Gov. Greg Gianforte on Thursday issued an executive order declaring a wind disaster in Montana.

The order authorizes the use of state government resources, including funding, to address needs arising from an extreme wind event across the state this week.

On Wednesday, communities throughout the state experienced a severe high-wind event, with sustained winds near 65 miles per hour and gusts nearing 100 miles per hour battering Montana.

Glasgow recorded a record high wind gust for December of 78 miles per hour. Glasgow also received 4.4 inches of snow as the result of the blizzard.

Ravalli, Wheatland, Mineral and Flathead counties as well as the cities of Hamilton and Harlowton have enacted emergency declarations and city, county, state, and tribal personnel are working to remove debris, the governor said in a press release.

Additionally, the Montana Disaster & Emergency Services State Emergency Coordination Center is activated and expects to receive declarations of emergencies from additional local and tribal jurisdictions as a winter storm cell continues to move through central and eastern Montana.

NorthWestern Energy crews and contractors were working to restore service to more than 35,000 customers who experienced a power outage Wednesday, the utility said in a news release.

NorthWestern said crews were working “as quickly and safely as possible.”

Strong winds across Montana have caused power outages and interruptions to communications infrastructure, NorthWestern said.

Some customers who called NorthWestern’s “Customer Care” line earlier may have experienced dropped calls due to these conditions.

NorthWestern said safety is the top priority: “Please stay away from all downed or damaged power lines.”

The utility also advised people to use extreme caution and check for any power lines that may be hidden beneath debris when clearing out from the windstorm.

NorthWestern also provided the following information:

Customers experiencing outages are asked to report them:

Online at https://www.northwesternenergy.com
Or call 888-467-2669
For the most up-to-date outage information, visit:

https://www.northwesternenergy.com/outages/outage-map

Glasgow National Weather Service:

Strong to dangerous wind gusts are expected today into Thursday morning. Winds will be strongest during the late afternoon and early evening hours today. Rain will transition to snow in the late afternoon and early evening with blowing snow and blizzard conditions.

Story from Montana Free Press:

Nick Vertz suspected calm weather wouldn’t soon return after last week’s high-speed wind event that recorded 101-mph winds in Glacier County. The Billings-based National Weather Service forecaster said Montanans should expect exceptionally strong gusts Tuesday night and Wednesday.

“I joke that the weather’s just playing catch up with how mild of a fall and start to the winter we had,” Vertz told Montana Free Press on Tuesday.

Nearly the entire state is under an official high-wind warning, meaning the weather service expects wind speeds of 58 mph or greater. While the official warning status may vary by region, the weather service anticipates the strong winds will move west to east through late Wednesday evening.

Winds aloft, higher altitude gusts that generally exceed wind speeds on the surface, are both unusually powerful and relatively low in altitude. Vertz says high-speed winds aloft blowing downward is the result of warm weather.

“You can think of it as pushing those strong winds aloft down to reach the surface,” Vertz said.

Though much of Montana experienced a similar strong-wind pattern last week, Vertz said this system is a statewide event and that the weather service has “more confidence in those stronger winds to occur just all across the board.”

With gusts coming out of the northwest, Vertz advised caution for drivers headed north or south, who would likely experience the “full brunt of those crosswinds.”

Montana’s most recent experience with a major wind event on a similar scale occurred in January 2021, according to Vertz.

Ongoing flooding in northwest Montana makes the area particularly vulnerable to high-wind hazards, like saturated soil around tree roots, according to Bryan Conlan, a weather service meteorologist based out of Missoula.

“Anywhere within western Montana at this point, with these strong to damaging winds, trees could blow over,” Conlan said.

Gov. Greg Gianforte on Wednesday requested President Donald Trump issue a presidential disaster declaration in response to the flooding in the northwest part of the state.

As even more ocean moisture makes its way from the Pacific Northwest into Montana via “atmospheric rivers,” precipitation is likely to continue in western Montana.

“One of the differences between this and the prior system is there will be a very strong cold front that’ll be coming along,” Conlan said.

A cold front on Wednesday will mix with moisture from the atmospheric river, producing a combination of rain and snow. Cold air also leads to winds aloft descending, resulting in strong wind across high elevations in western Montana. On Monday night, winds in Glacier National Park reached almost 100 mph.

“This is going to be a fairly strong event,” Conlan said.

A Sand Springs woman accused of tampering with drugs at a local health care center admitted to charges this week, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

The defendant, Kailyn Marie Smotherman, 35, pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with consumer products. Smotherman faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and at least 3 years of supervised release.

U.S. District Court Judge Susan P. Watters presided and will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. Sentencing is set for April 15, 2026. Smotherman remains released with conditions pending further proceedings.

The government alleged in court documents that on January 19, 2023, Kailyn Marie Smotherman was discovered to have been tampering with controlled substances at the Garfield County Health Center in Jordan, Montana, where she worked as the Director of Nursing. Staff at the facility entered Smotherman’s locked office to retrieve a narcotics log and noticed several suspicious items, including hospital stock narcotics, an IV pole, tourniquets, needles, IV equipment, replacement vial caps, replacement medication labels, and what appeared to be blood on many surfaces. During a subsequent search of the office, staff and law enforcement found numerous vials of fentanyl that had been tampered with (caps removed and replaced) or had been emptied. They also discovered other controlled substances that had been replaced.

Staff reported concerns patients may have received saline solution instead of pain medication in the months preceding the incident.

A forensic chemist with the Food and Drug Administration conducted an analysis of the containers confiscated from Smotherman’s office and concluded the controlled substances had been tampered with and adulterated.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case. The DEA, FDA and Garfield County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

Northern Plains Independent:

Roosevelt County received more funds from oil revenue in the second quarter, April through May, than it did in the year’s first quarter.

For the second quarter, the county received $731,922.24 compared to $657,800 in the first quarter. Roosevelt County had $4,109,220.71 in collections, and the state returned $1,878,324.52 to Roosevelt County entities.

In the second quarter, the State of Montana returned $67,452.39 to Valley County entities on collections of over $131,000.

Richland County topped the state with $16,067,789.05 in collections.

Fallon County ranked third, behind Richland and Roosevelt, with $3,784,735.71 in collections.

Of the collections for Roosevelt County, the Bainville School District received $612,165.53.

The Culbertson School District received $126,047.93.

Amounts for other school districts in the county were Poplar at $15,260.32, Froid at $10,382.61, Wolf Point at $4,147.08 and Brockton at $982.58.

Other funds included $186,517.62 for elementary retirement, $138,432.52 for high school retirement and $51,466.09 for countywide transportation.

Roosevelt County Commissioner Gordon Oelkers noted that Phoenix Energy has joined Kraken Oil as a major player in the county. Companies have been gaining rights for section units which cover four miles.

Interest is running from the Missouri River to McCabe south to north, and from the Big Muddy River to the North Dakota border west to east.

“That’s where all the spaces are,” Oelkers said.

There seems to be a large increase of interest in the Culbertson area.

“If oil stays at least $60 a barrel, it will keep rolling,” Oelkers said of activity.

He hopes for a “slow, constant” growth in the area.

Glasgow Elks Lodge #1922 held their Hoop Shoot on December 7, 2025, at the Glasgow High School gymnasium.

The Elks Hoop Shoot is a free-throw program for youth ages 8-13. The program is open to students from Malta, Saco, Hinsdale, Glasgow, Nashua, Lustre, Opheim and Frazer.

27 Students ranging in those ages participated in the Hoop Shoot. The winners will be eligible to attend the District contest in Sidney on January 10, 2026. Those winners at district will advance to the State finals in Livingston, which will be held February 14, 2026. Regional finals will be held in Rapid City, SD on March 7, 2026, with the National finals concluding the Hoop Shoot on April 18, 2026, in Chicago.

This program could not happen without Elks members to coordinate, volunteers to assist, and the Glasgow High School for the use of the gym. Thanks to Ed Stein, Scott Cassel and Sam Waters – Elks Hoop Shoot Committee and Michael Erickson – Glasgow Athletic Director.
Glasgow Elks #1922 would like to thank the various Elks officers, members, and community volunteers who stepped up to give these kids a great Sunday afternoon- Theresa Hubbell, Max Knodel, Marisa Brockmier, Barry Gilman, Steve Long, Robyn Cassel, Sally Stein, John Pankratz, Jim Childress, Tim Ryan, Karen Breigenzer, Judy Waters, and Corie Love.

The winners are (from left to right): 8 – 9 Boys, Tenzin Gonzales – Nashua; 10 – 11 Girls, Kila Tatafu – Glasgow; 8 – 9 Girls, Aurora Markle - Glasgow; 10 – 11 Boys, Eli Love – Glasgow; 12 – 13 Boys, Tate Allestad – Opheim and 12 – 13 Girls, Amelia Odom – Glasgow.

Montana law enforcement is increasing patrols near you this holiday season.

With holiday celebrations underway, law enforcement agencies across Montana are increasing patrols to help keep our travelers safe.

Every impaired-driving crash impacts real people, including our neighbors, families, and friends. The most recent verified crash data from 2023 shows that 34% of fatal crashes involved an alcohol-impaired driver. Preventing these crashes and fatalities starts with personal responsibility.

“Please plan ahead, and don’t drive if you’re impaired,” said Valley County Undersheriff Chris Richter. “We will be increasing our presence on Montana’s roadways to help keep everyone traveling across the state safe.”

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) is supporting local law enforcement agencies through overtime funding provided statewide. Increased patrols will continue through New Year’s Day.

Vision Zero

This is a Vision Zero message from MDT. This and other enforcement and educational campaigns are strategies to reach Vision Zero – zero deaths and zero serious injuries on Montana roadways. For more information about Vision Zero, contact Kevin Dusko, MDT State Highway Traffic Safety Supervisor, at 406-444-7411.

To request an alternative accessible format of this document, please contact MDT’s ADA Coordinator at 406-444-5416, Montana Relay Service at 711, or by email at mmaze@mt.gov .

The Glasgow City Council met in regular session on Monday.

Action items at the meeting:

New City Council members Kristi Brabeck and Darcia Shindler were sworn in as members of the Glasgow City Council. The two new members will take office on January 1st and will serve 4-year terms. Brabeck and Schindler replace Dan Carr and Doug Nistler on the council. Nister is retiring after 8 years and Carr was defeated in the November election by Brabeck.

Current council member Stan Ozark was also sworn in for a new term and will begin his 4th four-year term on the council in January.

Glasgow Mayor Rod Karst was sworn in for another 4-year term and will begin his 5th year as Glasgow Mayor in January.

The Council also approved hiring Robert Rodriguez for the open Water/Wastewater Operator Position and Scott Runnigen was hired as the Cemetery Caretaker position.

City Judge Tasha Morehouse-Mix was reappointed as the Glasgow City Court Judge for another 4-year term effective January 1, 2026.

The Powerball jackpot has surged to a staggering $1.25 billion after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Monday night.

The jackpot for Wednesday’s drawing is now the second-largest Powerball prize this year, lottery officials said.

It also marks only the second time in Powerball history that the game has generated back-to-back billion-dollar jackpots.

The jackpot rolled after no ticket matched all six numbers — white balls 23, 35, 59, 63, 68 and red Powerball 2 — drawn on Monday night.

Two tickets, sold in Arizona and California, matched all five white balls to win $1 million prizes.

If you were to win the Powerball Jackpot, you would choose between taking a lump sum payment of an estimated $572 million or take the annuity option spread over 30 years at $41.7 million per year.

As a Montana resident you would have to pay federal and state taxes on your winnings.

With the lump sum payment, the federal tax bill would be an estimated $212 million. The Montana tax would be an estimated $25 million. After taxes, you would walk away with $335 million.

If you were to take the annuity option, your gross annual payment would be $41.7 million per year for 30 years. $18.3 million would be taken in Federal and Montana taxes every year giving you an estimated $23.4 million every year for 30 years.

Of course you would have to win before you can even consider the tax implications. The odds of winning the Powerball Jackpot are considerable. 1 in 292,201,338 are the odds of you winning this jackpot.

Two Mexican men who entered the United States illegally were each sentenced last week to 39 days in prison, U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme said.

Victor Manuel Uribe Luna, 35, and David Suarez-Olivera, 45, each pleaded guilty in November 2025 to one count of illegal reentry.

Chief U.S. District Judge Brian M. Morris presided.

The government alleged in court documents that on November 2, 2025, law enforcement officers conducted a traffic stop off U.S. Highway 2 near Malta. The vehicle contained three individuals, only two of whom initially presented identification.

The driver was identified as Victor Manuel Uribe Luna and he presented a California Driver’s License as identification. Two passengers were also present in the vehicle, one of whom was identified as Suarez-Olivera. All three subjects were found to be present in the country illegally.

A records check found that Uribe Luna was formally removed from the United States on January 13, 2021, and he does not have legal documentation to enter, pass through, or remain in the United States.

A records check found that Suarez-Olivera was formally removed from the United States on January 26, 2006, and is likewise prohibited from re-entering the country.

During processing, both defendants acknowledged being citizens and nationals of Mexico without legal documentation to enter, pass through, or remain in the United States. They further acknowledged crossing the international boundary illegally without inspection by an Immigration Officer at a designated Port of Entry.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted the case. U.S. Border Patrol and Phillips County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation.

Press Release from Phillips County Sheriffs Office:

At approximately 2230 hours on Friday, December 12th, the Phillips County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call regarding a domestic disturbance at the Cedar View Apartments in Malta.

Upon arrival, PCSO Deputies located all of the parties involved and it was discovered that two of the male subjects had obtained lacerations and stab wounds. After medical evaluation, the injuries were determined not to be life threatening and the subjects were later released from the hospital after receiving treatment.

A male subject has been arrested and charged with Assault with a Weapon and Aggravated burglary charges in connection to this incident. The resulting investigation determined that this incident was isolated to the parties involved, and that there is no threat to the public. The investigation is still on-going in order to determine the events that lead up to the incident.

Our office would like to thank the community members that promptly reported this incident to law enforcement, as it allowed Deputies to be dispatched and arrive on scene within minutes of the incident taking place.

Governor Greg Gianforte last week announced Montana’s unemployment rate was at 3 percent in September, marking the twelfth straight month under 3 percent and over four consecutive years of unemployment at or below 3.4 percent, a new record.

Due to the federal government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics delayed the release of monthly unemployment numbers for states. Data for the month of October has been cancelled and data for November is scheduled to be released on January 7.

