in positive ways, while educating them on the importance of teamwork and sportsmanship, and assisting them in building their skills.

One idea that NorVal could consider implementing in our rural community would be a mentorship program for those looking to enter the trades, specifically a lineman training program. This program would aim to mentor high school students interested in the trades on what linemen do and how they could pursue these career opportunities. In addition to teaching about the trade itself, this project could include safety demonstrations, trade school application seminars and what it’s like to work for NorVal. This program would potentially influence students to attend trade school, then return to work for the co-op.

From supporting non-profit organizations to providing scholarships and mentors to the local populace, NorVal Electric Cooperative is truly a business that loves its community. By helping the local area, NorVal has become a pillar of our region that we would collapse without.

The continued presence of our local co-op serves as an important indication of just how essential community bonds are to the welfare of rural areas. As Northeastern Montana faces the future, we can be confident that NorVal Electric Cooperative will continue to stand by our side and aid our community through whatever comes our way.

The Glasgow City Council is moving forward in its search for the city’s next Chief of Police.

During an executive session Monday night, council members voted to narrow the field of applicants from fourteen down to four candidates. Those four individuals will now be invited to interview for the soon-to-be vacant position.

City officials declined to release the names of the candidates at this time but confirmed that all four are from outside the state of Montana. Interviews are expected to be scheduled within the next week and will take place in executive session to protect candidate privacy.

The council says once the field is narrowed further following the initial round of interviews, the remaining candidates’ names will be made public and community members will have an opportunity to meet them.

In other business, the council approved payment of the city’s annual GNDC membership dues in the amount of 3,192 dollars. Council members also approved the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 audit, along with the January 2026 financial reports.

And a motion to reappoint Todd Young to a three-year term on the Glasgow Police Commission failed on a three-to-two vote. Council Members Stan Ozark and Butch Heitman voted in favor of the reappointment, while Brian Austin, Darcia Schindler, and Kristi Brabeck voted against it. Council Member Lisa Koski was absent from the meeting.

Filings for offices this past week include:

John Rogenes- Valley County Commissioner, District 1
Brenda J Anderson-Valley County Treasurer
Christina M Hillman-Valley County Justice of the Peace
Tom Boyer-Valley County Sheriff/Coroner

So far, the only contested race is Valley County Commissioner, District 1, with incumbent Paul Tweten is being challenged by John Rogenes, There have been no filings for Public Administrator.

The filing deadline for County office is Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 5pm.

Pictured, from left: Cami Feek, NASWA board chair and commissioner from the Washington State Employment Security Division; Donnie Wetzel, Montana DLI tribal liaison; Alicia Doney, DLI tribal youth and young adult coordinator; Sarah Swanson, Montana DLI commissioner. Photo courtesy of DLI.

The state labor department's Office of Tribal Liaison earned national honors this week for its Hope and Realization Initiative.

The initiative set out to establish new relationships with tribal employment offices, prioritize workforce needs that are specific to reservation communities and raise examples like Chance Main, who established himself as a local contractor on the Fort Belknap Reservation rather than taking a traditional college route.

"I liked to be outside and I liked to work," Main said in a video produced by the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. "There was a few people that doubted me. I doubted myself at first, but it goes away with time. … If you want it to succeed, you have to make it succeed. It's all on your shoulders."

Pictured, from left: Cami Feek, NASWA board chair and commissioner from the Washington State Employment Security Division; Donnie Wetzel, Montana DLI tribal liaison; Alicia Doney, DLI tribal youth and young adult coordinator; Sarah Swanson, Montana DLI commissioner. Photo courtesy of DLI.

Donnie Wetzel, the tribal liaison at the state labor department, said in an interview on Friday the initiative has empowered Native youth to find good jobs at home. The program has engaged more than 550 job seekers since it started in December 2024.

"It's about each person's journey to find success in whatever they choose," he said. "What we're emphasizing is the pursuit of purpose, to provide and protect and life yourself up and that spreads to your family, your community and your tribe, eventually."

The Hope and Realization Initiative this week was given the William J. Harris Equal Opportunity Award at the 2026 National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) Winter Policy Forum in National Harbor, Maryland.

The award from the association's equal opportunity committee recognizes innovation and excellence.

In the initiative, Wetzel's office engaged with each tribal government's Tribal Employment Rights Ordinance (TERO), the local employment office. Teams held roundtables to determine which programs would be most helpful depending on the area's needs. Many chose to focus on CDL trucking programs or CNA certification options, along with apprenticeships in various trades like plumbers, electricians and heating, ventilation and air conditioning specialists.

"We have a workforce that's aging out," Wetzel said. "So how do we develop that next generation workforce?"

Wetzel brought on Alicia Doney to run the Workforce Warrior project, as a part of the initiative, which produced videos of different workers who have excelled in their fields to increase visibility of the opportunities the initiative can bolster through its programming.

"I've dealt in education and mental health issues, and someone who serves that purpose lives a longer, healthier life," Wetzel, a member of the Blackfeet Nation, noted. "So we want to find examples for others to look up to."

"Our tribal nations are sovereign, they run their own governments," he added. "What I find on the national level is a lot of people overlook that. Many of the programs hardly ever talk about the tribes or work with them. So I think we're trail blazing with this initiative."

NASWA President and CEO Scott Sanders said in a press release this week the Hope and Realization Initiative is a powerful example of what "community-centered workforce innovation looks like."

He said Montana had created a model that "opens doors, strengthens trust and expands opportunity for tribal communities statewide."

Montana DLI Commissioner Sarah Swanson in the same press release trumpeted the work by Wetzel's team.

"Their leadership is not only expanding employment and training opportunities for tribal citizens across Montana, but also helping set the standard for how states honor tribal partnerships, remove barriers to work and ensure every person has a pathway to a career and a plan to achieve it," Swanson said.

Wetzel said, after setting priorities with each tribe, job expos are on deck for each reservation in Montana. Interests include law enforcement, health care and trucking certifications, particularly for rural communities.

"I have to also thank the tribes," he concluded. "We wouldn't have anything if those TERO directors didn't help. They've been absolutely fantastic and our tribal leaders have been so gracious in helping along the way."

The Glasgow City Council will meet tonight at 5pm in the Council Chambers of the Glasgow Civic Center.

The deadline to apply for a couple of new property tax rate reductions has been extended through March 20.

Thursday, Gov. Greg Gianforte and Department of Revenue Director Brendan Beatty announced property owners wanting to apply for the homestead or long-term rental tax rate reduction have roughly three more weeks.

Earlier this week, Bryce Kaatz, with the Department of Revenue, told legislators long-term rental property owners had been slow to apply for the reduction.

Then, a flurry of last minute filings created technical issues for an online portal, according to a news release Thursday from the Governor’s Office and Department of Revenue.

In a statement about the extension, Gianforte said state government should be customer friendly and responsive, and no one should be penalized for a glitch.

“Our top priority is delivering permanent and meaningful property tax relief to the hardworking Montanans who call this state home,” Gianforte said.

For help

Taxpayers experiencing continued technical issues or seeking assistance with their application are encouraged to contact the Department of Revenue’s help line at (406) 444-6900 or visit their local county property assessment office.

Electronic applications must be submitted at homestead.mt.gov by midnight on March 20. Physical applications sent by mail must be postmarked on or before that same day.

This week, the Revenue Interim Committee heard updates on a couple of key property tax reduction bills the Montana Legislature adopted in its 2025 session, Senate Bill 542 and House Bill 231.

Residential owners had seen steep increases in property taxes in recent years, and those bills together aimed to provide relief to residents, including through a rebate, a graduated tax rate, and reductions for homes that are primary residences.

One bill, SB 542, is the subject of a lawsuit filed last month alleging it is unconstitutional, partly for rolling multiple ideas into one piece of legislation; the case is pending.

At the meeting this week, legislators heard about the lag in applications from long-term rental owners as well as the status of the property tax reduction for Montanans who live in their homes, the “homestead” exemption.

During the session, legislators and Gianforte worked to provide relief to Montanans who live in their homes as opposed to out-of-staters who own high-value properties here.

But some Montanans with vacation cabins saw property tax increases too, and at their meeting, legislators mulled that outcome. Previously, some lawmakers had warned about property taxes on cabins.

Sen. Greg Hertz, R-Polson and a plaintiff in the lawsuit, also said recently at a GOP event that taxes are not actually going down overall, they’re just hitting someone else.

“If your taxes went down $500, somebody else’s taxes in your school district, your city, your county, went up $500 because this is just a shift,” Hertz said. “It’s not somebody up in the Yellowstone Club or somebody up in Flathead Lake or Whitefish Lake … It is someone else in your tax jurisdiction, and most likely it’s another Montana full-time resident like myself. It’s a Main Street business owner.”

At the meeting, though, legislators heard a warning to proceed with caution with any future legislation so as not to harm the property owners they had just helped, those with homes at the median value.

“If you cut taxes on high value non-owner-occupied properties, someone else has to pay more,” said Rose Bender, with the Montana Budget and Policy Center.

Lagging for long-term rentals
Rep. James Reavis, D-Billings, wanted to be sure word gets out about the deadline to apply for long-term rental rates, initially March 2 but extended to March 20.

“Is there anything the agency or we as a legislature could do to make sure that we can educate landlords that there is an opportunity to get a better property tax rate when they are providing long-term rentals?” Reavis said.

In his presentation Monday, Kaatz said more than 21,000 applications had come in from owners of long-term rentals, and the department estimated Montana had 50,000 to 55,000, although he also said the number wasn’t precise.

