Think your dog makes you safer in bear country? The data says otherwise.

New analysis of more than 300 bear encounters suggests our canine companions often increase odds of conflict and rarely serve as early warning systems many recreationists assume.

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Tax increase, cash reserves will cover new expenses in 2027 Great Falls budget

The vote on the coming year's budget was split over accusations that city commission pay increases weren't transparent.

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Yellowstone Co. data center petition sidelined by new past-tense deadline.

Signature gatherings planned to qualify for the November ballot next week. Yellowstone County Attorney now says the deadline passed weeks ago.

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A judge’s decision opens the door to a long-sought tribe-fed agreement.

3 Things to Know: federal lawsuits and local law enforcement on the Northern Cheyenne Reservation

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Eastern Montana tar sands pipeline hits stumbling block

State environmental regulators are requiring more information in the permit application for the Bridger Pipeline that would run through eastern Montana.

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Montana Democrats roiled by Bankhead-or-Bodnar question

State party leaders get legal advice. Bankhead and Bodnar meet privately.

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Some Missoula neighborhoods can be as much as 20 degrees hotter than others.

A new heat map of Missoula County reveals temperature variations of as much as 20 degrees between areas with and without tree cover.

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On the Blackfeet Reservation, families learn to search for their own missing relatives

As Indigenous people go missing and are murdered at disproportionately high rates, families learn forensic skills to find their own loved ones.

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Angling restricted on two dozen rivers in Montana, Yellowstone National Park

As temperatures rise and streamflows fall, government officials partially or fully close regional blue-ribbon trout streams to fishing.

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Dropout pressure builds in Montana U.S. Senate race

Montana's Aug. 9 U.S. Senate withdrawal deadline is approaching as Alani Bankhead and Seth Bodnar each face calls to exit the race.

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Which Montana counties have the most — and least —  video gambling machines per person?

Montana had about 16,500 state-licensed video gambling machines, or one for every 69 residents, in fiscal year 2026.

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New grizzly rule promises state control. What does it actually do?

The Trump administration is returning grizzly management to states even while the species retains Endangered Species Act protections. Supporters call it a pragmatic step toward recovery. Critics say t...

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Helena to seek voter approval for additional firefighters and police officers Helena to seek voter approval for additional firefighters and police officers

If voters approve the levy, property owners with homes valued at $300,000 would see their tax bill increase by $134 per year. Property owners with homes valued at $600,000 would have a tax increase of...

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What a data center costs, and where the money lands

UM’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research estimates about 10% of a data center’s total cost would go toward Montana jobs and goods.

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EPA continues efforts to remove lead-contaminated soil in East Helena

About 200 properties will be excavated this summer as part of the ongoing cleanup of the former smelter site.

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Federal project aims to restore Greater Yellowstone’s whitebark pine forests

Disease-resistant trees and climate-refugia mapping are driving ambitious plans to bring back iconic, threatened alpine tree.

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How American is your hamburger?

Why some Montana ranchers still want mandatory country-of-origin labels.

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Bozeman officials oppose proposed sale of downtown federal building, seek transfer to city government

The federal government says the sale of the historic building is needed, in part, to save money on deferred maintenance.

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What Montana’s Sheep Creek and Blue Copper mine proposals show about shifting federal reviews

Environmental reviews for the critical minerals projects are advancing under a changing federal landscape.

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Behind Glacier’s first fatal bear attack in almost 30 years

Investigators found that a man killed in Glacier Park this spring likely surprised a grizzly while hiking after dark.

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Missoula moves closer to statewide green power program

If approved by regulators, the voluntary program would let NorthWestern Energy customers subscribe to renewable electricity generated in Montana.

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Where is Montana’s highest demand for temporary foreign workers?

Madison and Gallatin counties accounted for 41% of temporary foreign-worker positions and 71% of those outside the agricultural sector in fiscal year 2025.

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New wolf estimate could reshape Montana’s hunting season

Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks proposes limiting wolf hunt after new population estimate shows radically lower wolf numbers.

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Ellsworth guilty verdict thrown out

Jurors were inadvertently given unintroduced exhibits by court staff regarding the scheduling of potential key witness Bryce Eggleston.

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Little Shell housing project gets approval from Great Falls officials

Once known as the "landless Indians," the tribe aims to build 115 homes, adding to a growing portfolio of completed and prospective real estate projects around Great Falls.

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Jury finds Ellsworth guilty of official misconduct

Jury deliberations took nearly four hours and left the Hamilton Republican potentially facing a six-month jail sentence. Sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 10.

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Montana is selling more state trust land than it’s buying

It’s been nearly a decade since the Land Board has purchased new trust land under the state’s 23-year-old ‘land banking’ program.

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New grizzly bear rules renew debate over Endangered Species Act protections

New federal rules would shift more management authority to states, raising questions about the future of one of America's most recognizable conservation successes.

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Federal support in question at Great Falls' popular interpretive center

The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center remains a big tourism draw, but its three remaining full-time employees are set to leave with no current plan to replace them.

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Yellowstone salmonfly hatch offers clues to fisheries' future

Scientists are studying changes to Yellowstone's iconic aquatic insect hatches and what they could mean for trout, river ecosystems and the region's fishing economy

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