The latest report from Montana Department of Labor and Industry reports that 31 residents of Valley County filed for unemployment benefits for the week of November 22nd. The prior 4 week average is 29 unemployment claims. A total of $12,383 in unemployment benefits was paid out in Valley County for the week ending November 22nd. Over 3 million was paid out in unemployment benefits in the State of Montana for the week ending November 22nd.

“Montana remains in the top states with the lowest unemployment as our workforce grows and businesses create more good-paying jobs,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Through our new initiative, 406 JOBS, we will continue to unlock pathways to work so all eligible Montanans are able to thrive in a meaningful career.”

Montana’s unemployment rate was 1.4 percent lower than the national unemployment rate, which was 4.4 percent in September. Montana remained in the top ten states in the nation with the lowest unemployment rates.

Montana’s labor force added approximately 880 workers in September while total employment (which includes payroll, agricultural, and self-employed workers) increased slightly. Payroll jobs declined slightly over the month, with gains in the healthcare sector offset by declines in the transportation and warehousing sector. Over the first nine months of the year payrolls jobs have added at total of 700 jobs.

Joining the Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI), Governor Greg Gianforte last week announced more than 32,000 Montana businesses will see a reduction in 2026 unemployment insurance (UI) tax rates following the implementation of recent reforms, resulting in a savings of more than $23 million.

“By reforming our tax code and cutting back the thicket of red tape tying up job creators, we’re helping Montana businesses grow and attracting investment to the Treasure State,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Montana remains one of the best places in the country to start and own a small business. We’ll continue to make meaningful improvements to support business owners and the good-paying jobs they create.”

In July 2024, DLI Commissioner Sarah Swanson ordered a complete review of the UI trust fund, to ensure that the tax rates are fair to employers and that the trust fund is actuarially sound during economic downturns. The analysis revealed that the UI system in Montana is well-designed and that the trust fund was healthy enough to support a reduction in tax rates.

To codify the new tax rates, during the 2025 legislative session the Montana legislature passed, and the governor signed into law, House Bill 210, sponsored by Rep. Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Great Falls, to create an automatic trigger to reduce rates when the trust fund balance exceeds 2.8 percent of total wages for the previous fiscal year.

“HB 210 made the UI system more efficient and predictable for the employers who fund it – producing significant tax savings – without reducing the UI benefits that Montana workers rely on,” said Sarah Swanson, Commissioner of Labor & Industry. “We will continue modernizing UI so it supports workers when they need it and keeps employer costs fair and reasonable.”

In 2026, 32,873 employers will see a UI tax rate reduction of 0.20 percent for all experience-rated employers. Additionally, more than 7,100 employers will receive a zero percent tax rate. Individual employers will begin receiving their 2026 tax rate classification letters next week.

Montana’s UI system is consistently rated among the top programs in the United States due to Montana’s practice of basing UI taxes and benefit amounts on actual average wages in Montana, rather than using a fixed statutory amount. That flexibility allows the trust fund to avoid overcollection while also preserving solvency.

To improve Montana’s business climate, the governor has also reformed the business equipment tax to ease the burden on small business owners, made Montana’s capital gains tax rates the fourth lowest in the nation, invested to boost trades education and build a stronger workforce, advanced reforms to increase Montanans’ access to more affordable housing, cut unnecessary, burdensome regulations, and made historic investments in infrastructure.

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

The Glasgow Fire Department and the Valley County Long Run Fire Department responded to a house fire Thursday evening at 431 10th Street North in Glasgow. The departments were called out at 10pm Thursday evening and wrapped up at 4am Friday morning.

Firefighters battled temperatures below zero and wind chills of twenty below as they worked to stop the blaze from spreading to other homes in the neighborhood. The home was a complete loss according to Glasgow Fire Chief Brandon Brunelle and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

12 firefighters responded to the fire with 4 trucks. Firefighters dealt with a hydrant that froze and a truck that shut down and had to be towed.

No injuries were reported according to Chief Brunelle. The volunteer firefighters still have plenty of work to do today as they thaw out all the gear used to battle the blaze.

The Glasgow High School Educational Trust (GHSET) gratefully acknowledges a recent donation to the trust from Marjorie (Johnson) Bollinger and Gerald Bollinger in memory of Marjorie’s mother, Violet L. Johnson. Violet was an active multitalented crafter, gardener, musician, and a bridge and bingo enthusiast. Violet and her husband, Wallace L. “Wally”, were residents of Fort Peck for many years. Gifts in memory of Violet L. Johnson will be given on an ongoing regular basis.

For over 60 years, gifts like the Bollinger’s have facilitated the GHSET in its mission to support Glasgow High School (GHS) alumni pursuing higher education and to assist with purchases of equipment and programs for GHS that are not financed by traditional taxpayer-funded sources through the budgeting process.

The GHSET was founded in 1964 by the GHS Class of 1938. Members of the Class of 1938 had a desire to give back to their home town community of Glasgow; that aspiration resulted in the establishment of the GHSET, its goal was to assist Glasgow’s alumni achieve higher education, with the help of financial aid. Later, the GHSET, was amended to allow assistance to the high school with programs and equipment that would facilitate students learning experiences.

The GHSET awards financial aid to GHS alumni pursuing higher education at colleges/universities and trade schools. All GHS graduates attending an accredited college or trade school and that are in good academic standing are encouraged to apply. The application, which lists all requirements that must be met, and additional information, is available at www.ghsedutrust.org. Financial need has always been a primary consideration; therefore, the trust has established levels of support to meet student’s different needs.

Since the GHSET’s inception, more than 2,740 gifts of financial aid have been given to over 800 different students; totaling more than $3,220,000.00.

Every department of GHS has received gifts over the years, which have provided for the enrichment of the educational experience of every student. The community at large also benefits when it attends school events or uses the high school’s facilities. The trust has given over 130 gifts to the high school; totaling more than $346,000.00.

More than $3.5 million has been gifted for the benefit of GHS graduates and families of Glasgow High School!

At their November 19, 2025, semi-annual business meeting the following students were awarded financial aid from the trust for the 2026 spring semester in honor (IHO), in recognition (IRO), or in memory (IMO) of the individual(s) whose name is(are) listed.

First-time recipients: Mary Dykema, IMO Violet L. Johnson; Eli Feezell, IMO Ricardo F. “Rick” Leader; Connor Hudyma, IRO Don & Beryl Pehlke; Emmah Mix, IMO John & Dolores Wesen; Elle Stone, IMO Brenna Billingsley Sundby.

Third-time recipient: Michael Hoyer, IMO Wallace L. “Wally” Johnson.

Fourth-time recipient: Bergen Miller, IHO the Class of 1969.

These 7 student awards are in addition to the 17 students who were awarded spring semester gifts at the Trust’s July 23,2025, semi-annual business meeting.

The GHSET is a non-profit 501(c)(3) tax exempt organization, classified as a 509(a)(1) public charity. All donations are tax deductible. Only the interest on the principal of the GHSET is gifted.
Donations to the trust that total $500 or more, cumulatively, in the name of a specific individual, organization, or event qualify for a one-time naming opportunity in honor, in recognition, or in memory of a specific name.

Donations of $10,000 or more, cumulatively, allow for an ongoing naming opportunity on a regular basis.
A complete list of gifts that have been awarded to students and GHS, along with the naming opportunity associated with each gift, are located at GHS and the Pioneer Museum; they are updated at the end of each calendar year.

Additional information about the trust and a donation form may be found on the trust’s website at www.ghsedutrust.org

The GHSET would like to thank all their donors for their generosity and support! Your donations are gifts that keep giving!

Heavy snow is expected across much of central Montana through Saturday morning, with lesser amounts in far northeast Montana.

There is some uncertainty as to where this snow band will set up which means the location of the highest amounts may fluctuate a bit.

Additionally, a harsh snowfall accumulation gradient is possible along the edge of the snow band which means locations within the snow band may receive significant snowfall accumulations while locations just outside the snow band might receive much less.

Be sure to check road and weather conditions before heading out and always carry an emergency kit in your vehicle.

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum has assumed jurisdiction over long-running appeals challenging the Bureau of Land Management’s approval of American Prairie’s bison grazing on federal allotments in Phillips County, Montana, a move ranchers say could finally bring resolution to a dispute that has been stalled for years.

The December 9, 2025 memorandum directs the Office of Hearings and Appeals to transfer all filings and case materials to the Secretary’s office, placing final review authority directly in Burgum’s hands. The appeals were brought by the State of Montana, the Governor’s Office, and the North Phillips County Cooperative State Grazing District following BLM decisions issued in 2022.

Montana Stockgrowers President and Phillips County rancher Lesley Robinson said the Secretary’s action marks a significant shift after years of inaction.

“This whole process has been in limbo for a long time,” Robinson said. “We entered the appeal with the North and South Phillips County Grazing Districts years ago, and it’s essentially just been sitting there. With Secretary Burgum taking jurisdiction, we have more confidence that something will finally be done.”

Robinson said the case extends well beyond a single allotment and could influence future grazing decisions across the West.

“A lot of what was requested in this change of use sets precedent,” she said. “That’s why ranchers across Montana — and even in North Dakota — stepped up to support this appeal. It’s not just about one allotment; it’s about how these decisions affect public-lands grazing everywhere.”

At the center of the dispute is whether federal grazing law was properly applied to American Prairie’s proposal to graze bison for conservation purposes. Robinson said the Taylor Grazing Act was never intended to govern conservation herds.

“We’re talking about a bison herd that’s managed for conservation, not production,” Robinson said. “The Taylor Grazing Act governs specific species, and bison are not one of them. That’s the core issue with using these grazing leases the way they were approved.”

The controversy dates to August 2022, when the Montana Stockgrowers Association, Phillips County grazing districts, and state officials filed appeals arguing that BLM’s decision violated federal land-management laws and failed to account for impacts on neighboring livestock operations and rural communities. Requests to halt grazing during the appeal were later denied by the Office of Hearings and Appeals, allowing bison grazing to proceed while challenges continued.

Robinson said ranchers are prepared to see the process through, regardless of the outcome.

“We’ll wait for the decision and go from there,” she said. “But we’re in this because we don’t believe this is a precedent that should be set.”

By assuming jurisdiction, Secretary Burgum now has direct authority over how the appeals are reviewed and resolved — a step ranchers hope will bring clarity to a case that has shaped public-lands grazing policy debates for more than three years.

The appeals were brought by the State of Montana, the Governor’s Office, and the North Phillips County Cooperative State Grazing District following BLM decisions issued in 2022.

A Winter Storm Warning for freezing rain and heavy wet snow has been issued through 8 PM Today. Snow is expected to the north of the warning, with rain and slick roads to the south. Snow amount of more than 6 inches are possible this morning along Hwy2 from Malta to Poplar.

A fire on Wednesday destroyed an out-of-use grain elevator in Wolf Point.

Lindsey McNabb with Roosevelt County Disaster Emergency Services said calls came in shortly after 11 a.m. MT of a fire at the old Peavey elevator on Front Street.

McNabb said the main structure is a total loss, but the silos remain intact. She said no injuries have been reported.

The fire was contained but still going as of late Wednesday afternoon, according to McNabb. She said there is no threat to the public.

Various local, tribal and state agencies responded. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The Glasgow School Board has passed a resolution setting a school election for May 5th, 2026. The election will feature a Trustee Election along with a Levy Election.

State law requires school districts to pass resolutions setting elections by December 11th.

The board can choose to cancel an election if needed but they need to set the date of the election by December 11th.

There are two Trustee positions on the Glasgow School Board up for election in 2026. Blaine White and Whitney Tatafu both have terms expiring in 2026.

All interested in being a candidate for the Glasgow School Board will find more information on the school website or contacting the Central Office.

Today we extend our sincere thanks to the Valley County Community Foundation for their incredibly generous donation of $16,000 toward our new building!

It’s community support like this that fills our hearts with cheer and will deliver a new food bank building.

This is a notification from the Public Works Department that the Street Department will be conducting snow removal operations in accordance with the City’s Snow Removal Plan.

Snow pick-up in the downtown area will occur before business hours tomorrow morning (12/12/2025).

Removal will be conducted in accordance with the priorities shown on the attached map. Residents are asked to please refrain from on-street overnight parking in the downtown area.

For more information, please visit the City's webpage or call (406) 263-8076.

HAVRE- The results are in from the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Havre check station for the 2025 hunting season. The check station was open for eight weekends from Oct. 11 (the opener of general antelope and pheasant) through Nov. 30 (the end of the deer/elk general season). Overall, hunter numbers were about the same as last year and the long-term average. Except for antelope, big game numbers were well below average, and upland bird harvest was mixed.

Biologists gather a lot of valuable information and biological data on game animals brought through check stations. FWP appreciates all hunters’ cooperation in this effort. Note that the harvest data described below includes only animals that were brought through the Havre check station and represents a real-time partial representation of the region-wide harvest. FWP subsequently conducts a telephone survey throughout the winter to estimate hunting and harvest levels throughout the region and across the state.

Hunter numbers that stopped at the check station (1,681) were up 1% from 2024, and 5% below the long-term average, but were notably distributed differently across the hunting seasons.

“Hunter numbers at the check station were up 27% at the beginning of the season after antelope and pheasant season opened, but down 15% during the general deer and elk season,” noted Havre-area biologist Scott Hemmer, who manages the station. “Most notably, deer hunter numbers were down 11% from last year and 14% below the long-term average.”

Mule deer brought by the check station totaled 346 for the year, which was down 6% from last year and 35% below the long-term average, and the lowest seen since 2015. Mule deer doe harvest was down the most at 66% below the average, while buck harvest was 23% below average.

“Reduced mule deer doe harvest was expected again this year with fewer antlerless mule deer licenses issued and restrictions on antlerless mule deer harvest on public land,” added Hemmer. “However, there were quite a few reports of hunters seeing better numbers of antlerless mule deer and younger mule deer bucks, but fewer mature bucks.”

For the year, 67 white-tailed deer were brought by the station, which was 43% lower than 2024, and 56% below the long-term average.

“The lower white-tailed deer numbers recorded this year were expected due to the epizootic hemorrhagic disease outbreak along the Milk River and subsequent reductions in antlerless white-tailed deer B licenses,” said Hemmer, “and understandably, hunters reported seeing fewer white-tailed deer this year.”

The number of antelope checked, whose general season ended on Nov. 9, saw a big increase from 2024 (up 55%), and only 3% below the long-term average. 232 antelope were brought by the check station this year.