But he also said a lot of outreach had taken place, and people might just be waiting until the last minute. The assessment seemed to be proving out; by Thursday, the department had seen an additional 4,000 or so filings.

To get the word out, Kaatz said the department mailed 109,000 postcards, sent press releases, made social media posts, conducted media interviews, and reached out to organizations such as the Montana Landlords Association.

Of the applications it received, the department made determinations on 9,200 so far, he said.

Homestead applications on track
Montanans who received a property tax rebate in 2025 were automatically signed up for a lower rate for their principal residence, for roughly 224,000 enrolled.

“If you did get that rebate last go-‘round, you’re probably covered, and you don’t need to light anything on fire for the moment,” said Sen. Becky Beard, R-Elliston.

As of Thursday, the department had received 21,000 additional applications for that new rate, with around 2,000 coming just this week.

It had made determinations on 7,000, Kaatz said. He also said paper applications take “a significantly longer amount of time to process.”

Changes under discussion
Residential property owners had seen stiff increases in their property taxes in recent years, including a median 21% jump after the 2023 legislative session, and last year, lawmakers focused on helping Montanans.

But the fix to protect primary residences meant secondary ones picked up the slack, including second homes owned by Montanans.

Some Montanans have said they just want to pass small family cabins onto their children, and the Montana Legislature is putting that dream out of reach.

Sen. Dave Fern, D-Whitefish, was among the legislators who asked whether the department can sort data for the value of “non-principal homes” in Montana.

Fern said he would like to understand not only the number of second homes owned by Montanans, which he believes is available, but also the different values of those second homes, family cabins versus luxury homes, or “what goes on in Big Sky.”

Kaatz said he believes more information will be available after the department processes new applications.

In the future, Beard suggested legislators consider adding additional classifications based on property use, such as residential for living, residential for recreation, and residential for work-related activities.

She said it might be a slippery slope, but doing so would avoid discriminating against owners of a property.

Jaret Coles, deputy director of legal services, agreed the focus should be on use, not individuals.

“It’s really about coming up with a classification system where everyone that is similarly situated is treated the same way,” Coles said.

In public comment, Bender, with the Budget and Policy Center, stressed the positive impacts legislation that came out of the 2025 Legislature had on everyday Montanans.

Leading up to the session, she said, property taxes had become more regressive, hitting hardest those who could least afford them.

But Bender said legislation started to address the disproportionate impact, and a “vast majority of homeowners” are paying lower residential property taxes as a result, with some 80% seeing decreases.

The Montana Budget and Policy Center is a progressively leaning organization, but in a recent statement about the pending lawsuit, Gianforte, a Republican, pointed to the same data point, that the bills he was proud to sign cut taxes for 80% of Montana homeowners.

Bender said the bills meant average Montanans saw their property taxes decrease, and without the legislation, just 13% would have seen decreases.

Bender said just 11% of residential properties saw tax increases, and those properties are homes with either “very high values or significant valuation increases.”

“We urge this committee to consider how changes geared toward lowering taxes on non-owner-occupied vacation homes will impact everyday Montanans in homes at or near the median value,” Bender said.

Story credit to www.billingsgazette.com

Bridger Pipeline, based in Casper, Wyoming, has submitted a proposal to the Montana Department of Environmental Quality for a 645-mile pipeline that would carry roughly 550,000 barrels of Canadian crude oil per day.

The pipeline would begin near the Canadian border in Phillips County, north of Malta. From there, it would turn east, skirt the northern boundary of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, then run south along the Montana–Dakotas border before ending in Guernsey, Wyoming.

About 80 percent of the proposed route crosses private land. Ten percent would cross Bureau of Land Management property, and another ten percent would be on state land.

The company says the route was selected to minimize new disturbances by following existing pipeline corridors and rights of way where possible. However, the pipeline itself would be entirely new construction.

While the project shares some similarities with the original Keystone XL proposal — including the same starting point at the U.S.–Canada border and a 36-inch diameter pipe — Bridger spokesperson Bill Salvin says it’s a different project altogether.

Salvin says comparisons to Keystone XL are understandable, but not accurate.

Environmental groups aren’t convinced.

Anne Hedges, executive director of the Montana Environmental Information Center, calls the proposal “a very big deal.” She questions the route choice, saying it appears less direct and potentially less economical than the original Keystone XL path.

The proposed line would cross several major waterways, including the West Fork of the Poplar River, the Missouri River, and the Yellowstone River.

Bridger has faced scrutiny before. In 2015, one of its pipelines spilled an estimated 30,000 gallons of crude oil into the Yellowstone River. Only a fraction of that oil was recovered. Salvin, who was with the company at the time, described the spill as unfortunate but said the company responded responsibly.

The document filed with DEQ is not yet a formal application. Instead, it allows the state to begin the environmental impact review process under Montana’s Major Facility Siting Act. The project would also require additional state and federal approvals, including a presidential permit.

The proposal does not specify whether the pipeline would carry oil sands crude — a key concern in past Keystone XL debates.

If approved, Bridger says construction could begin in July 2027, with crews laying about 20 miles of pipe per month.

Governor Greg Gianforte’s office says the governor supports new pipeline development, citing job creation, local tax revenue, and energy security.

For now, the proposal enters what’s expected to be a lengthy environmental review — and potentially another chapter in Montana’s long-running pipeline debate.

Story credit to www.kbzk.com

“Kids can’t learn if they are hungry.” That’s how Livingston mother, Julie Williams, described her reaction after seeing Facebook posts from other parents about a school district policy stating families with more than $100 in unpaid lunch debt could be sent to a collection agency starting Monday, Feb. 23.

“I felt like that was something that if we as a community could step up and help with, then we needed to do that,” Williams said.

Livingston Public Schools Superintendent Chad Johnson said the district’s outstanding lunch debt had reached $30,000 and must be cleared from the books by June 30, 2026.

“Of course, it hit us that $30,000 has to be off the books by June 30th, 2026,” Johnson said during a Zoom interview.

The total has since been reduced to $15,000 with support from First Interstate Bank, the Free Masons, and Farm to Schools.

Johnson said the district is working with families to avoid sending accounts to collections.

“Just contact us. We will work on payment plans. We will support you in filling out the free and reduced information,” he said.

The Glasgow School District is dealing with $10,000 in unpaid lunch bills. Glasgow School Superintendent Brenner Flaten told Kltz/Mix-93 that the Glasgow School Board will be asked to set policy on how to collect the unpaid debt.

Lunch debt policies vary across Montana.

In the Bozeman School District, current unpaid lunch balances total $70,000. While district policy allows accounts to be sent to collections, officials said none are currently being referred.

In Belgrade, lunch debt exceeds $116,000. District policy states principals will call families once debt reaches $30, followed by letters. If a balance exceeds $100 and no contact is made, accounts may be sent to collections.

Williams said some families may not realize how charges accumulate under federal meal guidelines. If a student receiving free or reduced-price lunch does not select the required meal components — including a fruit or vegetable — the meal is not reimbursable, and the district may charge the student.

“People probably were accumulating debt without knowing it, because if you are on free and reduced and your kid doesn’t always choose the right things, that's a charge being accumulated,” Williams said.

According to Feeding America, 1 in 6 children in Montana face hunger. Data from the Kids Count Data Center shows that in the 2024–2025 school year, more than half of Montana households were eligible for free or reduced-price lunch.

As word spread about Livingston’s lunch debt, donations increased. Johnson said the district is now about $200 short of eliminating the remaining balances and expects the debt could reach zero within days.

Williams said the focus should remain on students.

“We as a community need to figure out a way to get them food to eat and not have that have negative repercussions on their family,” she said.

A Coroner’s Inquest into the death of R.J. Morin was held at the Valley County Courthouse Monday, February 23rd. Morin was shot and killed by McCone County Deputy Nick Skyberg on August 24, 2024, after Skyberg responded to a call at Roundhouse Point in Fort Peck, Montana.

A Coroner’s Inquest is a fact-finding investigation used to determine the who, when, where, and how a person died. A coroner’s jury consists of seven community members randomly chosen from the current jury pool.

Presiding over the proceeding was Sheriff Kiefer Lewis, Prairie County Sheriff/Coroner, with Valley County Attorney Dylan Jensen acting as a facilitator.

During the inquest, Valley County Sheriff Tom Boyer, Agent James Ward of the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI), and Deputy Skyberg all provided their testimony about the events that occurred. The jury was able to hear the 911 call, and they viewed a portion of Skyberg’s body cam footage. The jury was also provided copies of the post-mortem exam report, the toxicology report, ballistics information, and the investigative report completed by Agent Ward.

The jury retired to the jury room to review the information and returned just under two hours later with their conclusion – Deputy Skyberg was found not to be criminally responsible for Morin’s death.

Story credit: https://montanafreepress.org

With a March 1 deadline looming, data from the Montana Department of Revenue indicates that landlords for as many as three-quarters of the state’s rental housing units haven’t applied for an exemption that would shield their properties from hefty tax increases as the state’s new second-home tax is fully implemented on this fall’s tax bills.

Unless tens of thousands of landlords successfully apply in the coming days, long-term rental properties across the state could be hit with a double-digit increase on tax bills — an expense that could translate to steep rent hikes for tenants.

In a Monday email to Montana Free Press, revenue department spokesperson Jason Slead said the state agency is working diligently to get the word out about the March 1 application deadline.

“The Montana Department of Revenue is committed to ensuring every eligible property owner benefits from the reforms passed by the Legislature,” Slead wrote.