“Most antelope hunters reported improved numbers of antelope seen compared to recent years,” said Hemmer, “and this was our largest number checked since 2010.”

For the year, 26 elk were recorded, which is 37% above last year but 31% below the long-term average. Below average elk numbers, particularly from Missouri Breaks hunting districts, was expected again this year due to reductions in antlerless elk licenses issued for those districts in response to below objective elk populations.

For the eight weeks that the check station was open, the pheasant harvest of 639 birds was down 11% from last year, and 14% below the long-term average. Sharp-tailed grouse (126 birds) harvest was about the same as last year and the long-term average. Gray (Hungarian) partridge harvest (89) was 11% below 2024, but still well above the long-term average.

“Reports from the western half of the region generally indicated better upland bird numbers than the past several years,” noted Hemmer. “Reports from the eastern half of the region indicated numbers were down from the last couple years.”

Duck harvest (36) was down from last year and the long-term average.

FWP Region 6 thanks all hunters for stopping by the check station.

“Overall, it appeared a lot of hunters were able to make it out into the field this fall,” said Hemmer. “We sure appreciate and enjoy visiting with the hunters that come by the check station, and it’s great to hear stories about a successful hunt. Thanks for stopping by!”

The Glasgow School Board will meet tonight at 6pm in the Gary F. Martin Board Room in the district central office building.

The federal government will provide $12 billion to U.S. farmers who have been hurt by “unfair market disruption,” President Donald Trump said at a White House roundtable event Monday.

Trump said repeatedly the funding was available thanks to tariff revenues, framing his aggressive trade policy as a boon to farmers rather than a drag on their global market share as critics of the policy suggest.

“I’m delighted to announce this afternoon that the United States will be taking a small portion of the hundreds of billions of dollars we receive in tariffs… and we’re going to be giving and providing it to the farmers in economic assistance,” Trump said.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, though, told reporters following the event that the money came from the department’s Commodity Credit Corporation, which is funded through regular appropriations from Congress, according to a White House pool report.

The money, which the administration officials described as “bridge payments,” would be in farmers’ hands by the end of February, Rollins said.

While not officially marketed as a part of a series of Trump events spotlighting affordability issues, the president said several times he was addressing an affordability crisis he “inherited” from President Joe Biden, a Democrat.

“The Democrats cause the affordability problem,” Trump said. “And we’re the ones that are fixing it.”

The bulk of the funding, $11 billion, would go to row crop farmers who grow barley, chickpeas, corn, cotton, lentils, oats, peanuts, peas, rice, sorghum, soybeans, wheat, canola, crambe, flax, mustard, rapeseed, safflower, sesame and sunflower, according to a USDA statement. The department was planning to reserve $1 billion for unnamed specialty crops, Rollins said.

Trump, Rollins and other Cabinet-level officials said the payments were to be used as a “bridge” before policies enacted in Republicans’ massive spending and tax cuts law this year are implemented.

“This bridge is absolutely necessary based on where we are right now,” Rollins said.

They blamed the Biden administration for a more negative outlook for farmers. Biden failed to close trade deals and a focus on environmental policy led to increased costs for the agriculture industry, they said.

The package limits payments to $155,000 per recipient, USDA Undersecretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce told reporters on a conference call late Monday afternoon.

Iowa farmer Cordt Holub spoke at the White House event, where he thanked Trump for the package.

“I want to say thank you for this bridge payment,” he said. “It’s Christmas early for farmers.”

Louisiana rice farmer Meryl Kennedy said the industry was struggling, but thanked Trump for the aid funding and changes to reference prices in the Republican megabill.

“Our farmers can feed this nation and many nations abroad, but we need fair trade, not free trade,” she said.

But they did not mention the effects of tariffs, which critics of the president have said are responsible for diminishing agricultural exports and hurting farmers’ bottom lines.

House Agriculture Committee ranking Democrat Angie Craig of Minnesota said in a statement the package “picks winners and losers in the farm economy,” and would not provide certainty to farmers or reduce high operational costs.

“It will not bring U.S. agricultural exports back to pre-trade war levels,” she said. “It also ignores (the) fact that the president’s tariffs are responsible for the immense financial strain felt not just by America’s farmers, but also working people, manufacturers, retailers and small businesses. All Americans are tired of the affordability crisis created by this administration and congressional Republicans. We will be right back here a year from now unless the administration changes its policies.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, also slammed the program.

“The reason farmers need relief at all is largely because Donald Trump betrayed them and decimated their businesses with his disastrous tariffs,” Schumer said in a floor speech Monday. “Now, Donald Trump is patting himself on the back, acting like a hero to farmers while using taxpayer dollars to clean up the mess he created. It’s textbook Donald Trump incompetence.”

Asked by a reporter during the roundtable if he would be open to another round of relief for farmers, Trump said it would depend on how international trade develops and said farmers would not want further aid.

“It depends on where we go,” he said. “China is buying a lot. Other countries are buying a lot. And you know, the interesting thing about the farmers, they don’t want aid. They want to just have a level playing field.”

He later indicated it would be unnecessary.

“We’re going to make the farmers so strong — and I’m not even talking about financially, because they just want to be able to produce what they can produce,” he said. “We’re going to make them so strong that it will be, indeed, a golden age for farmers.”

Rollins told reporters following the event that Trump was “open to more.”

A big Thank You and Merry Christmas to Glasgow Boy Scout Troop 861 and St. Raphael Parish’s Knights of Columbus who both made generous donations today.

The Boy Scouts collected donations for the food bank during their tree sales and provided matching funds for a total donation of $500.

The Knights of Columbus donated $4,000 for food purchases and toward our new building.

The Food Bank is raising money to build a new distribution and storage center. Over $200,000 has been raised toward a goal of $483,750.

If you are interested in supporting the effort to build a new distribution and storage center, you can donate to the Food Bank at:
Valley Community Emergency Food Bank
Box 63
Glasgow, Mt 59230

Thank you to these wonderful organizations for the support and Merry Christmas to all!

On Friday, volunteers collected $12,141.00, and an additional $1,000.00 was pledged. As of today, $17,706.00 is set aside for school lunches and food pantry programs. The committee is already planning to put these funds to work in January to Valley County Schools.

Year-end donations will continue to roll in. If you are still planning to support the Block of Bucks program, your donation can be dropped off at Opportunity Bank.

Thank you, Valley County, for once again opening your hearts to care for people in our community.

Again, this year the Glasgow Kiwanis Club will be raising funds by ringing the bell. We are looking for volunteers to help us raise funds to be used for service projects and support of organizations such as the Glasgow Kiwanis Swim Team, Valley County 4-H Clubs, Scouts, Bring Up Grades, Snack Pack, Key Club, Builders Club, the Easter Egg Hunt, helping the Chamber sponsor the Bag Pipe Band for homecoming, singing carols at Prairie Ridge, Nemont Manor, and the Valley View Nursing home as well as many other projects.

For those wanting a tax receipt, you may make checks out to “Kiwanis Foundation of Montana” and put them in the kettle or mail them to Kiwanis, PO Box 174, Glasgow, MT 59230 and include your name and address along with the request for a tax receipt that will be mailed to you. Those wishing to volunteer some time in helping to ring the bell can contact Rocky Zimdars at (406) 263-8352 or email him at rockingrz@gmail.com

The holiday season officially kicked off in Valley County on Nov. 21 as community members gathered at the Elks Lodge for the 21st annual Festival of Trees, a cherished fundraising tradition hosted by the Valley County HOPE Project.

Guests enjoyed a prime rib dinner generously donated by Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital and catered by Doris Ozark. The meal was served by the Tampico Boys 4-H Club, while the Glasgow High School wrestlers volunteered earlier in the day to help with setup-both groups contributing to the warm, community-centered spirit of the evening.

In the week leading up to the festival, local creators, families and organizations poured their talent and creativity into crafting Christmas trees, wreaths and centerpieces for the annual auction. Some projects took days or even weeks of careful planning and decoration. To help anyone looking for ideas or inspiration, Glasgow resident Lindsey Peterson once again hosted her popular Christmas Decor Demo at the Elks Lodge on Nov. 20.

This year's Festival of Trees sold out once again, with all 130 available tickets spoken for. Following dinner, attendees bid on 64 donated items, with Brian Austin returning as the evening's auctioneer.

Adding to the total was a quilt lovingly crafted by Glasgow's Janice Lawrence. Raffled off prior to the event, the quilt was won by Brenda Tarum, and all proceeds from the raffle were donated to the HOPE Project.

Thanks to the community's generosity, the event raised an impressive $20,330.

Founded in 2004, the Festival of Trees has grown from a small gathering with 10 to 15 donated trees into a major holiday tradition featuring an ever-changing variety of trees, wreaths and seasonal decor. While the items have evolved over the years, the purpose has remained the same: to support neighbors in need.

The HOPE Project-short for Helping Others Pay Expenses-works to ensure that no Valley County resident has to forgo essential needs due to the financial strain of medical hardship. As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the organization relies on fundraisers and individual donations, distributing an average of $30,000 each year to local families.

Community members seeking more information or wishing to apply for assistance can visit the Valley County HOPE Project Facebook page or website at valleycountyhope.com. Applications are also available at Expressions, 235 4th St. S., and the organization may be reached by call or text at 406-263-4673 or by email at valcohope@gmail.com

As the Festival of Trees celebrates two decades, it continues to shine as a reminder of the generosity, creativity and community spirit that define Valley County.

Fewer than half of Montana students in grades 3 through 8 are at or above grade-level proficiency standards in language arts and math.

That’s according to the first statewide results of a new standardized assessment implemented during the last school year.

The Office of Public Instruction released the statewide scores of the Montana Aligned to Standards Through-Year Assessment, or MAST, before the Thanksgiving holidays. State superintendent Susie Hedalen said while OPI has work to do training teachers on administering the test and early data shows a need to improve student outcomes, the format has been well received by students and offers usable data for educators.

Montana’s average of students who tested at or above proficiency levels for their grade was 43.1% in language arts, and 36.9% in math.

The results for Valley County students in grades 3-8:

33.8% tested at or above proficiency levels for their grade in language arts

39.7% tested at or above proficiency levels for their grade in math

While OPI says that the new testing format precludes direct comparisons from previous years, the scores are similar to those from the 2021-22 school year, which showed 46.1% and 36.5% of students proficient in language and math respectively following a well-reported slump in student achievement attributed to COVID-19’s impact on education.

“In literacy we are higher than in math. That’s a trend we’ve seen for many years,” Hedalen told the Daily Montanan in an interview. “I look at this as really important data for us to make data-driven decisions.

Hedalen, a Republican, said she’s excited that the new MAST format allowed educators to receive feedback on student outcomes quickly.

MAST was implemented statewide during the 2024-2025 school year after piloting the test for two years under former state Superintendent Elsie Arntzen.

As opposed to previous standardized testing formats, MAST involves “testlets,” smaller math and English Language Arts tests that take place during four testing periods in the school year, creating a “through-year assessment model.”

The goal is to offer more immediate feedback to educators, students, parents and administrators by providing multiple data points to track progress and alter curriculum or teaching strategies throughout the year to benefit students.

But it may take some time for educators to smoothly integrate the new testing regimen in classrooms.

A survey, shared with the Board of Public Education during the summer, collected responses from 246 teachers across the state and showed that while the more frequent but shorter test format helped engage students and provide feedback, some teachers found they tested topics not covered in classes and they seemed “irrelevant to instruction.”

According to the survey, 72.8% of teachers felt “unable to schedule testlets in a way that aligns with their syllabus,” and a vast majority reported insufficient training in the new protocol.

Hedalen, elected in November 2024, said she had heard similar feedback from educators and administrators since she came into the position this year.

“I believe this has been very challenging … coming from the field I felt that myself,” Hedalen said. “Educators needed more professional development. We didn’t get an understanding of the new assessments to a broad enough audience. We needed to do more with school leaders and educators”

“There’s lots of work to back up, make sure we’re on the same page, schedule testlets, and align with curriculum,” she said. “And then teachers have the data on which students are connecting on the standards, and which students are reaching proficiency and which ones might need more support.”

The survey conducted last school year included responses from more than 35,000 students, and a majority reported preferring the distributed assessment format over a single end-of-year exam, and most reported feeling positively about how the testlets helped their learning outcomes.

Hedalen said that the first round of MAST scores should be taken with a grain of salt given it’s the first year, and that when she looks at the bigger picture of Montana students across all grade levels and compared to national standards, students are doing comparatively better.

She said that comparing national testing data shows that Montana students have had one of the highest bounce-back rates from COVID-era scores. Scores from 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress assessments show Montana 8th graders ranking 10th in math proficiency and 4th in reading proficiency compared to all states.

In addition, Hedalen said high school ACT scores this year showed the highest language arts proficiency for Montana students since the test was adopted in the state, and she pointed to data coming in from new early literacy programs which show promising trends for younger students.

“Those are all exciting data points to me, but I completely acknowledge we have work to do,” she said. “It is really great we have a new, more accurate baseline on how students are doing in language arts and mathematics according to our state standards, and we’re going to work to provide students what they need to get college and career ready, especially with math.”

The 2025 Local Little Christmas is going on through Dec. 31st.

Pick up your card at the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture, have it punched by participating merchants when you check out, then return your card to the Chamber by January 8, 2026 to receive your entry form for the gift card giveaway.

Cards do not have to be completed – for each $100 spent, you will be given an entry into the gift card giveaway.

Caring Hands is announcing significant updates to its long-standing Block of Bucks program, reflecting evolving community needs and new opportunities to support local families.

When Block of Bucks began, the program—then overseen by a different organization—it focused exclusively on purchasing winter outerwear for children. In recent years, however, community partners such as St. Raphael’s Catholic Church have stepped up with coat drives, effectively meeting that original need. At the same time, Caring Hands has faced ongoing challenges in securing volunteers to assist families with clothing shopping and in sourcing infant and toddler items.

In response to these changes, Caring Hands Inc. is reshaping the Block of Bucks program for 2025. Caring Hands' mission is to pursue the vision that women and families have the resources to reach their full potential by improving the lives of women and families through programs leading to social and economic empowerment.

The annual Block of Buck fundraising will still take place on Friday, December 5th in the two Glasgow downtown intersections.