John Sinrud, the president of the Montana Landlords Association, said in a Monday interview with MTFP that he’s hearing from many landlords who are confused by the revenue department’s guidance materials.

Among other issues, Sinrud said some property owners are worried that reporting the business information required by the exemption application could expose them to legal liability if it doesn’t precisely match the income tax forms they file with a different branch of the revenue department.

“They don’t want to be brought up on some type of fraudulent charge,” Sinrud said.

Landlords can apply for the exemption at homestead.mt.gov, where forms ask for information on annual rental income, annual expenses and monthly rents. Tenants can also check their landlord’s application status via a lookup tool on the revenue department website.

The applications to exempt long-term rentals from higher tax rates are required as part of the second-home tax, passed by lawmakers and Gov. Greg Gianforte last year. That legislation sets higher default tax rates on residential properties, but reduces rates for properties that qualify either as owner-occupied principal residences or long-term rentals.

Supporters intended to offer tax relief for housing being used as homes for Montana residents, offsetting that relief with higher taxes on second homes and Airbnb-style short-term rentals.

In response to inquiries from MTFP, the revenue department said in a Feb. 19 email that it had received applications for long-term rental rate exemptions for about 19,100 properties associated with roughly 31,700 living units. Another 4,000 to 5,000 paper applications were still pending, the department said.

In comparison, data from the U.S. Census Bureau estimates that Montana has about 147,000 units of renter-occupied housing. If each of the pending paper applications represents one housing unit, that leaves about 110,000 renter households unaccounted for — nearly three-quarters of the state’s rental stock.

The census data doesn’t align precisely with the property designations the state uses for tax purposes, but revenue department officials, who have cited similar census data in the past while assessing the tax system, declined to provide MTFP with an alternate figure for the number of likely eligible rental properties. The state’s tax code hasn’t previously required the department to keep tabs on which residential properties are and aren’t being used as rental housing.

Sinrud, with the Montana Landlords Association, also said that the second-home tax law and department application materials don’t line up with some landlords’ specific circumstances, such as when people rent out rooms or housing units on the same property as their primary residence.

“There are dozens of different scenarios that this bill didn’t cover,” he said.

In contrast to rentals, the new law has automatically qualified most owner-occupied homes for “homestead” treatment after successfully applying for the property tax rebates issued by the state last year.

In response to questions from MTFP, the revenue department said that it had granted primary residence exemptions already to about 230,300 properties and had 9,076 more applications pending as of Feb. 19. Primary residences also face a March 1 application deadline.

Given the complexity of the state’s property tax system, it isn’t yet clear how tax bills will shift for individual properties that do or don’t qualify for lower rates. A preliminary analysis by the revenue department last year indicated that an average home that isn’t exempted from the second-home tax as a principal residence or rental could see its tax bill rise by 50% between 2025 and 2026.

The Montana Farmers Union responded to last week’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning the Trump administration’s tariffs saying the decision benefits small Montana ag producers.

In a statement issued Friday, Montana Farmers Union President Walter Schweitzer said he hoped the decision would embolden Congress to “do its job.”

“The damage that was caused by the tariffs outweighs the money collected in tariff dollars. We have lost customer relationships that we spent decades cultivating,” Schweitzer said. “Because of the illegal tariffs, our former customers will treat us as supplier of last resort and supplier of lowest price, and both our customers and our competitors have developed infrastructure and relationships that exclude the USA.”

The Montana Farmers Union had previously sought to join a lawsuit against the federal government, alleging Montana farmers were suffering “dire financial and mental impacts” from the tariffs.

The major ruling but the nation’s highest court has sparked anger from President Donald Trump and his administration, mixed reactions from Republicans in Congress.

None of Montana’s all-Republican congressional delegation responded to questions about the ruling, whether they support a new round of tariffs Trump has imposed, and whether they support congressional action to carry out Trump’s tariffs.

None of the delegation has posted responses on social media or put forward any public statements as of Monday afternoon.

New Year’s Day for many outdoor recreationists in Montana is March 1. This is the day everyone can buy their 2026 hunting and fishing licenses and apply for special draw licenses and permits. It’s also the day when recreationists need to renew their conservation license to support the state lands they use.

This year, hunters and anglers will see quite a few changes that are worth paying close attention to. These changes come from legislation passed by the 2025 Montana Legislature and new regulations adopted by the Montana Fish and Wildlife Commission.

Licenses for the 2026 license year can be purchased starting Sunday, March 1. If you plan on being in the field on that day, you can buy your license online here: https://ols.fwp.mt.gov/

Hunters and anglers buying their license in person at a local business will see some changes as FWP is transitioning to a License Ambassador program. This change will move all licensing sales to Montana’s online licensing system. This allows FWP to add additional businesses that would like to sell licenses and move away from the old point-of-sale systems that were unreplaceable and outdated.

As always, you can buy and apply for licenses online and at your local FWP office as well. Note that some businesses who used to sell licenses may not anymore. To find a License Ambassador, see the map: https://fwp.mt.gov/buyandapply/licenseproviders

Deer
Some of the biggest changes hunters will notice are with deer regulations. In December, the Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted several hunting district-specific changes to deer licenses and permits.

The commission also made some regulation changes aimed at protecting mule deer numbers and managing hunting pressure. These include:
Many Mule Deer B Licenses will be valid only on private land. Check your specific hunting district.
Residents can only hold up to three deer licenses, including their General Deer License. This is down from up to eight in past years.
Nonresidents continue to be limited to one Deer B License, unless they draw a combo license and then they can hold two.
Like always, make sure to read the regulations prior to buying or applying for any licenses or permits. The regulations for your hunting district may have changed.

Elk
Regulations changes approved by the commission include:
The quota of the 799-20 Elk License is 325. A second antlerless Elk B License will be available to any holder of an Elk Permit in hunting districts 702, 704, or 705, subject to the same restrictions in time, open areas, and limitations associated with the permit.
All Region 1 Elk B Licenses will only be valid on private land.

Black bear
The commission also established Black Bear Permits in two bear management units in FWP Region 5, south-central Montana. The deadline to apply for these permits is April 1. Hunters can also accrue bonus points for black bears.

Antelope
The quota of 900-20 Licenses (archery antelope) is 5,600. Region 3 is no longer in this bundle and was placed in its own pool with 500 licenses.• The Region 3 Antelope Archery Licenses are 399-20.
Bighorn sheep

Montana has five unlimited bighorn sheep hunting districts. This year those licenses will only be issued through a drawing.

Hunters applying for any unlimited opportunity will no longer participate in the bonus point program. This keeps hunters from spending their bonus points on an unlimited draw.

Upland Birds
The 2025 Montana Legislature passed a law that limits nonresident upland game bird hunting seasons. Starting in 2026, nonresidents hunting on public lands and privately owned lands that are a part of a hunting access program need to wait 10 days from the start of each respective season for all species of upland bird except mountain grouse. This includes pheasants and turkey seasons as well.
Shed Hunting

The 2025 Montana Legislature passed a law that implements a Nonresident Shed Hunting License for Montana’s Wildlife Management Areas (WMA). Additionally, this new law prohibits nonresidents from picking up antlers on WMAs for the first seven days they are open to the public in the spring. Most WMAs open to the public at 12 p.m. on May 15. However, some have different openings dates. Nonresident shed hunters must review the regulations for the WMA they are looking to visit. There are no changes for resident shed hunters.
A Shed Hunting License for nonresidents costs $50.

License and application fees
The 2025 Montana Legislature passed laws adjusting several license fees. The new fees are as follows:

Nonresident Base Hunting License fee increased from $15 to $50
Fee for resident and nonresident Crane and Swan License - $10 and $75 respectively.
Application fees $10 resident, $50 nonresident
Resident Migratory Bird License increased from $5.50 to $10
Increased Resident Upland Bird and Sportsman’s Combo License fees:
Upland bird from $7.50 to $10
Sportsman without Bear from $62 to $64.50
Sportsman with Bear from $77 to $79.50
Increased Nonresident Upland Bird (season and three-day) and resets combination license fees:
Upland Bird (season) from $110 to $127
Upland Bird (three-day) from $50 to $60
Big Game Combo to $1,312
Elk Combo to $1,112
Deer Combo to $760

Valley County Commissioner, District 1
Paul Tweten, incumbent, has filed to retain his seat (6-year term, through 12/31/2032)

Valley County Attorney
Dylan Jensen, incumbent, has filed to retain his seat (4-year term, through 12/31/2030)

Valley County Clerk and Recorder/Superintendent of Schools
Marie Pippin, incumbent, has filed to retain her seat (4-year term, through 12/31/2030)

Valley County Clerk of District Court
Tara Strommen, incumbent, has filed to fulfill the remaining two years of the term which she was appointed when Shelley Bryan retired (through 12/31/2028)

Other offices up for election this time are:

Valley County Treasurer, office currently held by Brenda Anderson,
Valley County Sheriff/Coroner, office currently held by Tom Boyer,
Valley County Justice Court Judge, office currently held by Christina Hillman
Valley County Public Administrator, office currently held by Sherri Turner.

The filing deadline for county offices is 5pm on Wednesday, March 4, 2026. Declaration for Nomination and Oath of Candidacy forms are available at the Clerk and Recorder’s Office or online at the Montana Secretary of State’s website.

The Caring Hands Project Smile Committee recently awarded $10,000 in funding to local organizations and individuals to help address basic human needs within the community.

Of the total awarded, Eastern Montana Community Mental Health Center (EMCMHC) received $5,000 to support its ongoing services. Milk River Inc. was granted $1,750, while the Giving Tree program through Elle Boutique received $600. The remaining funds were distributed to several individuals facing immediate personal needs.