Beginning in 2025, funds raised for Block of Bucks will no longer be used to purchase winter clothing. Instead, Caring Hands will redirect these resources to support Valley County public school lunch programs and school-based food pantries. These funds may be used to help pay for student lunches or to supply weekend and vacation food boxes for children in need. The organization has already received enthusiastic community feedback in support of this shift.

Caring Hands is also launching a new program, Bare Necessities, to provide essential items such as underwear, socks, and sports bras to children in need. Vouchers will be distributed through local schools and youth-serving agencies, ensuring that supplies reach families efficiently and respectfully.

Caring Hands extends heartfelt thanks to the individuals, businesses, and community partners whose generosity has sustained the Block of Bucks program over the years. Your support has been instrumental in helping Valley County families stay warm, secure, and cared for. The organization invites the community to join in supporting these new initiatives as it enters a fresh chapter of service in 2025.

Attorney General Austin Knudsen is encouraging drivers to be responsible before getting behind the wheel of a vehicle as December is National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. The Montana Highway Patrol will be doing their part to keep the roads safe by increasing patrols to crack down on drunk and drugged drivers.

This year, Montana’s roadways have seen 178 traffic fatalities, approximately 64 of which were suspected to be alcohol related, a 20 percent decrease from 81 from last year. Each of these tragedies are preventable.

“I’m glad to see alcohol-related fatalities are down so far this year. Help us keep it that way this holiday season. Please, be responsible and don’t get behind the wheel under the influence of drugs or alcohol,” Attorney General Knudsen said. “Together, we can make sure everyone gets to and from their destination safely.”

“Our troopers are well trained to spot impaired drivers and will be increasing patrols to stop them during Christmas and the New Year. If you drive drunk or drugged, you will be caught,” MHP Colonel Kurt Sager said. “Help us keep Montana roads safe this season. By simply having a plan if you’ll be drinking, you could save a life.”

When celebrating this holiday season, plan ahead and stay safe. Designate a sober driver before any event involving alcohol, use a ride-sharing service, or public transportation when available. If you are hosting, serve responsibly, and ensure guests have safe options to get home if they’ve been drinking.

Join the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture for Gingerbread Dreams Christmas Stroll and Parade of Lights this Saturday, December 6th.

Noon - Santa arrives in Glasgow, escorted by the Glasgow Fire Department to visit Reynolds Market and Albertsons
1-3 p.m. Free matinee at Valley Cinemas: Shrek
2:30 p.m. Polar Plunge Registration
2-5 p.m. Santa visits at Sean Heavey Gallery for photos
4 p.m. Polar Plunge
5:30 p.m. Tree lighting ceremony with GHS Swing Choir performing
6 p.m. Parade line-up
6:30 p.m. Parade of Lights

Sidney, MT | Thursday, December 4, 2025 | 4:00 pm | Elk’s Club
Miles City, MT | Friday, December 5, 2025 | 7:00 pm | Downtown: 8th & Main
Glasgow, MT | Saturday, December 6, 2025 | 4:00 pm | 325 1st Ave S

Special Olympics Montana is inviting the community to one of the most exhilarating and visually irresistible events of the winter season. Polar Plunges return to Eastern Montana this weekend, and local thrill seekers are gearing up for a plunge that promises icy water, warm hearts, and powerful stories worth capturing.

What to Expect
Dozens of Montanans will charge into frigid waters to raise funds and awareness for Special Olympics Montana athletes. Expect costumes. Expect team spirit. Expect law enforcement officers, athletes, families, and first-timers leaping together for a cause that never fails to deliver big moments and even bigger smiles.

A Montana Tradition with Statewide Impact
The Polar Plunge first splashed onto the scene in Whitefish in 1999. It has grown into a powerhouse movement with 14 plunges across the state every year, drawing thousands of participants. Collectively, these brave souls raise more than $350,000 annually. Every dollar stays in Montana and fuels year-round training, competitions, health programs, and leadership opportunities for local Special Olympics athletes.

Why This Matters
This is not just a quick dip in cold water. It is a frontline look at community
inclusion and the unstoppable spirit of Special Olympics athletes. Media will find strong visuals, compelling human interest stories, and enthusiastic local voices ready to share why they plunge.

The Cold Weather Advisory continues through 10 a.m. for the Hi-Line. Very cold wind chills as low as 30 below are expected this morning.

The cold moved into northern Montana on Saturday: Chester was the coldest town in the nation on Saturday, at -23. Harlem was -19, Chinook -17, Havre -14, Malta -13. Poplar was the coldest in the nation on Sunday, at -26. Glasgow was at -16 on both Saturday and Sunday.

That winter storm that rolled through ahead of the cold front brought 3.4" to Glasgow (.16 of moisture) with reports as high as 9" in Dickinson, North Dakota.

The 1st half of 2025 Real Estate Taxes are due & payable on or before 5pm Nov. 30th or within 30 days after the tax notice is postmarked, whichever is later. Unless paid prior to that time the amount due will be delinquent & will draw interest at the rate of 5/6 of 1% per month from the time of delinquency until paid & 2% will be added to the delinquent tax as a penalty. Because Nov. 30th is a Sunday, taxpayers have until 5pm Mon. Dec. 1st to pay without penalty or interest.

The 2nd half of 2025 Mobile Home Taxes are due Nov. 30th. Because Nov. 30th is a Sunday, taxpayers have until 5pm Mon. Dec. 1st to pay without penalty or interest. The taxes will be considered delinquent Tues. Dec. 2nd & are subject to penalty & interest, thereafter.

Payment may be made at the Treasurer’s office at the Valley County Courthouse during regular business hours, at the Red Drop Box outside the North & East Door of the Courthouse, mailed to Valley County Treasurer, 501 Court Square #3, Glasgow, Montana 59230 or online at www.valleycountymt.gov/1236/Treasurer or by calling 1-866-549-1010. The Bureau code for Valley County is 8778528.

HELENA – Fish and Wildlife Commissioners have proposed several amendments to the 2026/2027 hunting regulation proposals released by Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks last month. Amendments are open for public comment through Dec. 1.

Commissioner amendments will be posted as they are received and processed by FWP staff. This process includes developing a response to the amendments, which is included in the amendment proposal online.

If you are interested in what amendments are being proposed or in commenting on the proposed amendments, please continue to check back to the Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting webpage for the latest information.

Amendments

Commissioner Brooke, who represents FWP Region 3 in southwest Montana, has an amendment to remove the maximum let-off for hunting bows. Currently, hunting bows can have maximum of 80 percent let-off. The amendment was requested because no archery manufacturers advertise an 80 percent let-off.

Commissioner Cebull, who represents FWP Region 5 in southcentral Montana, has two amendments. The first amendment would retain the archery black bear fall sub-quota in all black bear management units with quotas, but increase the quota percentage allowed from 20 to 30 percent. The second amendment would allow hunters to purchase and accrue bonus points for any limited draw black bear permits.

Chair Robinson, who represents FWP Region 6 in northeast Montana, has an amendment that could reduce the number of nonresident deer hunters by up to 5,000 hunters per year. The amendment would prevent FWP from selling nonresident deer licenses made available when nonresident hunters purchase an Elk Combination License. The change would reduce the number of nonresident deer licenses sold by up to 5,000 depending on the number of Elk Combination Licenses drawn.

Commissioner Ian Wargo, who represents FWP Region 1 in northwest Montana, has proposed three amendments. The first amendment would change FWP’s regulation proposals in Regions 2 through 5 to make antlerless mule deer B licenses valid only on private land, with the exception of hunting district 388. The second amendment would generally limit the harvest of elk on public land to one per person per year and make antlerless elk opportunity either by the general elk license or by a limited number of antlerless elk permits for specific hunting districts where general opportunity would be excessive.

Additionally, this second amendment would also make elk B licenses either only valid on private land or valid on land outside the National Forest boundary not to include FWP lands or Bureau of Land Management lands, or other variations to ensure the licenses are not valid on large tracts of public lands. The exception to this would be where biologists deem appropriate, they could offer an elk B license to either-sex or brow-tined bull elk permit holders. These elk B licenses would have the same area limitations as the held permit.

Commissioner Wargo’s third amendment would reduce bighorn sheep license quotas for three specific licenses. The licenses it would reduce quota on are:

250-20 Any Ram: 1 to 1?
680-30 Adult Ewe: 5 to 1?
680-31 Adult Ewe: 15 to 1?

Process

FWP’s biennial hunting season setting process is a lengthy effort to identify potential changes needed in the hunting regulations. This process involves formal scoping meetings around the state, which were held in late spring. FWP staff solicited feedback from hunters, landowners and other members of the public through the scoping process and a public survey.

After the scoping was complete, staff worked to incorporate the things they heard into a suite of regulation proposals that were released for public review Oct. 29.

Fish and Wildlife Commissioners can offer amendments to FWP’s proposals, and those amendments will be published online for review and public comment. Commissioners may offer amendments at any time, including at the meeting on Dec. 4. More amendments are expected in the coming days. Published amendments include a response from FWP. People interested in the regulation proposals should check the FWP website regularly.

The commission will meet and make a final decision on hunting regulations for the 2026 and 2027 hunting seasons on Dec. 4. The meeting will be held in Helena at the Capitol, Room 317, starting at 8 a.m. If you’d like to attend via Zoom, you must register online by 12 p.m. on Dec. 3.

Online registration for the 39th Annual Montana Governor's Cup Walleye Tournament starts at 9 a.m. on Monday, December 1st. The online-only registration link will be available at www.montanagovcup.com and on the Montana Governor's Cup Walleye Tournament Facebook page.

For more details, visit the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce & Agriculture's Facebook page or call them at 406-228-2222.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for North Central and Northeast Montana, including Valley County, Phillips, Roosevelt, McCone, Richland and Dawson counties.

An area of snow will move east into northeast Montana on Thursday evening, with the heaviest likely to occur Thursday overnight into Friday morning for most. The heaviest snow is expected in an area from Malta to Wolf Point, south to Jordan and Zortman.

Heavy snow is possible: total snow accumulations between 4 and 8 inches are possible. Travel could become very difficult. The watch is in effect from Thursday afternoon through late Friday night.

The 34th Annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner will be held Thursday, November 27th at the Glasgow Senior Citizens Center with serving from 12noon to 2pm.

Everyone is invited & encouraged to bring their families & friends to enjoy a delicious feast including turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, coleslaw, yams, cranberry sauce & of course pumpkin pie.

Provided and prepared by community volunteers & supported by Glasgow Senior Citizens Center, the meal is free of charge & is open to everyone, young & old alike - it is not limited to senior citizens.

There will be no carry-out or deliveries available. This is a great way for small families & individuals to partake in the social atmosphere of a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner without cooking & cleaning up!

For additional information please call Ruth Ann Hutcheson – 406-228-8392.

Glasgow received thirty-eight hundredths of an inch of precipitation on Monday, with a mix of rain, freezing rain and snowfall. Snowfall total at the National Weather Service office in Glasgow was 1.4 inches on Monday. The record snowfall for the date: 5 inches in the cold winter of 1896.

There is intermittent snowpack and ice on almost all roads in Valley County, with heavier snowpack in Roosevelt and Phillips County. Icy conditions were reported near Havre this morning, and in northwest North Dakota no travel was advised due to icy conditions. A secondary highway was closed last night due to several semi-truck accidents.

WASHINGTON – National Farmers Union (NFU) released the annual Thanksgiving Edition of the “Farmer’s Share of the Food Dollar,” revealing stark inequities in America’s food system. Farmers continue to receive only pennies on the dollar for foods typically consumed for Thanksgiving dinner despite high grocery prices.

Farmers earn small returns on staple Thanksgiving foods according to this year’s Thanksgiving Farmer’s Share report. The agricultural economy is fragile and uncompetitive after decades of corporate consolidation. Monopolies now dominate everything from food processing and distribution to the markets for seeds and farm equipment, leaving family farmers at a steep disadvantage while consumers face fewer choices and higher prices.

“Even in a season of gratitude, we must acknowledge the continuous inequality in our food system and agriculture industry,” said NFU President Rob Larew. “Family farmers and ranchers work year-round for historically low profits across all sectors of the industry, while consumers are still paying unsustainably high prices at grocery stores. Fairness for farmers is also fairness for consumers – when rural America does well, we all benefit.”
NFU’s Fairness for Farmers campaign continues to spotlight how consolidation and anti-competitive practices in the food and agriculture supply chain squeeze both ends of the system. By pushing for stronger antitrust enforcement, transparency, and fair markets, the campaign aims to ensure farmers receive a more equitable share of the food dollar, and that consumers see relief at the checkout line.

“Every Thanksgiving, the numbers tell the same story: farmers aren’t asking for a bigger slice of pie, just a fair one,” Larew added. “It’s long past time to fix a food system that works for corporations but not for the families who grow and consume our food.”

Data for this publication were sourced from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service and other industry sources. Retail prices are based on the Safeway (SE) brand in the Washington, D.C. area.

Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital Earns 2025 Performance Leadership Award for Patient Perspective
As part of National Rural Health Day, we’re honored to share that Frances Mahon Deaconess Hospital (FMDH) received the 2025 Performance Leadership Award for Patient Perspective from The Chartis Center for Rural Health. In short: the way you’ve told us we’re caring for you, how we listen, communicate, and show up, placed FMDH in the top quartile of rural hospitals nationwide.

This recognition isn’t just a plaque on the wall. It reflects everyday moments between patients and caregivers; answers at the bedside, a calming voice in the waiting room, a follow-up call after discharge. That’s the work our team shows up and does for our community every day.

“Awards are wonderful, but what matters most is earning our community’s trust, one patient at a time,” said Nick Dirkes, CEO at FMDH. “Thank you to our patients for sharing honest feedback, and to our staff for turning that feedback into better care. We’ll keep listening, learning, and improving.”

The Chartis Performance Leadership Awards are based on the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®, a national, data-driven framework that measures how rural hospitals perform across areas like quality, outcomes, and patient perspective. Being recognized for patient perspective means we’re delivering care that feels respectful, clear, and responsive to the people we serve.

Thank you to our patients for your trust and candor, and to our FMDH team for leading with compassion and excellence. We’re honored by this recognition and will continue working hard to keep your trust every day.

About the INDEX: The Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX® is a comprehensive, objective tool used across rural health to benchmark performance. For details about the INDEX, contact Billy Balfour at wbalfour@chartis.com.

Tyson Foods has announced they will be closing their Lexington, Nebraska meat packing plant in January 2026. The plant has the capacity of processing up to 5,000 head of cattle a day and employs roughly 3,200 people in the town of just 10,000 people.