According to the Project Smile Committee, awards to community organizations often support multiple projects, helping provide essential services and hope during times of hardship. In addition, the committee is able to make direct awards to individuals experiencing social and economic challenges, offering immediate relief when it is most needed.

Committee members emphasized that serving the community is both an honor and a privilege, made possible through the continued support of the local thrift store, whose proceeds fund Project Smile's efforts.

Project Smile's mission is to support the health, well-being and healing of community members through compassion and humanity. The organization aims to put smiles on faces and instill hope for the future by helping cover unexpected costs associated with basic human needs.

Four candidates so far have filed to run for the Montana Public Service Commission, and all are Republican.

Two seats are up for grabs, in Districts No. 1 and No 5.

District No. 1 is a huge but uneven swath of eastern Montana, and District No. 5 is an area in northwest Montana.

In District No. 5, Commissioner Annie Bukacek, also a medical doctor, will try to hold off challenger David Sanders. Bukacek is serving in her first PSC term.

Sanders previously served as the executive director for the Public Service Commission and works for the State Auditor’s Office.

In District No. 1, Commissioner Randy Pinocci is departing to run for the Montana Legislature, and Sen. Jeremy Trebas of Great Falls and Jeff Pattison of Glasgow will fight for the post.

Trebas, an accountant who owns Trebas Tax and Accounting, has served in the state House in 2017-18 and 2021-22 and in the Senate since 2023.

Pattison is the owner of Pattison Land and Livestock, according to his LinkedIn profile. Pattison also served in the House in 2001 and 2003.

The Public Service Commission regulates monopoly utilities in the state, including NorthWestern Energy. Its decisions affect people’s power bills, garbage service, and in some cases, ability to water lawns.

In August 2025, NorthWestern announced plans to merge with Black Hills Corp, and the potential $15.4 billion enterprise will be before the PSC in the coming months.

Commissioners are elected by district, and currently, all five are Republican. They earn a salary of $128,253.

A spokesperson for the Montana Democratic Party said Tuesday the party is actively recruiting candidates to run.

In at least the last 12 months, the PSC has been marked by infighting, including allegations of misconduct, a presidential demotion and changeover, a complaint to Gov. Greg Gianforte, and accusations of questionable financial management.

To support an independent candidate in 2024, a committee funded largely by a dark money group raised nearly $500,000, which was an anomalous amount for a PSC race.

A political analyst told the Daily Montanan the big spend was a sign of some dissatisfaction with the commission’s lack of interest in a more sustainable energy future.

However, independent Elena Evans lost to incumbent Republican and current PSC Vice President Jennifer Fielder despite that cash infusion.

Candidates have until March 4 to file for office.

Dreaming of a job as a boiler operator, dentist? Gov. Greg Gianforte wants to explore making the path into those the rest of the state’s 50 licensed professions easier for Montanans by streamlining licensing standards.

The catch? Getting professional associations and the state’s 176,000 licensed workers, many of whom like the rules the way they are, on board. To that end, the governor has assembled legislators, state agency heads and industry association representatives onto a Licensing Reform Task Force in an attempt to build support for licensing changes ahead of next year’s legislative session.

Gianforte, a Republican, has long argued that bureaucratic inefficiencies around the licensing process prevent many working age Montanans from finding jobs.

“We have 100,000 people sitting on the sidelines,” Gianforte said at the task force’s inaugural meeting on Feb. 10. “So you can help us with this. We can and must tear down barriers to employment to grow our labor force.”

The group hasn’t outlined which specific parts of the licensure system it hopes to modify, but its 28 members represent a total of 18 industry associations, indicating which professions will have a voice in drafting legislation ahead of the 2027 session.

That list includes dentists, funeral directors and contractors. Associations from the health care industry, ranging from nurses to pharmacists to physician assistants, make up the plurality.

The state offers 233 distinct professional licenses, grouped into roughly 50 professional categories. An additional 25,000 workers have state-issued independent contractor certificates, which will also be examined by the task force.

Industry associations that represent licensed professions have typically argued in recent years that strict licensure requirements ensure a well-qualified labor force. Free market advocates have countered with allegations that licensure boards gatekeep industries and prevent fair competition.

Gianforte made similar pushes to relax licensing requirements in recent legislative sessions with mixed success. Though he signed licensure reform bills in the 2023 and 2025, debate over some of those policies revealed deep divides over seemingly banal professional distinctions.

2025’s House Bill 218, which would enable optometrists to perform certain surgeries currently authorized for ophthalmologists, spurred rigorous debate. Its hearing in the House Business and Labor Committee lasted one hour and 45 minutes. In its Senate committee, the hearing lasted two hours.

One of the bill’s opponents, Rep. Courtney Sprunger, R-Kalispell, worried that letting medical professionals with less training expand their scope of practice would lead to worse patient care. She said during debate on the floor of the House of Representatives that she credits an ophthalmologist with saving her mother’s life.

“She had ocular melanoma. He was certified to diagnose that. He saved her life. Had it been someone else who didn’t know what they were looking for, she would have died,” Sprunger said.

But bill sponsor Ed Buttrey, R-Great Falls, argued the legislation permitted optometrists to perform only the procedures they had been trained in. He said the policy shift would increase rural health care access and accused ophthalmologists of gatekeeping.

“If you haven’t figured out what this is about, it’s about turf. The procedures proposed in this bill for optometrists are currently only performed by ophthalmologists in Montana, and these are the folks that are opposing the bill,” Buttrey said during the House floor debate. “So this is about competition.”

HB 218 ultimately passed the Legislature with bipartisan support and received Gov. Greg Gianforte’s signature on April 16, 2025.

During the 2023 session, Gianforte tasked Lt. Gov. Kristen Juras with cutting bureaucratic red tape to boost the private sector. She backed a package of 159 bills intended to streamline redundant laws and sunset outdated statutes, some of which addressed professional licensing. That year’s Senate Bill 166, for instance, exempted hair-cutters who worked in detention centers and prisons from needing a state barber license. House Bill 87 contained a more sweeping overhaul of reform across all public licensing boards. The Legislature passed about 90% of the 159 bills.

But, much to the governor’s dismay, a long line of dissenters picked apart his central licensure reform bill, House Bill 152, during its first hearing. The Montana Medical Association, for example, worried changes shifting licensing authority into the labor department bureaucracy would erode the authority of medical practitioners to review alleged misconduct by their peers.

Katiana Stutzer, representing the Montana Athletic Trainers Association, said it removed the wording that differentiates certified athletic trainers from nonlicensed professionals and other health care workers.

“Eliminating this title protection places the health and welfare of Montana citizens at risk while not increasing clarity or efficiency necessarily of the laws enacted to ensure Montanans have access to the highest level of quality health care,” Stutzer said.

Jack McBroom, representing electrical workers unions, said the bill reduced the qualifications necessary to be an electrician.

“We don’t need our homes burning down because someone that didn’t have the proper qualification, or do the test properly, failed to do their job and caused a fire,” McBroom said.

At a press conference a few days after the hearing, Gianforte called the industry opposition a “comment on human nature.”

“Everyone hates red tape unless it’s their red tape,” Gianforte said.

By the time the bill passed out of its first committee, amendments had slashed it from 234 pages to five. It ultimately died in the Senate.

Now the governor is courting workers and industry associations well before the session.

Jen Hensley, a longtime lobbyist who also advocated against the 2023 legislation, now sits on the newly created task force. She maintains that the licensing requirements currently on the books were put into place after careful consideration. She also said that the professional associations she lobbies for, including physician’s assistants, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists and optometrists, will want to retain control over their licensing process.

“They don’t want a bureaucrat deciding what a professional standard should be,” Hensley said.

Hensley also said she feels better about the new task force than she did about the governor’s push for reform in 2023.

“It’s doing what should have happened prior to the ‘23 session,” she said.

Task force chair Sarah Swanson, the commissioner of the state Department of Labor and Industry, said during its initial meeting that the task force will include four subcommittees, one focused on unwarranted barriers to entry and another on sunsetting outdated regulations. The other two will center on licenses in the construction and healthcare industries. Members of the task force also said they wanted a fifth subcommittee to examine professional requirements outside of those two fields.

In the past, Gianforte has created task forces in efforts to move the needle around challenging policy topics. He assembled a task force in 2022 to address affordable housing and another in 2024 to handle rising property taxes. Both produced packages of legislation that the governor and his allies shepherded through the legislative process.

Interested members of the public can submit comments or sign up to receive updates about the task force on a dedicated webpage. The group has its next full-group meeting set for April 13. It plans to present final recommendations to Gianforte in September.

Tuesday, February 17, was the first day of filing for County Offices! Filing will close on Wednesday, March 4, at 5pm.

The following Declarations for Nomination have been filed as of Tuesday:

Paul Tweten-Valley County Commissioner, District 1
Dylan Jensen-Valley County Attorney
Tara Strommen-Valley County Clerk of District Court (to fulfill her term through 12/31/2028)
Marie Pippin-Valley County Clerk and Recorder/Superintendent of Schools

2026 is also an election year for state and federal offices in Montana. Here are the filings for the Legislature and Statewide Offices.