The move comes as Tyson’s beef business suffered adjusted losses of $291 million over the previous year. The meatpacker projected the unit will lose $400 million to $600 million in the 2026 fiscal year.

Tyson Foods also announced they will reduce operations at a beef plant in Amarillo, Texas, to a single, full-capacity shift, affecting about 1,700 workers. The plant in the Texas panhandle can process roughly 6,000 head of cattle a day.

The announcement drew disappointment from cattle groups and elected officials. The Nebraska Cattlemen Board of Directors released the following statement in response to Tyson Foods’ announcement it will permanently close the beef processing plant in Lexington:

“We are disappointed by Tyson’s decision to permanently close the Lexington beef processing facility – especially in light of today’s USDA data indicating that Nebraska cattle-on-feed inventories remain slightly above year-ago levels in spite of the ongoing cyclical tightness in overall U.S. cattle numbers. We firmly believe there isn’t a better place to efficiently and economically raise cattle and produce beef than Nebraska. As this will have a profound impact on the community of Lexington and many cattle producers, we hope the plant will continue operations under new ownership.”

U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-NE), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, released the following statement after Tyson Foods announced it will close the beef processing plant located in Lexington:

“I am extremely disappointed by this news from Tyson today. As the single largest employer in Lexington, Tyson’s announcement will have a devastating impact on a truly wonderful community, the region, and our state. Nebraskans are nothing if not resilient, and Lexington has a robust workforce. I hope their skill and experience will be sought after by other employers.

“Nebraska is the beef state, and we know better than anyone the highs and lows of the cattle market. It’s no secret that just a few years ago, packers like Tyson were making windfall profits while the rest of the industry was continuously in the red.

“As we head into the holiday season, I call on Tyson to do everything in its power to take care of the families affected by this short-sighted decision.”

The closure announcement comes in the same year that Sustainable Beef opened a new beef processing facility just 63 miles down the road from the Lexington location as well as President Trump shaking up the cattle industry by saying he wants to bring beef prices down by importing more beef from Argentina and later announcing plans for the Department of Justice to investigate foreign owned beef packers.

The 1st half of 2025 Real Estate Taxes levied & assessed are due & payable on or before 5p.m. Nov. 30, 2025, or within 30 days after the tax notice is postmarked, whichever is later. Unless paid prior to that time the amount due will be delinquent & will draw interest at the rate of 5/6 of 1% per month from the time of delinquency until paid & 2% will be added to the delinquent tax as a penalty.

Because Nov. 30, 2025, is a Sunday, taxpayers have until 5p.m. Mon. Dec. 1, 2025, to pay the 1st half of the 2025 Real Estate taxes without penalty or interest. The 2nd half of 2025 Mobile Home Taxes are due Nov. 30, 2025. Because Nov. 30, 2025, is a Sunday, taxpayers have until 5p.m. Mon. Dec. 1, 2025, to pay the 2nd half of the 2025 Mobile Home taxes without penalty or interest.

The taxes will be considered delinquent Tues. Dec. 2, 2025, & are subject to penalty & interest, thereafter. Payment of these taxes may be made at the Treasurer’s office at the Valley County Courthouse during regular business hours, at the Red Drop Box outside the North & East Door of the Courthouse, mailed to Valley County Treasurer, 501 Court Square #3, Glasgow, Montana 59230 or online at www.valleycountymt.gov/1236/Treasurer or by calling 1-866-549-1010. The Bureau code for Valley County is 8778528.

As drivers prepare to hit the road for Thanksgiving in record numbers, gas prices are relatively steady compared to last week. The national average for a gallon of regular went up by a couple of cents to $3.10. Despite the burst of gasoline demand that will occur during Thanksgiving week, overall demand is low this time of year which helps keep pump prices down. The national average has seen few fluctuations in 2025 thanks to low crude oil prices and no major storms affecting Gulf Coast refineries.

Today’s National Average: $3.100

One Week Ago: $3.080

One Month Ago: $3.036

One Year Ago: $3.066

In Montana, the current average price of regular unleaded gasoline is $3.00 per gallon which is exactly the same as last year at this time. The average price in Valley County is $3.00 per gallon. The lowest priced gasoline in Montana can be found in Wibaux County at $2.84 per gallon.

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand decreased from 9.02 million b/d last week to 8.52 million. Total domestic gasoline supply increased from 205.1 million barrels to 207.4 million. Gasoline production decreased last week, averaging 9.3 million barrels per day.

Oil Market Dynamics

At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI fell $1.30 to settle at $59.44 a barrel. The EIA reports crude oil inventories decreased by 3.4 million barrels from the previous week. At 424.2 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 5% below the five-year average for this time of year.

Gas

The nation’s top 10 most expensive gasoline markets are California ($4.63), Hawaii ($4.47), Washington ($4.18), Nevada ($3.84), Oregon ($3.81), Alaska ($3.75), Arizona ($3.37), Pennsylvania ($3.29), Idaho ($3.29), and Illinois ($3.29).

The nation’s top 10 least expensive gasoline markets are Oklahoma ($2.57), Mississippi ($2.61), Louisiana ($2.65), Tennessee ($2.66), Arkansas ($2.67), Texas ($2.70), Kansas ($2.71), Missouri ($2.73), Alabama ($2.73), and Kentucky ($2.74).

Release from Montana Farmers Union:

Yesterday’s move by President Trump to remove tariffs on Brazilian beef and other goods that were previously subject to a 40% levy Trump announced in July further undermines American ranchers, Montana Farmers Union President Walter Schweitzer said.

“We are already at an all time high for beef imports. Supply isn’t the problem,” Schweitzer said. “The problem is the Big 4 packers price gouging consumers with cheap beef from countries like Brazil – and then misleading consumers through a loophole in labeling law to make them believe they are buying American born, raised, and processed beef.”

Enforcing antitrust laws in tandem with reinstating mandatory country of origin labeling would create fair markets for ranchers and truthful labels for consumers, while driving down prices of imported beef to accurately reflect its quality in comparison to US-raised beef, Schweitzer said.

“It is high time we give consumers the true choice to buy American beef and give American ranchers the certainty they need to rebuild their domestic herds," Schweitzer said.

Glasgow-based Hi-Line Sportsmen this week donated $1,000 to the Valley Community Emergency Food Bank to assist residents facing food shortages this season.

The donation aligns with Hi-Line Sportsmen’s commitment to “keeping conservation local” and helping neighbors, especially as programs such as SNAP and other food-assistance programs have faced cuts and shortfalls during the recent federal government shut-down.

The conservation group has routinely donated funds to local meat processors to assist with butchering surplus deer, elk, and antelope, the meat of which was then donated to the food bank. But this year, with widespread declines in big-game populations, the group decided to redirect the donation directly to the food bank.

“We recognized that many of our neighbors are struggling with rising grocery prices and at the same time we didn’t want to incentivize harvest of animals during a period when populations are down,” says Justin Schaaf, president of Hi-Line Sportsmen. “A direct donation to the food bank seemed like the best use of the funds that are generated by this community.”

The main source of HLS’s funds is its semi-annual banquet in which items are raffled and auctioned to support local conservation initiatives. Next year’s Hi-Line Sportsmen banquet is slated for Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026 at Glasgow’s St. Raphael’s Church.

Hi-Line Sportsmen meet monthly to discuss local conservation issues and priorities. Meetings are open to everyone. Contact Schaaf at 406-230-2822 or visit the group’s Facebook page to participate or contribute ideas about local conservation needs.

From American Red Cross and Leila Seyfert:

FMDH had 39 presenting and 34 productive units and the Glasgow Community Drive at the VFW there were 50 presenting and 47 productive on Tuesday and 38 presenting and 30 productive on Wednesday. Presenting numbers represent the people who arrive to donate and productive numbers are the total number of pints, or units, collected.

After separation into the three hospital products—Red Cells, Platelets, and Plasma—these drives will provide 167 lifesaving products ready for distribution to hospitals on Sunday morning.
These contributions are a tremendous boost to the blood inventory levels for the American Red Cross and a testament to the power of teamwork, from the volunteers to the donors, everyone plays an important role in saving lives!

The next blood drives will be February 10th & 11th 2026.

Full story here:
https://dailymontanan.com/

American Prairie has filed a lawsuit against the Gianforte administration, saying the state is unlawfully blocking a grazing lease needed for part of its bison operations.

The conservation nonprofit says the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation has refused for six years to complete an environmental review required under state law. The group argues DNRC is ignoring clear deadlines in the Montana Environmental Policy Act.

DNRC says it is waiting for a final federal ruling on a related grazing lease managed by the Bureau of Land Management—a process that could take years.

American Prairie’s lawsuit asks a Lewis and Clark County judge to order the agency to finish its review and issue the lease. The group also claims it’s being singled out, noting DNRC has approved other bison grazing permits on state lands.

The DNRC says it’s reviewing the lawsuit but does not comment on active litigation.

A 77-year-old Glasgow man, Larry Meland, has been sentenced to 10 years in the Montana State Prison, with five years suspended, after entering a plea agreement on a charge of sexual assault involving a minor.

According to Valley County Attorney Dylan Jensen, Meland was charged with having sexual contact with his granddaughter, who was under the age of 14 at the time of the offense. The case concluded this month with sentencing by Judge Yvonne Laird.

Under the terms of the sentence, Meland will be required to serve at least four years in the Montana State Prison system before becoming eligible for parole. Jensen noted that Meland must also successfully complete the first phase of sexual-offender treatment while incarcerated before the Montana Board of Pardons and Parole will consider him for release.

Meland is currently held at the Valley County Detention Center, where he is awaiting transfer to the Montana Department of Corrections to begin serving his sentence.

Gas prices have remained unchanged over the past week in Montana.

Gasbuddy.com reports the average price for a gallon of gas is $2.99 as of Monday, Nov. 17, 2025.

Gas prices in Montana are 5.3¢ per gallon lower than a month ago and stand 1.1¢ per gallon higher than a year ago.

The national average has fallen 0.4¢ over the past week to $3.03 per gallon as of Monday.

Nationally, gas prices are 1.1¢ per gallon higher than a month ago and also 1.1¢ higher than a year ago.

The cheapest gas in Montana was $2.79 per gallon on Sunday, while the most expensive was $4.33.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Fort Peck fisheries and hatchery staff wrapped up the annual Chinook salmon egg-taking efforts this past week. A total of 895,131 Chinook eggs were collected, which filled all available egg incubation jars and space at the Fort Peck Multispecies Fish Hatchery.

The average size of Chinook salmon females collected was an impressive 15.1 pounds. In comparison, in 2024, females averaged 18.9 pounds. The difference in weight can be attributed to the abundance of younger Chinook salmon collected in 2025. Age analysis for the salmon captured this fall still must be completed, but it seems that a majority were age three. In 2024, 92 percent of the females captured and used during the spawning process were age four salmon. The large fish this year resulted in an average of 2.60 pounds of eggs per female. These healthy females produced an average of 4,662 eggs per female, which is slightly down from the 4,708 eggs per female, seen in 2024.

Barring any major setbacks at the hatchery, the number of eggs collected in 2025 should be more than enough to ensure at least 200,000 fingerlings will be stocked back into Fort Peck Reservoir in the spring of 2026. The Fort Peck Fisheries Management Plan calls for a minimum of 200,000 fingerlings be stocked annually, but this number can increase depending on egg and fingerling survival.

Water quality and quantity issues at the Fort Peck Hatchery limit the number of salmon that can be produced on any given year. FWP is working to alleviate the water shortage and sediment issues by working with the US Army Corps of Engineers on a new water delivery system. This new line would deliver cold, clean water from the Fort Peck dam penstocks and provide more water for hatchery use, allowing the hatchery to possibly utilize more space and raise more and larger fish. This project will also reduce the sediment load entering the hatchery (water is currently pumped from the Dredge Cut Ponds), that is detrimental to fish egg and fish fry survivability.

Last year, a total of 842,709 chinook eggs were collected and 232,369 Chinook were stocked back into Fort Peck Reservoir in the spring of 2025. Many anglers assume that the more salmon stocked, the greater number will be available to anglers in future years. Although this is important, the number of cisco (the primary forage fish of salmon) that hatch in the spring during salmon stocking appears to be one of the main drivers to salmon survival and success over the ensuing years.

For example, a very large year class of cisco hatched in 2023 that resulted in some excellent growth and survival for the salmon stocked that year. Those are the same salmon that were caught this past summer and fall by anglers. Unfortunately, cisco recruitment (i.e., spawning and hatching success) since 2023 has been very low, which may have negatively impacted Chinook survival in those years.
Early data analysis indicates that the numbers of smaller, two-year-old salmon caught in 2025 were lower compared to the 2024 season. This would suggest that fewer 3-year-old salmon will be around in 2026. However, there is a good chance that not all 3-year-old Chinooks spawned this season and could carry over into 2026 as larger, 4-year-old fish much like what occurred in 2024.

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

According to court documents, 52-year-old Shane Calvin Whitish has been sentenced to the Montana State Prison following his latest charge of driving under the influence, his sixth DUI offense, stemming from an incident that occurred on November 9, 2024.

Whitish entered into a plea agreement in August 2025 and was formally sentenced on November 2 by Judge Yvonne Laird. The sentence includes 10 years in state prison with 5 years suspended, along with a requirement that Whitish complete an alcohol-treatment program while in custody.

In her written sentencing order, Judge Laird noted that Whitish “has been afforded too many chances throughout his criminal history,” stating that he has repeatedly violated court orders and continued to break the law “over a period of decades.” She emphasized that various courts—across different jurisdictions—have previously allowed sentences to run concurrently or avoided revocations, even as Whitish faced new criminal charges elsewhere.

Judge Laird further stated that Whitish has been “lucky to never hurt himself or any other person, but eventually the odds will catch up with him.”

According to the case information provided, Whitish’s criminal history spans three states and multiple communities. At 52, the judge wrote, he “has not yet learned to regulate his own conduct.” His record includes eight prior DUI convictions, four prior felonies, and numerous alcohol-related misdemeanor offenses, some described as violent.

Whitish is in custody at the Valley County Detention Center and will be turned over to the Montana Department of Corrections to serve his prison sentence.

The 34th Annual Thanksgiving Day Dinner will be held Thursday, November 27th, at Glasgow Senior Citizens Center, located at 328 4th Street South.