United States Senator- Steve Daines-GOP
United States Senator- Kyle Austin-Libertarian

United States Congress District #2- Brian Miller-Dem
United States Congress District #2- Sam Lux

Montana Public Service Commission District #1- Jeff Pattison-GOP

Montana State Senate District #14- Eric Albus-GOP

Montana House District #28- John South-GOP

Montana House District #29- LInda Harmon-GOP

Montana House District #31- Lance Fourstar- Dem

Valley County Search and Rescue responded to an emergency call at 4:00 pm concerning individuals stranded on Fort Peck Lake who were unable to return to shore. Our team mobilized eight personnel and deployed the airboat, with three crew members aboard and five remaining on standby on land.

Local individuals with side-by-sides assisted in rescuing others stranded on a floating ice that had made it to shore. We appreciate the assistance provided in this successful rescue operation and express gratitude for the safe outcome. As a precautionary reminder, we advise exercising caution due to prevailing weather and ice conditions over the next couple of months.

Please prioritize your safety during these adverse weather conditions.

A man admitted in federal court last week to shooting a man dead on the Fort Peck Indian Reservation.

Ethan Louis Murphy, 27, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to counts of second-degree murder and possessing a firearm in furtherance of a violent crime. The homicide last year in Wolf Point spurred a massive search on the part of local and federal authorities, prompting officials to ask locals to shelter in place.

Murphy changed his plea on Feb. 11, at the federal courthouse in Great Falls. He is currently in custody at the Yellowstone County Detention Facility, with his sentencing scheduled for June of this year.

Late on the night of Sept. 28, 2025, Murphy approached two men in the parking lot of an Albertsons in Wolf Point. He had a pistol in his hand. One of two men drew a machete, and Murphy shot him in the head, killing him. Murphy then shot and wounded second man before leaving the area.

Surveillance footage of the shooting captured the voice of someone saying, “It was Ethan. It was Ethan,” according to court documents.

Officers with the Wolf Point Police Department responded to the shooting. Members of the FBI and Fort Peck Tribes Criminal Investigations soon joined in the investigation, collecting bullet casings at the scene. When investigators identified Murphy as the suspect, a search began that looped in the Roosevelt County Sheriff's Office, Wolf Point Fire Department, Indian Health Service staff, U.S. Border Patrol and Montana Highway Patrol.

Federal charges were filed against Murphy in December 2025. With the second-degree murder charge, Murphy was essentially accused of killing someone deliberately and maliciously, but not premeditatively. With his guilty plea, Murphy is facing a mandatory minimum of 10 years in federal prison.

Press Release from Main Street America:

www.mainstreetamerica.org

We are proud to announce the recipients of the 2025 Backing Small Businesses grant program, supported by American Express. This nationwide initiative has awarded 400 grants of $10,000 to locally significant small businesses across the country, helping them fuel growth and continue to make a meaningful impact in their communities.

The 400 grant recipients demonstrated both resilience and a strong local impact and vision for the future in their applications.

The Montana recipients:

Outlaw Diner | Columbia Falls, Montana
Mount Powell Tap Room | Deer Lodge, Montana
Glasgow Flower & Gift | Glasgow, Montana
Teal Dragonfly Creations | Glendive, Montana
Black Sheep Market | Glendive, Montana
Dear Potato | Helena, Montana
Door 804 | Miles City, Montana

A winter storm this afternoon and tonight will bring snow with strong west to NW winds that will create blizzard conditions over parts of northeast Montana. Strong northwest winds will continue on Wed with blowing snow creating whiteout conditions.

2026 is an election year in Montana with state and federal offices on the ballot. The filing for political offices starts today and ends March 4th.

There are several Valley County elected positions that will be on the ballot in 2026.

Valley County Commissioner: Paul Tweten
Valley County Sheriff- Tom Boyer
Valley County Clerk and Recorder- Marie Pippin
Valley County Treasurer- Brenda Anderson
Valley County Attorney-Dylan Jensen
Valley County Justice of the Peace- Christi Hillman

Tom Boyer told Kltz/Mix-93 that he plans to run for re-election in 2026.

At the federal level, Steve Daines is up for re-election as is Troy Downing and Ryan Zinke.

At the state level, all 100 seats in the Montana House of Representatives are up for election and 25 of the Montana Senate seats.

The Glasgow City Council will meet on Tuesday at 5pm in the Council Chambers of the Glasgow Civic Center.

Press Release from Prairie Ridge Village:

From sweet treats to something even sweeter…

Because of our amazing community and the generous hearts of our Prairie Ridge residents, $1,200 was raised to help cover school lunches for students in Glasgow, Nashua, Opheim, and Hinsdale.

Our residents understand the importance of showing up for the next generation.

We are so proud to be part of a community that cares this much. Thank you to everyone who made this possible.

Special Elections will be held in Valley County May 5th.

Fort Peck Rural County Water District, 3 – 4-year terms open, 6 candidates have filed:
Mary Kaercher
Ron Miller
Linda Parpart-incu
Debra Steffani
Josh Thompson-incu
Joe Yeoman-incu


North Valley County Water & Sewer District, Inc., 3 – 4-year terms open, 7 candidates have filed:
Jason Tyler Dickerson
Krystal Dickerson
Tristan Erb
DeLee Hustad-incu
Clinton Parsons-incu
Tina Peabody
Carmen Pedersen


Elections will be cancelled for Valley View Home Hospital District and the St. Marie Rural Fired District since the number of candidate filings for each district is equal to or less than the number of positions to be filled.

Montana Department of Labor and Industry Commissioner Sarah Swanson delivered 11 hand-knitted blankets from members of Veterans of Foreign Wars Fort Peck Post 3107 in Glasgow to the VA Hospital at Fort Harrison in Helena.

The blankets were created by local knitters with Post 3107 and sent as a gesture of honor and respect for veterans receiving care at the Fort Harrison VA Medical Center, part of the Montana VA Health Care System. Commissioner Swanson, who hails from northeast Montana, was asked by the Post to present the gifts on their behalf.

Christina Lundstrom, Chief of Stakeholders and Community Relations for the Montana VA Health Care System, accepted the donation during National Salute to Veteran Patients Week (February 8–14), an annual observance that encourages communities across the country to recognize and support veterans receiving care at VA facilities.

“Each blanket is a personal expression of gratitude to those who have served our nation,” Commissioner Swanson said. “My friends in Glasgow hope these gifts symbolize the warmth and appreciation the members of VFW Post 3107 have for those who receive them.”

Lundstrom said volunteer efforts like this have a real impact on veterans staying at Fort Harrison. “The knitted blankets not only provide physical warmth but also remind our veterans that their service is deeply appreciated and remembered in the community,” she said.

National Salute to Veteran Patients Week has been bringing volunteers and VA patients together since 1978, inviting individuals and groups to visit VA medical centers, deliver valentines and gifts, and show appreciation for veterans’ service.

The Montana Department of Transportation is reporting that ridership on Cape Air Airlines out of Glasgow is up 4% in 2025 compared to 2024.

In calendar year 2025 a total of 6,051 passengers used Cape Air Airlines out of Glasgow. This compares to 5,817 passengers in calendar year 2024.

The busiest month was September when 600 passengers used the airline out of Glasgow. The slowest month was February when just 305 passengers used Cape Air.

Gov. Greg Gianforte reminded Montana homeowners that they have until March 1 to apply for the 2026 “Homestead Reduced Rate” for property taxes on their primary home and long-term rentals.

“Recognizing the burden of rising property taxes, we worked with the Legislature to deliver permanent and meaningful property tax relief,” Gianforte said in a statement. “Thanks to our reforms, 80% of Montana homeowners saw lower property taxes last year.”

Properties that qualified for and received the 2025 property tax rebate will automatically qualify for the 2026 Homestead Reduced Rate if ownership has not changed and the property continues to be used as the primary residence.

Apply, verify
Montanans can verify enrollment or apply for the Homestead Reduced Rate and Long-Term Rental Reduced Rate by visiting homestead.mt.gov.

The news release said approximately 80% of property tax revenue from residential homeowners goes directly to local jurisdictions and the remaining 20% goes to the State of Montana, which returns the amount in full to help fund K-12 public schools throughout the state.

Beginning Dec. 1, 2025, Montana homeowners became eligible to apply for the Homestead Reduced Rate for the 2026 tax year.

To qualify, applicants must attest that they will own and live in their Montana home as their principal residence for at least seven months during 2026. When applying, homeowners will need to provide the property’s physical address, geocode, and the names and Social Security numbers of the property owners.

House Bill 231, sponsored by Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, established the Homestead Rate, which takes effect this year. The Homestead Rate is a new, lower property tax rate for long-term rentals and primary residences.

Additionally, the application period for the Long-Term Rental Reduced Rate is open. To qualify, properties must be rented to tenants as their residence for periods of 28 days or longer for at least seven months of the year. Applicants will need to provide the property’s physical address, geocode, owner information, and details on rental income and expenses.

In November, Gianforte announced that nearly 80% of homes will see a tax cut from the reforms, and 10% will see property taxes remain flat, the news release said. According to the Governor’s Office, the average savings for homeowners who saw a tax cut was more than $500, not including the up to $400 property tax rebate.

Senate Bill 542, sponsored by Sen. Wylie Galt, R-Martinsdale, establishes new, tiered tax rates to deliver property tax relief for Montanans for their homes, small businesses, farms, and ranches in 2025 and provided a property tax rebate for Montanans for their primary residence.

A lawsuit that alleges SB 542 is unconstitutional is pending.

Last year, more than 235,000 Montana homeowners claimed and received a property tax rebate, the news release said.

The Glasgow School Board met in regular session Wednesday night for its February meeting, approving several key action items.

Board members approved the purchase of a 2025 American Dreamliner 57-passenger bus at a cost of 396-thousand, 485 dollars. Funding for the purchase will come from the district’s bus depreciation account. The vehicle will replace an older cruiser that has logged one-and-a-half million miles. The newly purchased bus currently has 30-thousand miles.

The board also approved the addition of girls flag football as a non-sanctioned sport beginning in the fall of 2026. The district has been awarded a 15-thousand-dollar grant from the Arthur Blank Foundation to launch the program and will receive an additional 15-thousand dollars annually for the following three years.

While the sport is not currently sanctioned by the Montana High School Association, Glasgow High School Activities Director Mike Erickson says girls flag football is the fastest-growing girls sport in the nation. Twenty-six girls in grades eight through twelve have already expressed interest in participating.

In other business, trustees approved a cooperative sports agreement with the Opheim School District. The agreement will allow Opheim students to participate in all Glasgow sports programs except basketball and volleyball.

The board also accepted a recommendation to move to Bridged Health as the district’s new employee health insurance provider. The change will take effect for the 2026–2027 school year.

Current district enrollment stands at 750 students. That figure is down 26 students from last year and down seven students since the start of the current school year.

Superintendent Brenner Flaten also reported the district will need to address outstanding balances in the school food program. At this time, unpaid meal balances total approximately 10-thousand dollars.

In a notable break from President Donald Trump’s signature trade policy, several House Republicans joined Democrats in passing a resolution to terminate the president’s national emergency at the northern border that triggered tariffs on Canada just over one year ago.

The measure, passed 219-211, revokes Trump’s Feb. 1, 2025, executive order imposing tariffs on Canada, which he triggered under an unprecedented use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, or IEEPA.

Whether he has the power to invoke tariffs under the 1970s law is under review at the U.S. Supreme Court, which heard arguments in November. An opinion, still not released, has been expected for months.

Reps. Don Bacon, R-Neb., Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Jeff Hurd, R-Colo., Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., Thomas Massie, R-Ky., and Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., broke ranks with the GOP to join Democrats in rebuffing Trump’s levies on Canadian goods.

Ryan Zinke and Troy Downing voted against the resolution which would have terminated the President's tariffs against Canada.

Montana currently imports $6.8 billion annually from Canada including $5.1 billion in crude petroleum and $282 million in animal or vegetable fats, oils and waxes.

Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, was the only Democrat to vote against the resolution.

Two Republicans, Greg Murphy of North Carolina and Riley Moore of West Virginia, did not vote.

The House vote occurred less than 24 hours after three House Republicans delivered a rebuke to Trump and joined Democrats in blocking House leadership’s effort to extend a ban on bringing any resolutions to the floor that disapprove of the administration’s tariffs.

Trump’s centerpiece economic policy has drawn criticism over its on-again, off-again changes, causing uncertainty for business and costs passed along to consumers.

The vote also comes just days after Trump threatened to close a new bridge between Windsor, Ontario, and Detroit, Michigan, if Canada does not negotiate a new trade deal with the United States.

In a nearly 300-word post Monday on his platform Truth Social, Trump predicted that if Canada struck a deal with China, the eastern power would “terminate ALL ice Hockey being played in Canada, and permanently eliminate The Stanley Cup.”

‘Canada is our friend’
Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., the resolution’s lead sponsor, criticized Trump’s “manufactured emergency” regarding Canada.

“Canada isn’t a threat. Canada is our friend. Canada is our ally. Canadians have fought alongside Americans, whether it was in World War II or the war in Afghanistan,” Meeks said.

Meeks also said tariffs are costing his constituents up to $1,700 per year.

“That’s what this is about. It’s about American people and making things affordable for them,” Meeks said on the floor ahead of the vote.

Analyses from the Tax Foundation and Yale Budget Lab pin the average cost per household between roughly $1,300 and $1,750 from all current tariffs combined — not just import taxes on products purchased from Canada.

Fentanyl debate
Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., disagreed, arguing the cost amounted not to lost income but to drug overdose deaths attributed to illicit fentanyl.

“Who will pay the price? It’s a very sad thing to have (been) asked by this colleague of mine … because it’s important to remember, what is this resolution? This resolution ends an emergency related to fentanyl,” Mast said during pre-vote debate.

But U.S. Customs and Border Protection data from fiscal year 2023 to the present shows fentanyl seizures at the northern border dwarfed by the amount intercepted at the southwest border.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency identifies China as the beginning of the illicit fentanyl supply chain that moves through clandestine labs in Mexico and then into the United States.

Trump’s Feb. 1, 2025 executive order conceded that Border Patrol agents seized “much less fentanyl from Canada than from Mexico last year,” but claimed the amount seized at the northern border in 2024 was still enough to kill 9.5 million people.

The synthetic opioid “is so potent that even a very small parcel of the drug can cause many deaths and destruction to America(n) families,” according to the executive order.

Senate action so far
A handful of Republican senators have also rebuked at least one category of Trump’s emergency tariffs.

In late October, Sens. Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul of Kentucky, along with Alaska’s Lisa Murkowski, Maine’s Susan Collins and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, supported a joint resolution in a 52-48 vote to terminate Trump’s 50% tariffs on Brazilian products, including coffee.

The president declared a national emergency and imposed the steep tariff on Brazilian goods on July 30 after accusing Brazil’s government of “politically persecuting” its former far-right President Jair Bolsonaro for plotting a coup to remain in power in 2022.

The Senate vote marked a shift from two earlier efforts in April to stymie Trump’s tariffs, including a measure to terminate the president’s levies on Canadian imports.

School Elections will be held in May across Montana. The filing deadline for school board was earlier this week. Here are the slate of candidates for Valley County Public Schools:

Frazer School District has two seats open; five candidates have filed for a seat on this board:
Yancey Beston
Michael Cole
Chris Miller
Dorian M Talks Different
Angie M Toce

Glasgow School District also has two seats open; the two incumbents have filed to retain their seats:
Whitney Tatafu
Blaine White

Hinsdale School District has two seats open, as well; two candidates have filed to fill these seats:
Jess Korman
Jared Sloan

Lustre Elementary School has one open seat; the incumbent has filed to retain his seat:
Dawson Olfert

Nashua School District has two seats open; two candidates have filed to fill these seats:
Mykayla Lien
Patti Sibley

Opheim School District has two seats open; only one candidate has filed:
Alan Douglas Mason

indicates the candidate is an incumbent

Monday, March 2, is the deadline for write-in candidates to file for a trustee position on a school board. Candidates must file a Declaration of Intent with the school district clerk.

Big Sky Passenger Rail Press Release:

The Havre, MT Terminal Passenger and Freight Efficiency Project has been submitted for federal funding through the Federal Railroad Administration’s National Railroad Partnership Program. If awarded, this project would address a long-standing rail bottleneck by adding approximately six miles of a second mainline track east of the Havre station, separating freight inspections from the passenger platform and improving safety, reliability and on-time performance for both freight and passenger rail.

This is a strong example of collaboration, with Big Sky Passenger Rail, Amtrak and BNSF Railway working together to support rural mobility, national logistics, and the future of the Empire Builder route.

Total project cost is $51 million, including a $40.8 million federal request and $10.2 million in non-federal match.

The Valley County Comprehensive Child Find Screening will be held February 23- 24 at the First Lutheran Church in Glasgow from 9:00 a.m. until noon and 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

The screening is for all children from birth to school entry age. The purpose of this screening is to find children who may need special help and Irle School kindergarten registration.

The screening assessments include the following areas:
Hearing for children of all ages
Speech for children three years old and older.
Gross/Fine Motor Development
Concept Development

Each appointment will take approximately 1-1.5 hours. To make an appointment for the Child Find Screening please visit the Irle Elementary Facebook Page or the Glasgow Schools Website. You can also make an appointment by following the direct link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C054CAEAB2FA2FCC34-61481052-valley#/

The Valley County Health Department will be giving immunizations by appointment. Please call the VCHD in advance to make an appointment for your child's required school-entry immunizations at 406-228-6261 (Open 7:30 am - 6:00 pm M-Th)

It is mandated that children entering kindergarten have these immunizations prior to the start of school. Please bring your child’s immunization record and insurance card to the health department. No one will be turned away due to the inability to pay.

**ALL children who will be entering kindergarten in the Glasgow School District this fall are required to attend child find screening/registration. Glasgow Kindergarten students only: Kindergarten Registration can be completed at Child Find on laptops provided.

Valley County Sheriff Tom Boyer has announced that a Coroner’s Inquest will be held later this month in connection with the shooting death of Raymond Morin.

The inquest is scheduled for February 23rd at 9 a.m. at the Valley County Courthouse.

A coroner’s inquest is a formal legal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding a death. It aims to determine “how, when, where, and by what means” a person died.

The case stems from an incident on August 24th, 2024, when the Montana Division of Criminal Investigation began looking into a deadly shooting involving a McCone County Sheriff’s deputy.

According to the Montana Department of Justice, the deputy—working under contract in Valley County—was responding to a disturbance at the Roundhouse Point Campground around 9:19 p.m. While on the way, he encountered a man and a woman arguing beside their vehicle near mile marker 3 on Highway 117.

As the deputy got out of his patrol car, investigators say the male suspect, later identified as Raymond Morin, pulled a handgun and fired several shots at the deputy.

The female at the scene then moved aggressively toward the deputy, who used his Taser to subdue her.

Officials say Morin then advanced toward the deputy while still armed, and the deputy fired his duty weapon. A Valley County deputy arrived as shots were being fired, and both deputies immediately provided medical aid.

Morin died at the scene from his injuries.

The February 23rd inquest will publicly review the circumstances surrounding the shooting and determine whether the use of force was justified.