Last year 189 people enjoyed the dinner with hopes of exceeding that number, this coming year. Over the past 30 plus years approximately 5,600 people have enjoyed the event. There is always plenty of food and no one goes home hungry.

Everyone is invited and encouraged to bring their families and friends to enjoy a delicious feast including turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, gravy, coleslaw, yams, cranberry sauce and of course pumpkin pie.

Provided by community volunteers and supported by Glasgow Senior Citizens Center, every year several volunteers gather to prepare and serve the meal, which will be served from noon to 2:00p.m. The list of volunteers includes members of Glasgow High School Student Council, Irle School Third Graders, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Rod Karst, Deb Partridge and other enthusiastic individuals.

Even though the meal is served at the Senior Citizens Center, it is not limited to senior citizens. The meal is free of charge and is open to everyone, young and old alike. There will be no carry-out or deliveries available.

If you have not attended in the past, make plans to enjoy an afternoon of fellowship and food. This is a great way for small families and individuals to partake in the social atmosphere of a traditional Thanksgiving Dinner without cooking and cleaning up!!

Rod, Debbie and Ruth Ann have truly appreciated the support this dinner has received. But we are getting older and are looking for someone to come in and work with us, so they can take the dinner over. The three of us are committed to the dinner this year and next.

If additional information is needed, please call Ruth Ann Hutcheson at 228-8392.

The Glasgow Kiwanis Club presented the annual Valley County 4-H Club Awards as judged by the Extension Office.

First place award of $100 went to the Lucky Clover 4-H Club represented by Elise Kirkland, Lyla Marlenee, Lydia Marlenee, Maddy Tatafu and Kaylee Nelson. Second place award of $75 went to Tampico Boys 4H Club represented by Aby and Duane Cole.

Third place award of $50 went to Northern Lights 4H Club represented by Orrin and Lana Mason.

Fourth place award of $25 went to Western Valley 4H Club represented by Linden Holt, Bryce Sewell, Ava Ortega, Emma Olsen and Anna Olsen.

These awards have been presented for many years, dating back into at least the 1970's. Roubie Younkin gave a report on 4-H Activities this past year including a trip to Washington DC. Each club reported on their service and other projects.

The Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) and its partners, Sletten Construction and Morrison-Maierle, have completed the Timber Bridges-Glasgow project, successfully replacing 16 aging timber bridges across Valley, Daniels, and Roosevelt counties in just three years.

Seven timber bridges were replaced in 2023, and eight in 2024. Work on the final bridge, the West Fork Poplar River Bridge located on Montana Highway 248 (MT 248), 2 miles east of Richland, was recently completed. Crews also wrapped up finishing work at additional bridge replacement sites.

“Replacing Montana’s deteriorating timber bridges is a top priority for MDT, and we are proud to see the completion of this project,” said Shane Mintz, MDT Glendive District Administrator. “This was the first to use MDT’s bridge bundling approach, which allowed us to streamline design and construction. What we learned here is now helping shape similar bridge projects across our state.”

The bridge bundling program groups multiple bridge replacement projects under a single contract, streamlining work to save time and taxpayer dollars. Utilizing a design-build contract, consultant design firm Morrison-Maierle worked alongside Sletten Construction from the start of the project, allowing the bundled projects to move more efficiently from design to being construction-ready.

“This project showcases what can be achieved when design and construction teams collaborate from day one,” said Jim Scoles, Senior Bridge Engineer at Morrison-Maierle. “The approach not only accelerated project delivery, but also ensured safe, durable structures that will serve communities for decades.”

The bridges replaced included structures on US Highway 2 (US 2) between Hinsdale and Glasgow, Montana Highway 24 (MT 24) between Glasgow and Opheim, Montana Highway 248 (MT 248) between Opheim and Scobey, and Montana Highway 251 (MT 251) between Poplar and Flaxville. Twelve of the timber bridges were replaced with bridge structures, and four others were replaced with concrete box culverts.

“Completing this many bridges in such a short timeframe was no small task,” said Russell Robertson, Bridge Division Manager at Sletten Construction. “It speaks to the dedication of our crews, our partnership with Morrison-Maierle, and the patience of local communities who supported this work every step of the way.”

Governor Greg Gianforte Wednesday announced that 80 percent of Montana residential property owners got a property tax cut in 2025, a result of reforms he signed into law earlier this year.

“For years, Montanans have said property taxes are too high, and they’re right,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Our focus has been securing meaningful, long-term property tax relief for Montanans in the place they call home, and we’ve delivered. The data make it clear that these reforms are a win for Montana homeowners.”

According to the Montana Department of Revenue, nearly 80 percent of homes will see a tax cut from the reforms, with about 10 percent seeing property taxes remain flat. The average savings for homeowners who saw a tax cut was more than $500, not including the up to $400 property tax rebate available to eligible homeowners.

Largely a function of local jurisdictions, property taxes fund local government services, with approximately 80 percent of property tax revenue from residential homeowners going directly to local jurisdictions and the remaining 20 percent going to the State of Montana which returns the amount in full to help fund K-12 public schools throughout the state.

Senate Bill 542, carried by Senator 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. Eligible Montana homeowners could claim a rebate up to $400 earlier this year for property taxes paid in 2024.

This year, more than 235,000 Montana homeowners claimed and received a property tax rebate. Montana homeowners who claimed and received a property tax rebate in 2025 may be automatically enrolled in the Homestead Rate for 2026, provided the homeowner did not move or change ownership in 2025.

House Bill 231, carried by Representative Llew Jones, R-Conrad, established the Homestead Rate, which takes effect next year. Recommended by the governor’s diverse, bipartisan Property Tax Task Force, the Homestead Rate is a new, lower property tax rate for long-term rentals and primary residences, the places Montanans call home.

The Montana Department of Revenue is reporting that marijuana sales in Valley County increased to $171,685 in October of 2025. This included $149,385 in adult use sales and $22,300 in medical sales.

This compares to $160,555 in marijuana sales in September and $166,726 in August of 2025.

Statewide sales totaled $28,550,882 for the month of October.

Roosevelt County had sales of $711,277 and Sheridan County had sales of $98,634.

46-year-old Duane Turner has been sentenced to the Montana Department of Corrections after pleading guilty to a 4th conviction of DUI in State District Court in Glasgow.

Turner was charged with 4th offense DUI on July 14th of 2024 in the City of Glasgow. The Glasgow Police Department conducted a traffic stop of Turner and conducted a breathalyzer test which registered 0.142.

Court records show that Turner had been convicted of three prior DUI convictions. These occurred in 2002, 2013 and 2023.

In September of 2025, Turner agreed to a plea agreement with the Valley County Attorney and was sentenced by Judge Yvonne Laird on November 6th.

Judge Laird sentenced Turner to the Montana Department of Corrections for placement in an appropriate correctional facility or program for a term of 13 months. Should Turner successfully complete a residential alcohol treatment program operated or approved by the DOC, the remainder of the sentence will be served probation.

Turner was also sentenced to the DOC for a term of 5 years, with all time suspended to run consecutively to the 13-month term imposed. A $5000 fine was ordered with all suspended.

Before imposing the sentence, Judge Laird wrote that this is Turner's first felony offense, and the only criminal offenses the defendant has committed previously have been alcohol related. Judge Laird also noted that Turner will be provided treatment in a secure environment after which he can return home with the assistance of the DOC and under supervision to reintegrate into the community.

Turner is currently incarcerated in the Valley County Detention Center awaiting transfer to the Montana Department of Corrections.

The Montana Lottery has awarded $103,299 in high-tier prizes since November 3.

A high-tier prize is any prize of $600 or more. Winners of $5,000 or more are listed below.

• A Hardin winner, playing 2nd Edition Millionaire Maker, claimed their prize of $50,000 on November 3. The winning ticket was purchased at Town & Country Supply Association in Hardin.

• A Kalispell winner, playing $5 Turkey Gravy, claimed their prize of $12,000 on November 6. The winning ticket was purchased at Lucky Lil's in Kalispell.

• A Harlem winner, playing Holiday Delight, claimed their prize of $10,000 on November 5. The winning ticket was purchased at E-Z Mart in Harlem.

• A Black Eagle winner, playing $3 Buck Buck Doe, claimed their prize of $5,000 on November 7. The winning ticket was purchased at Pit Stop Tavern in Black Eagle.

• A Kalispell winner, playing 2nd Edition Millionaire Maker, claimed their prize of $5,000 on November 3. The winning ticket was purchased at Rosauers #37 in Kalispell.

Attention Hi-Line communities!

Trillium Cooperative & the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority invite you to join a “Voices on the Hi-Line” community listening session at The Loaded Toad Wed. Nov. 12th, from 1:30 – 3p.m.

Come share your thoughts on the future of passenger & freight rail in Montana. Your input will help shape recommendations for improvements to the Empire Builder line & rail service across the state.

Plus, everyone who completes the survey by 4p.m. December 1st, will be entered to win a $100 Amazon gift card! Take the survey online, visit trilliumcoop.com .

A huge Thank You to NorVal Electric Cooperative, Inc. and Jake Page for their generous donation of collected food! Norval offered a discount to all members in October for Food Bank donations. What a haul!!!

The City of Glasgow is reminding city residents that all campers, boats and recreational vehicles need to be removed from city streets beginning December 1st and continuing through March 31st.

If you have any questions you are asked to call the city office at 406-228-2476.

The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services anticipates the state will receive funding for a $1 billion Rural Health Transformation Program proposal it submitted to the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, according to an agency official.

Montana submitted a five-year plan aimed at developing the rural workforce, stabilizing facility finances, expanding innovation, and increasing prevention, according to a presentation and news release this week from Gov. Greg Gianforte and health department Director Charlie Brereton.

The state anticipates it will learn whether Montana has been awarded funds in late December, although state officials said they are expecting success.

“The Rural Health Transformation Program is a historic investment in Montana’s future,” Gianforte said in a statement. “Since taking office, we’ve led on fixing what’s broken, making investments to improve access to quality health care. With the Rural Health Transformation Program, we will continue delivering better outcomes for families across Montana.”

The federal program is authorized to provide up to $50 billion nationally to participating states through 2030, according to the news release. The funding is specifically earmarked for stabilizing, transforming, and restructuring rural hospitals and other essential health care providers.

At a committee meeting this week, legislators asked questions about the proposal, including how much money would stay with the department versus be deployed, and raised concerns, such as that the funds are meant to appease people worried about federal cuts to Medicaid.

Sen. Cora Neumann, D-Bozeman, said she appreciates the amount of time DPHHS spent reaching out to stakeholders. She also questioned the program, although she said her skepticism was unrelated to the health department’s efforts.

“This is a Band-Aid coming from the federal government,” Neumann said. ” … This feels like a consolation prize to the states because we may lose a huge amount of funding, Medicaid funding.”

Neumann, who works in health care, said sustainable rural health care systems require investment, especially given the potential for rural hospital closures in Montana, and she wanted to know if the state planned to make investments.

At the Children, Families, Health and Human Services Committee meeting Wednesday, Brereton confirmed the plan includes direct funding to rural health systems.

He said specific ideas came from in-depth discussions with local health care providers, such as a roundtable in Glasgow with 30 law enforcement and local health care leaders.

“There will be money provided to critical access hospitals, other rural health care settings, in addition to quite a bit of purchasing,” Brereton said.

A DPHHS official said the state developed the plan with public input, including from a webinar with nearly 900 people, tribal consultation, 20 stakeholder groups, and other state agencies.

Brereton said spending details were laid out in “a very complex budget narrative document.” Neumann requested the information be shared, and Brereton said he would do so if CMS granted permission.

Rep. SJ Howell, D-Missoula, wanted to know what portion of funds would stay with DPHHS and what portion would go to stakeholders. Brereton said DPHHS has estimates, which he did not have immediately available but said he would provide.

One program that caught the attention of Rep. Jodee Etchart, R-Billings, was supporting emergency medical services in rural areas.

The program includes empowering EMS to “treat in place,” or deliver on-site care when feasible to reduce emergency room admissions. Money would go toward upgrading ambulances and other emergency equipment.

Etchart said one difficulty for EMS is some patients know that they can get help, but if they don’t get transported, they don’t end up getting billed, so they purposefully refuse transport. In the meantime, Etchart said, the company has to cover the costs of the staffing and products.

Rebecca de Camara, with DPHHS, said she doesn’t know whether people are intentionally declining transport to avoid billing, but she said it is the way the system is set up, and a need exists for treatment on site.

“The goal of this initiative is to expand the reimbursement that they can get,” de Camara said of EMS, noting that preventing unnecessary emergency department visits would save money.

The state submitted its plan to CMS on Wednesday, and de Camara said DPHHS believes it has a competitive application and will start working on next steps.

“We’ll continue our planning so that we are ready to go once the money starts rolling into the state,” de Camara said.

The news release said funding for the program will be allocated to states based on a formula: “50% divided equally among all approved states, 25% based on states’ rurality, and 25% based on how well each state’s proposed plan aligns with CMS criteria.”

Montana’s application may be found here. More information about the program can be found at ruralhealth.mt.gov.

Montana’s Rural Health Transformation Plan

Montana’s plan outlines five core initiatives, all designed to address the unique challenges of rural health care delivery in a sustainable manner:

Workforce Development:Focuses on increasing recruitment, expanding clinical training, and retaining various levels of rural health care providers in strong partnership with the Montana Department of Labor and Industry.

Sustainable Access:Stabilizes rural facility finances through restructuring recommendations and increased clinical and administrative partnerships. This component includes funding for the expansion of telehealth services, linking rural hospitals with statewide specialists and providing one-time-only awards for necessary telehealth equipment.

Innovative Care Models:Strengthens and expands value-based payment models and better leverages EMS and pharmacy services, with an emphasis on reducing emergency room admissions and other high-cost care interventions.

Community Health and Prevention:Provides for infrastructure upgrades and initiatives that incentivize healthy lifestyles, including expanding primary, behavioral, and dental health services in schools through partnerships with Federally Qualified Health Centers and other providers.

Technology Innovation:Focuses on using technology to increase access and improve data quality and sharing. This component includes funding for rural providers to modernize their Electronic Health Record systems.

HAVRE – Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks’ Havre hunter check station has been open on weekends since the beginning of antelope general and pheasant (Oct. 11-12) through the last two weekends of general deer and elk opener and will continue through the end of general deer and elk rifle season on Nov. 30.