Roberto Orozco-Ramirez pleaded not guilty Monday to a federal charge of reentering the United States illegally in U.S. District Court in Great Falls.

The detention hearing arraignment lasted 10 minutes, with about two dozen people in attendance supporting Orozco-Ramirez, many wearing “Orozco Diesel” sweatshirts from his repair business in Froid.

Gathering in the lobby of Missouri River Courthouse, they made the trek up the stairs to a courtroom the Froid community is starting to get familiar with.

His supporters had driven almost seven hours from Froid, a town of about 200 people in the northeastern reaches of the state, to back one of their own. Among those who made the trek were three of Orozco-Ramirez’s sons.

Froid is a small community and a “family,” resident Keith Nordlund said on Monday, and Orozco-Ramirez’s arrest has caused frustration and confusion in the small community as to why immigration agents would come after a man who owns a crucial business in Froid and has no criminal record in Roosevelt County.

“I swear it was 20 below, and he was working on school buses to get them so they had heat so these kids could make it to an event,” Nordlund said. “You don’t see people do that.”

Orozco-Ramirez’s arrest by federal agents has put a spotlight on immigration in Montana and in the wake of massive deportation efforts by the Trump Administration. Across the state, municipalities have grappled with how to handle federal immigration agents in their towns, and many people have voiced their frustration with the tactics used by federal agents.

In the Froid area, it’s more common to see Border Patrol agents now, community members said, and Orozco-Ramirez’s arrest came after a significant operation that included plainclothes agents, according to court documents.

Court documents state two of Orozco-Ramirez’s brothers were arrested by Border Patrol agents, the first in March 2025 and second in July. It didn’t say if they were removed from the country.

Government lawyers told federal Judge John Johnston that Orozco-Ramirez represented a flight risk on Monday in court, though they did not give a reason. The federal government appeared to not be pursuing a second charge of threatening a peace officer, with Orozco-Ramirez’s lawyer, a public defender, saying it wasn’t on the indictment handed down by a grand jury.

Community members and family flowed out of the courthouse after the short hearing, talking among themselves and with reporters. Part of the frustration is with how Orozco-Ramirez has been portrayed by the federal government, which included allegations he was a criminal — despite also stating he had no criminal record — in a deposition by a Border Patrol agent based out of the Plentywood station.

The Roosevelt County Sheriff’s Office said Orozco-Ramirez never posed a threat to the community in a media release.

Sports and the school are binding factors in the community, and several people in attendance said their kids and the Orozco family had been on various sports teams together.

“We all have children, they have children all throughout the whole school, different ages,” Laurie Young said. “So pretty much the entire community is affected by this.”

Nordlund said they’re hoping for an Order of Supervision from U.S. Immigration officials, which would allow Orozco-Ramirez to stay in Montana.

“I know a lot of people asking what they can do to help,” Nordlund said. “Call the politicians. Call them. Call them, call them, call them, call them. Your local ones, the state level. Call, call, call.”

The Valley County Sheriff’s Office is pleased to announce it has been awarded $3,000 through AgWest Farm Credit’s Rural Community Grant program to be used towards the purchase of life-saving equipment for our deputies.

The funds granted to the Sheriff’s Office will directly benefit the local community by ensuring deputies are properly equipped and protected during critical calls for service.

“I am sincerely grateful to the AgWest team for their support in providing grant funding to the Sheriff’s Office for the purchase of new personal protective ballistic shields for our deputies. Previously, our office had only two such shields, both of which had exceeded their service life. Through this funding, each deputy will now be equipped with a ballistic shield that can be carried in their patrol vehicle and immediately deployed when a critical incident requires enhanced safety measures. The Sheriff’s Office will contribute an additional $1,600 to complete the purchase of this equipment.”
— Sheriff Boyer

AgWest’s Rural Community Grants provide funds to non-profit organizations for projects that improve rural communities within Alaska, Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. This includes efforts such as building or improving facilities; purchasing necessary equipment to facilitate a local program; and funding capital improvements which enhance a community’s infrastructure, viability and prosperity.

For more information about the Rural Community Grant Program, please visit AgWest Rural Community Grants.

The Glasgow Kiwanis Club recently presented Bring Up Grade (BUG) Certificates to 47 students at the Middle School in grades 6, 7, and 8 to those students showing improvement between the first and second grading periods.

Pictured in the sixth grade are Destanee Fischer, Laramie Hystad, Madison Sager and Mason Waarvik (Hattie Kalinski was absent) with Charles Wilson and Ben Wilson from Kiwanis.

Pictured in the seventh grade are Oakley Bietz, Lively Braaten, Marie Burkhart, Abygail Cole, Noah Cooper, Seth Esaias, Owen George, Aaron Gustafson, Sophia Kennedy, Jayce Knight, Layla Lonebear, Newton Moala, Ava Nickels, Amelia Odom, Genova Pang, Ashlin Turner, Aubrey Williams and Campbell Youngman, with Kiwanis members Brenner Flaten, Ben Wilson and Charles Wilson.

Pictured in the eighth grade are Bethany Bras, Kaydee Brown, Ransome Butterfield, Lilyanna Conley, Chloe Elliot, Ella Gilchrist, Callen Gutow, Brynlie Harris, Olivia Jackson, Elise Kirland, Tate Loftsgaard, Phoenix Marsh, Rueby Nixdorf, Ryker Nixdorf, Lucinda Proctor, Sophee Russell, Jacob Seekins, Finley Tatafu, Tucker Twitchell, Hunter VanderMars, Asher Wersal, and Hunter Wilson (absent were Beckett Doornek and Oliver Kemp) presented by Kiwanis members Brenner Flaten, Ben Wilson and Charles Wilson.

The Kiwanis provided ice cream, served by Builders Club students Guinevere Turner and Sam Thompson, along with Advisor Mrs. Nicole Boos and Principal Mike Zoanni. Builders Club co-Advisor Mrs. Laurie Enebo took the pictures, and the certificates were printed by the Chamber of Commerce.

Kiwanis is a community service organization affiliated with the Montana District of Kiwanis and Kiwanis International and also supports the Swim Team, Scouting, 4-H, Easter Egg hunt and other projects. Anyone wanting to join Kiwanis can contact any member for more information.

President Trump signed an executive order Friday that quadruples the amount of beef imported into the U.S. from Argentina under a new trade agreement with the South American country.

Argentina's Foreign Ministry wrote in a statement that the new agreement, which was signed Thursday, will "grant an unprecedented expansion of preferential access for Argentine beef to its market by 100,000 tons," representing an increase of "$800 million in Argentine beef exports."

Entitled "Ensuring Affordable Beef for the American Consumer," Mr. Trump's executive order said that domestic production capacity has failed to keep pace with increasing demand in recent years, leading to higher prices. The order notes that the cost of beef has soared, peaking at $6.69 per pound in December, according to the Federal Reserve. That is the highest level beef prices have reached since the Department of Labor started tracking prices in 1984.

"I determine that it is necessary and appropriate to temporarily increase the quantity of [beef] imports," the order says. "In addition, I determine that it is appropriate to allocate all of the increased in-quota quantity of beef, as established by this proclamation, to Argentina."

The order clears the way for the U.S. to allow the importation of an additional 20,000 metric tons of beef every quarter at a lower tariff rate until the end of the year.

The main group representing American cattle ranchers has said the increase in imports is a "misguided effort" and will damage the "livelihoods of American cattlemen and women, while doing little to impact the price consumers are paying at the grocery store."

In a statement in October, when plans for expanding imports were first reported, the National Cattlemen's Beef Association said it "cannot stand behind the President while he undercuts the future of family farmers and ranchers by importing Argentinian beef in an attempt to influence prices."

"It is imperative that President Trump and Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins let the cattle markets work," said Colin Woodall, the group's CEO.

Mr. Trump previously prodded cattle ranchers to "get their prices down" in an effort to bring relief to consumers.

"The Cattle Ranchers, who I love, don't understand that the only reason they are doing so well, for the first time in decades, is because I put Tariffs on cattle coming into the United States," Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social in October. "If it weren't for me, they would be doing just as they've done for the past 20 years — Terrible! It would be nice if they would understand that."

Under the new trade agreement, the U.S. plans to remove reciprocal tariffs on a variety of goods from Argentina, including pharmaceutical ingredients, and review other tariffs on steel and aluminum.

The trade deal could be a significant boost for Argentine President Milei, a key ally of Mr. Trump's.

"The deepening partnership between President Trump and President Milei serves as a model of how countries in the Americas, from Alaska to Tierra del Fuego, can advance our shared ambitions and safeguard our economic and national security," U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said.

Valley County Masonic Foundation announces the availability of grant funding for projects that benefit the communities and residents of Valley County. Grants will be awarded from the Valley County Masonic Endowment Fund, which was established at the Montana Community Foundation by the Nemont Manor Foundation, Inc. Applications for the 2026 grant cycle will be accepted from February 15 through March 31.

Applicants must be either a 501(c)(3) nonprofit or an exempt governmental unit. Grants will be up to $5,000. While grants must be used for projects benefiting communities or residents in Valley County, the grantee organization does not need to be based in Valley County. Only one application is allowed per organization.

Eligible projects must be within the following areas of interest: arts and culture, basic human needs, economic development, education, and natural resources and conservation. Ineligible projects include annual or capital campaigns, endowments, debt retirements, and religious, partisan, or sectarian activities. Grant requests are reviewed by the Nemont Manor Foundation.

The Valley County Masonic Endowment Fund was established with proceeds from the sale of Nemont Manor, an affordable housing facility in Glasgow, built more than 40 years ago and managed by the Valley County Masons. The Nemont Manor is now owned by Silver Tree Residential, a group that acquires, rehabilitates, and permanently preserves affordable housing units which were originally developed under HUD programs. Their goal is to ensure the long-term affordability of units for current and future residents.

In 2025, the Valley County Masonic Endowment Fund awarded $50,000 in grants to 13 organizations that benefit Valley County. These grants ranged from funding a CAN pathway and training program for high school students to emergency food assistance and senior services.

“These grants are about meeting real needs and investing in practical solutions that strengthen Valley County,” said Jim Rector, Secretary and Treasurer of the Nemont Manor Foundation. “Whether it’s helping students explore healthcare careers, supporting seniors, or improving community spaces, this fund allows us to give back in a way that will continue to benefit Valley County for generations.”

Learn more and apply at https://mtcf.org/grants/apply-for-a-grant/valley-county-masonic-endowment . Only online applications will be accepted. For questions, please contact Local Community Foundation Program Officer, Shyanne Wallace at 406-230-2785 or Shyanne@mtcf.org.

Local ranchers are stepping up to connect students with agriculture through the food they raise.
Glasgow, MT – The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance is kicking off a community-wide effort to bring locally raised, nutrient-dense beef into Glasgow schools through Glasgow Beef Into Schools. While the idea has been taking shape locally, this moment represents a coordinated step forward to build momentum, invite broader rancher involvement, and support the long-term success of the effort. At its heart, this work connects local ranchers directly with local students through the food they produce.
RSA is grateful for the opportunity to take a leadership role in this next phase and comes into the effort with strong footing. Having helped fully stock the Malta and Saco school systems with the beef needed for successful school years, RSA is now bringing that experience to support a similar outcome in Glasgow.
Local Accolades
The early groundwork for Glasgow Beef Into Schools was led by Roubie Younkin and Whitney Tatafu, whose initiative and persistence helped get the effort started and moving forward.
Strong school involvement has been essential. Katie Potter, Food Service Coordinator for the Glasgow school system, has played a key role by committing to the use of local beef in school meals. While this decision does add logistical work, her willingness to take that on reflects a deep commitment to student health and community values. The effort has also been supported by Brenner Flaten, Superintendent of Glasgow Schools, whose openness and encouragement have helped move the work forward.
Support from the agricultural community is already taking shape. Cody Cornwell of the Glasgow Stockyards has donated the first animal to the effort, setting an early example of participation. Bill Webb, a local cattle buyer, has also volunteered his time to assist with purchasing animals at the stockyards for those who wish to contribute financially.
How It Works
Ranchers can support the effort by donating a beef animal. Once an appropriate number of cattle are ready for transport, Glasgow Stockyards will serve as the drop-off location, with Producer Partnership, a nonprofit USDA-inspected facility, handling transport and processing at no cost. This approach helps reduce barriers for participation while ensuring the beef is processed safely and efficiently for school use.
Community members who do not raise cattle can participate by donating cash toward the purchase of an animal or by purchasing an animal outright to donate to the schools, with local support available to help facilitate the process. This is true throughout the year as well as during the Northeast Montana Fair.
Anyone interested in donating beef or contributing financially can contact Mary Oxarart at Ranchers Stewardship Alliance at 406-654-1405 or moxarart@ranchstewards.org.
All beef provided to the schools will be used as ground beef to meet school meal needs. Donors may retain specific cuts from an animal if desired.
Real Needs. Real Impact.
The Glasgow schools require approximately 14 animals per year to meet their needs. Due to storage limitations, 4 to 5 animals can be handled at a time. The first batch of animals is anticipated to be ready for processing this fall, though donations will be accepted this spring if cattle are ready sooner. With the first animal already donated, the focus is now on building the initial group needed to move the effort forward.
Each contribution helps provide healthy meals for students while strengthening relationships between schools, ranchers, and the broader community. As this work continues, RSA is also open to assisting other schools in Blaine, Phillips, and Valley Counties that may be interested in developing similar local beef efforts. By sharing lessons learned and supporting local leadership, the goal is to help more communities bring locally raised beef into school meals.
Looking Ahead
This effort is about more than food. It is about building community, supporting food security for local youth, and creating meaningful connections between students and the people who raise their food. Agriculture continues to be the backbone of rural communities, and this work reflects a shared commitment within the industry to support and invest in the next generation.
As part of this broader vision, RSA, with support from Roubie Younkin at Valley County Extension and Hayley Young at the Valley County Conservation District, is planning an Ag Education Day this fall. Valley County third and fourth graders will take part in a hands-on day of agricultural learning that connects classroom lessons to real-world experience and builds appreciation for local agriculture.
Together, these efforts reflect a shared commitment to celebrating agriculture, supporting local families, and strengthening the ties that hold rural communities together.
Those interested in getting involved are encouraged to reach out.

Story credit: https://www.northernag.net/

The popular CattleFax Outlook Seminar, held as part of CattleCon 2026 in Nashville, Tennessee, shared expert market and weather analysis this week.

“The U.S. cattle and beef industry enters 2026 with strong but volatile market conditions, as historically tight cattle supplies, record-setting beef demand, and elevated policy and weather uncertainty continue to support prices, even as markets appear to near cyclical highs. Tight inventories and exceptional demand remain the dominant forces shaping the market; however, producer demographics, high input costs, and policy uncertainty point to a slow and measured expansion phase,” said Mike Murphy, CattleFax chief operating officer.

Economic, Energy, and Feed Grain Outlook
Shifting the discussion to an outlook on the economy, energy and feed grains, Troy Bockelmann, CattleFax director of protein and grain analysis, noted that inflation continued to moderate in 2025, ending the year at 2.7% CPI growth and spending most of the year below 3%, the lowest since 2020-2021. With inflation relatively low, the U.S. Federal Reserve lowered interest rates in 2025, finishing the year with the Prime Rate just below 7%, which is still relatively high relative to the 3% level seen from 2009 to 2021.

“After several years of navigating economic turbulence, the U.S. is finally entering 2026 with a macro-economic foundation that feels steady and more predictable,” said Troy Bockelmann. “Moderating inflation, improving monetary policy, and strong consumer spending are reinforcing the sense of stability across the industries we serve.”

U.S. corn production reached a record 186.5 bu/acre in 2025, driving total output to 17 billion bushels from 98.8 million planted acres. Competitive prices and ample supply are expected to boost exports in 2026. With a 13.6% stocks?to?use ratio, corn prices should stay in the $4–$5/bu range.

CattleFax shared that U.S. hay production increased slightly in 2025 to about 123 million tons. Hay prices are expected to average around $145/ton in 2026. On the energy front, Bockelmann said that energy supply should remain adequate, keeping prices low and rangebound for diesel, natural gas and oil. When taking a look at competing proteins, pork and poultry markets are expected to see modest growth in 2026.

Cattle Markets: Strong Fundamentals, Shifting Dynamics
Kevin Good, vice president of market analysis at CattleFax, reported the U.S. beef cow herd decreased 280,000, while dairy cow inventories increased by 190,000 head.

Cattle availability will remain constrained in the first half of 2026 due to limited feeder cattle supplies. Fed slaughter is projected to decline by 600,000 head, primarily early in the year, and non-fed slaughter is expected to remain historically tight at 5.6 million head. Total commercial beef production is projected to decline again in 2026, albeit at a slower pace than in 2025. With imports up 5% and exports down 5%, U.S. per-capita beef supplies are forecast 0.2 lbs. larger in 2026 to 59.2 lbs., the largest since 2010.

Retail beef demand remained historically strong in 2025, with record retail prices supported by steady consumption and exceptional product quality. Consumer preferences continue to favor high-protein, nutrient-dense foods, reinforcing demand even as higher prices move through the supply chain.

“With 84% of fed cattle grading Choice or higher and 12% grading Prime, the industry is well positioned to sustain premium pricing,” Good noted. “Beef demand continues to be anchored by exceptional quality and strong consumer confidence in beef as a premium protein. Even as markets adjust and trade flows shift, the fundamentals supporting long-term beef demand remain solid.”

Price Outlook for 2026
Cattle and beef prices are forecast to average steady to higher in 2026, with risk increasing later in the year as markets anticipate larger supplies in 2027.

Cow-calf producers are expected to retain the strongest leverage as the cycle turns, supporting continued profitability for several more years. CattleFax forecast the average 2026 fed steer price at $224/cwt., steady from 2025. All cattle classes are expected to trade higher, with 800-lb. steer prices expected to average $335/cwt., and 550-lb. steer prices averaging $440/cwt. Utility cows are expected to average $155/cwt., with bred cows at an average of $4,000/head.

2025 USDA All-Fresh Retail Beef prices are expected to average $9.25/pound, however, the continued increase in retail prices has CattleFax predicting consumer resistance to further price increases, even as demand is supported by a strong economy, beef quality and dietary focus on protein.

“As we look ahead, several factors will shape the trajectory of the beef industry. The potential threat of New World Screwworm and the status of Mexican feeder cattle imports is something we’re watching closely,” Murphy said. “At the same time, shifts in packing capacity are rebalancing market leverage. Finally, the dairy industry will continue to be a growth industry supplying more cattle to the beef industry, following strong financial performance in 2025.”

Despite near-term volatility, the long-term outlook remains positive. Strong domestic demand, improving beef quality, and sufficient packing capacity are expected to continue supporting profitability for the cow-calf sector as the industry moves into the next phase of the cattle cycle.