Overall this year, hunter numbers are slightly down from last year and the long-term average with 823 hunters passing through the station so far this year. Weather this year has been windy at times, but temperatures have been warmer and roads have been mostly dry and not a major obstacle to hunter participation or access. The warmer weather and wind may have had some impact on hunter success.

The 40 mule deer checked so far is 48% below the 2024 season at this point, and 71% below the long-term average. White-tailed deer checked (9) was well below both last year and the long-term average. Antlerless licenses for both deer species have been greatly reduced this year, contributing to the reduced harvest.

The number of antelope checked so far in 2025 (227) is 54% higher than last year and right at the long-term average. With antelope populations doing quite well in most districts, and correspondingly more tags available, this is the highest recorded number at this point since 2010.
Elk harvest has also been lower this year with 11 elk checked, which is down 27% from last year and 37% below the long-term average.

Contrary to the last few years, upland bird reports this year have generally been better on the western portion of Region 6 and less favorable on the eastern portion. 548 pheasants have been checked this year, which is down 9% from last year and 6% below the long-term average. 97 sharp-tailed grouse have been checked, which is down 4% from last year but is still 1% above the long-term average. It has been another good year for gray (Hungarian) partridge, with 67 partridge checked which is down 11% from last year, but is still 36% above the long-term average.

Although relatively few waterfowl typically pass through the check station, numbers were below normal, and all the 23 waterfowl checked were ducks.

Hunters must stop at all game check stations

Please remember that all hunters are required by law to stop as directed at all designated check stations on their way to and from hunting, even if they have no game to be checked. There is an option to have animals sampled for CWD if desired. Please follow all directions and signs from FWP staff as they work diligently to check game, answer questions, and get you on your way.
Biologists gather a lot of valuable information and biological data on game animals brought through check stations, and FWP wildlife staff appreciate all hunters’ cooperation in this effort. Note that the harvest data described above includes only animals that were brought through the Havre check station and is only a partial representation of the region-wide harvest.

Gas prices remain relatively stable as November kicks off. The national average for a gallon of regular went up nearly 5 cents since last week to $3.08. Refinery maintenance in California is part of the reason for the increase: when refineries pause production, gas prices in the area temporarily go up. Still, the national average is lower than it was this time last year, and gas prices should remain on a quiet path as we get closer to Thanksgiving.

Today’s National Average: $3.084

One Week Ago: $3.038

One Month Ago: $3.133

One Year Ago: $3.107

The average price in Montana is $3.01 per gallon. In Valley County, the average price stands at $3.00 per gallon.

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand decreased from 8.92 million b/d last week to 8.87 million. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 210.7 million barrels to 206 million. Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 9.8 million barrels per day.

Oil Market Dynamics

At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI fell 96 cents to settle at $59.60 a barrel. The EIA reports crude oil inventories increased by 5.2 million barrels from the previous week. At 421.2 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 4% below the five-year average for this time of year.

tate Stats

Gas

The nation’s top 10 most expensive gasoline markets are California ($4.69), Hawaii ($4.47), Washington ($4.25), Nevada ($3.98), Oregon ($3.85), Alaska ($3.80), Arizona ($3.36), Idaho ($3.33), Illinois ($3.30), and Pennsylvania ($3.24).

The nation’s top 10 least expensive gasoline markets are Mississippi ($2.60), Tennessee ($2.61), Oklahoma ($2.62), Louisiana ($2.62), Texas ($2.64), Arkansas ($2.67), Alabama ($2.68), Missouri ($2.71), Kentucky ($2.72), and South Carolina ($2.75).

A 32 year old Glasgow man, Colton Barstad, has been sentenced in State District Court after reaching a plea agreement on 3 felony sexual abuse of children charges.

Court documents state that Barstad was originally charged with 5 counts of felony sexual abuse of children which occurred between October 22nd and October 30th of 2024.

On June 30th, Barstad agreed to a plea agreement which had him pleading guilty to 3 counts of sexual abuse of children with two counts being dismissed.

The charges are the result of information collected in October of 2024. Kltz and Mix-93 will not report the details as they involve digital media videos involving young children.

Barstad appeared in front of Judge Yvonne Laird on October 20th for sentencing in his case. Judge Laird noted in her judgement that Barstad's statements were free of apology and demonstrated no insight. The judge also wrote that Barstad's criminal acts were perpetrated against some of the most vulnerable members of society.

Judge Laird's sentence for Colton Barstad:

Count 1: Sexual Abuse of Children- The defendant is committed to the Montana State Prison for 10 years with 5 years suspended.

Count 2: Sexual Abuse of Children- The defendant is sentenced to the Montana State Prison for 10 years with all time suspended.

County 5: Sexual Abuse of Children- The defendant is sentenced tot he Montana State Prison for 10 years with no time suspended. He is credited for 51 jail days previously served.

All counts will run consecutive to one another meaning that Barstad has been sentenced to 15 years of prison time.

Barstad is also designated a Level 2 sex offender and shall register as required under Montana Law.

Colton Barstad is currently incarcerated in the Valley County Detention Center awaiting transfer to the Montana State Prison.

From Glasgow High School:

Glasgow High School extends its sincere appreciation to the Glasgow High School Educational Trust for the generous donation of 96 plastic chairs, 42 plastic tables, and 5 storage/transfer racks given in honor of Linda S. Allie.

These tables and chairs will be an invaluable resource for our school community. They will enhance large-group testing environments and be utilized during the Junior High and High School Academic Olympics hosted at GHS, benefiting students from surrounding schools as well. In addition, they will support regional college and career fairs, providing a welcoming and functional setup for all participants.

We are especially grateful that these chairs will improve the professional atmosphere at Glasgow’s graduation ceremonies for years to come. This gift will have a lasting impact on our students, staff, and community, and we are deeply thankful for this meaningful contribution honoring Linda S. Allie.

Following are the unofficial results of the 2025 Municipal elections:

Town of Fort Peck, Alderman 66% ballot return
Joseph J French 48
Glenn R Guenther 78
Kevin Vogel 65

City of Glasgow, Ward 2, Alderman/Alderwoman 47% ballot return
Randy Lasar 104
Darcia Schindler 120

City of Glasgow, Ward 3, Alderman/Alderwoman 45% ballot return
Kristie Brabeck 178
Danny Carr 107

Town of Opheim, Ward 2, Alderman/Alderwoman (2-year term, to fulfill) 75% ballot return
Anita Leinen 10
Les Redfield 8

The results of tonight’s election are unofficial until after the canvass.

Valley County will hold four municipal general elections:

City of Glasgow

City of Glasgow, Alderman, Ward 2

Randy Lasar

Darcia Schindler

City of Glasgow, Alderman, Ward 3

Kristie Brabeck

Danny Carr

Town of Fort Peck, Alderman (2 seats)

Glenn R Guenther

Joseph J French

Kevin Vogel

Town of Opheim, Alderman, Ward 2, 2-year term to fulfill

Les Redfield
Anita Leinen

All four elections are mail-ballot elections. Election Day is today. The election office will be open from 7 am to 8 pm. Ballots must be received in the election office by 8 pm tonight to be counted. Please remember that, in addition to signing the signature envelope, voters must enter the year of their birth in the space provided on the signature envelope prior to returning their ballot. Ballots returned without both the voter’s signature AND their year of birth on the signature envelope cannot be counted.

Montana SNAP users may see some financial aid for groceries on their electronic benefits cards this month — but “far less” than they might expect, advocates say, and probably not right away.

This week the Fort Peck Tribes declared an emergency over lack of funding for the SNAP program.

The latest announcement about the SNAP program, officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, came days after federal courts ordered the administration of President Donald Trump to use emergency funds to backfill the food aid program during the federal government shutdown.

In the Tuesday guidance, U.S. Department of Agriculture officials informed states that the maximum allocations for the households enrolled in the food assistance program would be cut in half for November. In a previous court declaration, a top USDA official said that the reduced percentage would use all of the $4.65 billion in contingency funds for the program.

According to additional guidance distributed by USDA, a household of two people in most states, including Montana, would be eligible for — at most — a reduced allocation of $273 for the month of November. A household of four people, for example, would be eligible for the upper limit of $497.

A spokesperson for the Montana Food Bank Network said Tuesday that many Montana SNAP recipients would probably receive significantly less than those amounts when benefits are eventually distributed, citing the reductions in assistance that come from having any form of income.

“The majority of Montanans do have income, so they’re not getting that maximum benefit amount,” said Kiera Condon, advocacy specialist with the food bank network.

Condon added that the situation was “very fluid” and that the organization did not have clarity on when emergency benefits would be distributed. Guidance from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services posted on the agency’s website Tuesday also did not specify when the benefits would become available.

“You can expect to see the funds on your EBT card in the coming weeks,” the state health department notice said, noting that the funds would be able to be used for routine food purchases as usual.

“Please note that the Public Assistance Helpline and [Office of Public Assistance] offices are currently unable to provide additional information beyond what is included in this notice,” the notice continued, pointing users to the official state health department website for future notices and updates.

A spokesperson for the department, Jon Ebelt, did not answer additional questions from Montana Free Press on Tuesday about a more exact timeline for benefits distribution.

The disruption of food benefits — typically scheduled to be loaded onto Montanans’ EBT cards during the first week of the month — has scrambled many families’ food budgets and put additional strain on community groups and food banks working to fill the gaps to prevent people from going hungry. The Montana Foodbank Network, which helps distribute food to more than 300 sites around Montana, previously described the disruption of SNAP benefits on Nov. 1 as forcing the state into “a statewide hunger crisis.”

Gov. Greg Gianforte, a Republican, said in October that he would not use state funds to backfill the food program, directing responsibility to Congress and, specifically, minority-party Democrats in Washington, D.C., who are withholding support for a budget resolution in an attempt to negotiate funding for enhanced subsidies for people who purchase insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

The delay in food assistance has prompted some tribal nations in Montana to declare states of emergency and draw on tribal resources. In a statement dated Monday and posted to Facebook, newly elected Chairman Floyd Azure of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes said that the tribal government in northeast Montana was “actively developing a plan of action to address this issue until benefits are reinstated,” including “slaughtering buffalo, securing groceries” and allocated additional funds to enrolled tribal members who reside on the reservation and are signed up for SNAP benefits.

“We encourage everyone to come together as a community during these uncertain times and support one another,” Azure said, directing donations of nonperishable food items to go to established tribal services sites during business hours.

In a statement to Montana Public Radio following the federal court orders about using emergency funding for the program, Condon, with the Montana Food Bank Network, said even partial funding would be better than nothing.

“It’d be a little bit easier for us to try and fill that gap,” Condon said. “Then we’re not having to make up for a family’s entire grocery budget for the month.”

Sophie Albert, the executive director of the North Valley Food Bank in the northwest Montana town of Whitefish, said in a Tuesday phone interview that the instability of the federal SNAP program had already contributed to a surge of need at their food pantry facilities. In a typical week, she said, the food bank might serve 1,200 people. Last week, during the first days of lapsed benefits, foot traffic increased to about 1,500 people.

Even if financial food assistance arrives on Montanans’ EBT cards, Albert said, the reduced funds could create another benefits cliff for users just before Thanksgiving. She said her organization has been grateful to see increased donations until this point, but that she still anticipates “many hard weeks” to come.

On top of everything else, Albert said, Montanans will soon have to comply with new requirements for SNAP beneficiaries outlined in H.R. 1., also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, passed by Congress earlier this year. She said she expects those heightened eligibility requirements to particularly impact older Montanans and seasonal workers in the months ahead.

“This is a marathon,” Albert said, speaking about the food bank’s need for ongoing donations. “Not a sprint.”

Fort Peck Alderman
171 ballots issued
100 ballots returned
58% ballots returned

Glasgow, Alderman, Ward 2 497 ballots issued
156 ballots returned
31% ballots returned

Glasgow, Alderman, Ward 3 637 ballots issued
218 ballots returned
34% ballots returned

Opheim, Alderman, Ward 2 24 ballots issued
16 ballots returned
67% ballots returned

Voters have from 8 am until 5 pm Monday, November 3, 2025, and from 7 am until 8 pm Tuesday, November 4, 2025, to return their ballots to the Election Office in the Valley County Courthouse. Postmarks are NOT accepted; ballots must be received by the Election Office by 8 pm on Tuesday, November 4. Also, voters need to remember to write their four-digit birth year on the signature envelope in the space provided above the signature. Ballots that don't include both the voter's signature and year of birth on the signature envelope can't be counted.

People across Big Sky County got up early on Saturday to get their Montana Millionaire tickets. Although not a record breaker like past years, all 620,000 were sold out in just over 6 hours.

For 2025, the Montana Lottery added 120,000 more tickets and a fifth million-dollar prize for Montana Millionaire.

This year also featured more instant-win prizes, and includes a “Quarter Million Monday” drawing for $250,000 on December 1.

In Glasgow, people were lined up nearly an hour before tickets went on sale at 5:30am.

Tickets cost $20 each, and they went on sale on Saturday, November 1 at 5:30 a.m.

The grand prize drawing will happen on December 26, 2025

Last year’s Montana Millionaire tickets — 500,000 in total — sold out in less than three hours.

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

Autumn Underwood was sentenced in State District Court in Glasgow on October 20th.

Underwood had been charged with Felony Theft in December of 2024 with allegations that Underwood had stolen $26,000 from Albertsons while an employee at the store between January 2021 and February 2024.

A jury trial was held in Glasgow August 27-29, 2025, and the jury found Underwood guilty on the offense of Felony Theft.

Judge Yvonne Laird sentenced Underwood to a 6-year deferred prison term. If Underwood were to pay full restitution in the amount of $26,000 and at least 2.5 years of her sentence has lapsed, she may petition the court for an early discharge of her sentence.

Judge Laird wrote in the sentencing document that the sentence is appropriate and that Underwood is 45 years old and it is her first felony, and apparently her first criminal conviction of any sort. Judge Laird also wrote that the sentence holds the defendant accountable for the serious offense she committed, when she misappropriated money from her employer.

Halloween Street Closure:

Aberdeen and Bonnie Streets will be closed once again for Halloween on October 31st starting at 5:30PM thru 8PM to allow for a safe evening of trick-or-treating. If you have any questions contact the Glasgow Police Department.

As Montana approaches the colder months and the start of another respiratory illness season, the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) urges all Montanans to take preventative measures to defend against COVID-19, influenza (flu), pneumococcal pneumonia, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

State health officials advise all Montanans to protect themselves and their families by prioritizing immunizations, practicing strong hygiene, staying home when sick, and seeking prompt testing and treatment.

Laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza have already been reported in Montana for the 2025-2026 respiratory illness season, which runs from October through May.

More than 15,600 people infected with influenza, including over 1,000 hospitalizations and 65 deaths, were reported to DPHHS during the 2024-2025 respiratory illness season.

Additionally, over 7,500 people infected with COVID-19 were reported in Montana, resulting in more than 600 hospitalizations and 51 deaths during this same period. This does not include data for individuals who did not receive testing by a provider or in a health care setting (e.g., individuals who tested positive using an at-home or over-the-counter COVID-19 or flu test kit).

The high number of respiratory illnesses highlights the importance of taking preventive measures to reduce the burden of illness in Montana.

DPHHS will maintain a Respiratory Virus Illness Dashboard to provide weekly data updates on the activity of COVID-19, influenza, and RSV across the state.

Vaccination is the most effective defense against the serious outcomes of respiratory diseases, including hospitalization or death from infections such as COVID-19, influenza, pneumococcal pneumonia, and RSV. While anyone can suffer a severe outcome, those at highest risk include older adults, infants, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems or chronic conditions (such as diabetes, cancer, or heart disease).

Fortunately, effective vaccines are widely available. Montanans should consult with a health care provider to determine their recommended vaccine options for the season. To find a vaccine nearby, contact your local health department, pharmacy, or other trusted health care provider.

Updated COVID-19 vaccines are recommended based on individual-based decision-making for those six months and older.

Influenza vaccines are recommended for everyone six months and older every season. Several influenza vaccines are approved for use. One dose provides protection for the entire season (October to May)

Pneumococcal vaccines help protect against a deadly form of bacterial pneumonia, which is the most serious form of pneumococcal disease.

Adults 50 years and older are eligible to receive RSV vaccines after discussion with their health care provider. Pregnant women between 32 and 36 weeks of pregnancy entering the RSV season may receive the RSV vaccine, which will also protect their infant.

Infants under eight months old or who are between eight and 19 months with certain health conditions may receive an RSV antibody product.

Symptoms of COVID-19, flu, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses often share commonalities, including signs such as fever, cough, sore throat, headache, body aches, and fatigue. If an individual is experiencing symptoms or has tested positive, they should stay home and limit contact with others while sick.

Individuals at risk of severe illness should seek health care right away for testing and evaluation. This is critical because prompt treatment options are available that can help reduce the length and severity of the illness.

It is generally safe to return to daily activities only after the individual has been fever-free for a full 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication and has experienced an overall improvement in their symptoms.

Individuals may still be able to spread the virus that made them sick even if they are feeling better. Some people, such as those with immunocompromising conditions, may be able to spread the virus for an extended period of time. Montanans should take additional measures to prevent the spread of illness for five days after returning to normal daily activities, including:

Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are unavailable, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol.

Cover your mouth and nose with disposable tissue or your inner elbow whenever you cough or sneeze.

Testing before you plan to be around others, especially those who are at risk of severe illness (e.g., pregnant women, older adults, infants, immunocompromised people). If you test positive, consider remaining home and away from others.

If you cannot remain home and away from others, use a face mask if you will be around people in a close setting, especially those who are at risk of severe illness (e.g., pregnant women, older adults, infants, immunocompromised people).

Take steps to improve air quality, including moving group activities outside when weather permits, opening windows and doors for fresh air, and using a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. Anyone experiencing severe or concerning symptoms—including trouble breathing, persistent chest pain or pressure, new confusion, or inability to stay awake—should immediately seek medical evaluation.

Valley County will hold four municipal general elections:

City of Glasgow

City of Glasgow, Alderman, Ward 2

Randy Lasar

Darcia Schindler

City of Glasgow, Alderman, Ward 3

Kristie Brabeck

Danny Carr

Town of Fort Peck, Alderman (2 seats)

Glenn R Guenther

Joseph J French

Kevin Vogel

Town of Opheim, Alderman, Ward 2, 2-year term to fulfill

Les Redfield
Anita Leinen

All four elections are mail-ballot elections. Election Day is Tuesday, November 4, 2025. The election office will be open on Election Day from 7 am to 8 pm. Ballots must be received in the election office by 8 pm November 4, 2025, to be counted. Please remember that, in addition to signing the signature envelope, voters must enter the year of their birth in the space provided on the signature envelope prior to returning their ballot. Ballots returned without both the voter’s signature AND their year of birth on the signature envelope cannot be counted.

Montana will soon switch back to Standard Time, and while we’ll technically gain an hour of sleep, we'll also start feeling those early sunsets creep in fast in early November.

Sunday, November 2, marks the end of Daylight Saving Time, and Montana residents with manual clocks in their homes will need to remember to set them back an hour before heading to bed on November 1.

Story credit to www.billingsgazette.com

A trust fund established by a bankrupt mining company to help pay for treatment of water contaminated by its now-closed gold mine in Montana’s Little Rocky Mountains is running out of money.

Pegasus Gold Corp.’s trust fund “was originally intended to generate sufficient interest to maintain operations, but it does not contain sufficient principal given interest rates,” Sonja Nowakowski, director of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality, told an interim legislative committee on Oct. 23.

So far, Nowakowski told the Environmental Quality Committee, $110 million has been spent at the Zortman-Landusky Mining Complex on reclamation and water treatment, beginning in 1999 and continuing through September 2024.

That’s about a third of what the Zortman-Landusky mine produced during its 20-years of operation, which was $300 million in gold.

Of the $110 million spent on reclamation and remediation, about $47 million came from Pegasus’ forfeited reclamation bonds. The mining company declared bankruptcy in 1998.

The other $63 million has come from taxpayers, including $19 million from the state of Montana, $24 million from the Bureau of Land Management and $20 million the state invested into trust funds for site operation and maintenance, Nowakowski explained.

“In recent years, the state share of funding has mostly been derived from the Hard-Rock Mining Reclamation Special Revenue Account, which is derived from taxes on metal mines in Montana,” Nowakowski said.

“As a result of reliance on this fund, the balance in the account has declined from about $4.5 million in July 2020 to just $146,000 in July of ‘25,” she added.

Annually, it costs about $3 million a year to operate the six water treatment systems at the site in northeastern Montana. About half of that amount is paid by the Bureau of Land Management.

However, Nowakowski said the BLM’s contribution usually arrives at the end of the budget cycle.

“It’s a last-minute scramble,” Nowakowski told the Natural Resources Interim Budget Committee at its September meeting. “There is not a specific and steady federal source, and so we’ve been working closely with BLM, and they agree that that it would make a lot of sense if there was something more steady, more reliable and specific for Zortman so that it wasn’t this scramble every end of fiscal year.”

Based on her request, the committee wrote a letter to Sonya Germann, state director of the BLM Montana/Dakotas dated Sept. 16.

The letter said paying for ongoing water treatment at the old mine site is “critical to Montanans surrounding the mining complex.”

“Without sound water treatment and corresponding stable funding, those in the area would be exposed to untreated acid rock drainage and the associated impacts,” the letter stated.

After thanking the BLM for its past assistance dealing with the remediation and reclamation work, the letter went on to note that the capital improvements plan has identified the existing water treatment facilities and equipment as near the “end of their lifespans and in need of updates or replacement.”

With this in mind, the letter requested a “predictable long-term annual financial contribution (minimum base funding)” to continue to fund the remediation work.

The letter was signed by Rep. Jerry Schillinger, R-Circle, chair of the committee.

Germann, of the BLM, could not be reached for comment on the issue due to the federal government shutdown.

Gov. Greg Gianforte’s administration repeatedly criticized the BLM during Democrat President Joe Biden’s administration. With President Donald Trump now at the helm, Montana’s Republican governor has praised the withdrawal of the BLM’s land-use restrictions that has the potential to open up more federal lands to mining and energy development.

When asked why the administration was concerned now, given BLM’s cooperation in the past, the governor’s office said DEQ’s “request is part of a proactive effort between the Montana Department of Environmental Quality and BLM to find a long-term, sustainable funding solution.”

Incorporated in 1973, Pegasus Gold Corp. used cyanide to extract small amounts of gold from large piles of rock at Zortman-Landusky, as well as at other mines in the West. In its final years, and even after declaring bankruptcy, the company paid seven-figure bonuses to its top corporate officials, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reported in 2001.

“Mining’s destructive legacy in the Little Rockies is perpetual acid mine drainage into the area’s water resources,” said Anne Hedges, executive director of the Montana Environmental Information Center, in an email.

The center has been a watchdog for mine remediation in the state, including the Zortman-Landusky mine.

“In an ideal regulatory framework, this pollution would have been prevented and subject to adequate bonding, and the bad actor mining companies forced to clean up after themselves in order to protect taxpayers from bearing the costs,” she continued.

Unfortunately for the state, the original bond amount badly underestimated the cost of remediation, saddling taxpayers with the difference. Since then, legislation has been enacted to ensure such costs are more adequately covered.

“In the absence of such accountability, the government should be responsible for ensuring that (the Fort Belknap Indian Community) and those impacted by the ongoing pollution are protected to the highest extent possible and not forced to bear the burden of the pollution and its impacts,” Hedges wrote.

The Fort Belknap reservation includes a large portion of the Little Rocky Mountains, portions of which contain historic vision quest and ceremonial sites dating back centuries.

Warren Morin, chair of the tribal council’s natural resources committee, told The Center for Public Integrity in a 2019 story that Pegasus had taken the “heart of the mountains away from us.”

In a 2023 Government Accountability Office report, the Environmental Protection estimated that “abandoned hardrock mines have contributed to the contamination of 40% of the country’s rivers and 50% of all lakes.

”There are at least 22,500 abandoned hardrock mine features — such as pits or tunnels — on federal lands.

”The federal government’s environmental liabilities — which include mine cleanup — increased about 32% (from $465 billion to $613 billion) between fiscal years 2017 and 2021.”

District Court Judge Yvonne Laird as sentenced Abigail Meidinger of Glasgow to a five-year deferred sentence on the charge of Criminal Distribution of Dangerous Drugs (methamphetamine).

Meidinger was originally charged with 2 counts of drug distribution charges in January of 2025 for offenses that allegedly occurred October 6th of 2024.

She reached a plea agreement with the Valley County Attorney on August 18th and agreed to plead guilty to one charge of Criminal Distribution of Dangerous Drugs with the other felony charge dismissed.

Judge Laird sentenced Meidinger on October 20th. The sentence had Meidinger pleading guilty to the felony drug charge in exchange for a five-year deferred sentence with credit for 48 jail days previously served. Judge Laird ordered Meidinger to also serve an additional twelve days of jail in at least 48-hour increments or pay a fine of $1500.

In the sentencing document, Judge Laird noted that the deferred sentence is appropriate and holds the defendant accountable for the serious criminal acts she committed. Judge Laird also noted that Meidinger is young and has a limited criminal history and the sentence will provide her an opportunity to keep a felony off her criminal record.

Gov. Greg Gianforte will not authorize state dollars to cover the costs of a federal food assistance program that’s set to lapse in only a few days, his office said Tuesday.

Because of the ongoing shutdown of the federal government – now in its fourth week – funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will dry up starting Nov. 1, leaving roughly 77,000 Montanans without the monthly support that helps them afford groceries.

According to the State of Montana, there are currently 672 Valley County residents with benefits from the SNAP Program. This includes 347 households in Valley County and the SNAP benefits totaled $111,565 in September of 2025.

At least eight other states have taken steps to fast track funding to food banks or to cover the cost of SNAP benefits themselves rather than let the benefits lapse. But Gianforte said he is unwilling to put the state on the hook for a multi-million-dollar-a-month program that is supposed to be paid for by the federal government.

While the governor believes these benefits are vital for vulnerable Montanans, he has been clear that the state cannot fund this federal program, which is funded by federal dollars, without promises for reimbursement,” spokesperson Kaitlin Price said in an email. “Gov. Gianforte continues to urge Senate Democrats to do their job and pass a continuing resolution instead of holding taxpayer dollars hostage that fund these critical programs.”

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the federal agency that oversees the food assistance program, issued a memo saying that it would not pay back states that choose to use their own dollars to continue SNAP benefits during the shutdown.

SNAP is funded almost entirely by the federal government with states taking on a share of the administrative costs. The average SNAP household in Montana receives $332 a month for a total distribution of around $13 million.

Gianforte’s announcement comes the day after the Montana Food Bank Network and around 50 organizations, including the Montana Federation of Public Employees, the Montana Farmers Union and a list of food pantries, sent a letter urging him to use state’s reserve dollars to cover the cost of the monthly benefit.

“We ask you to take immediate steps to protect Montana families and prevent hunger during this shutdown,” Kiera Condon from the Montana Food Bank network wrote in the letter. “Ensuring uninterrupted SNAP benefits is not only a matter of compassion – it is a matter of economic stability, public health and responsible governance.”

The groups requested the governor dip into what’s called the Debt and Liability Free Account, a pot of $268 million set aside to pay down the state’s debt, to pay for SNAP until the federal shutdown ends. The account was created by 2023 legislation to reduce the state’s financial liabilities, but during this year’s session lawmakers expanded its scope to make it available to “replace federal funds that have been reduced or rescinded by the federal government.”

After the state intervened to trap about 100 swine demonstrating feral behaviors, Montana food banks are slated to receive an influx of pork this week.

Late last month, Wildlife Services, a federal agency under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s umbrella, tipped off the Montana Department of Livestock that it might have a feral swine population on its hands.

Wildlife Services, which intervenes when landowners report conflicts with wildlife, had been called to Phillips County in north-central Montana to investigate a potential bear conflict. The agency didn’t find evidence of bear activity, but it did find hoof prints, pig scat and other signs consistent with swine presence. The day after Wildlife Services visited the site near Malta along the Hi-Line, the state started looking into the matter and learned that approximately 100 pigs were running uncontained and “beginning to demonstrate behaviors and characteristics consistent with feral swine populations,” according to a press release.

The Montana Legislature passed a law in 2015 prohibiting the importation, transportation or possession of feral swine. Intentionally, knowingly or negligently allowing swine to live in a “feral state” is also illegal. By passing the law, policymakers sought to ward off issues states and provinces have reported with feral swine, which can damage crops and wetlands, prey on wildlife and spread a form of brucellosis that can be transmitted to humans.

Neighboring areas, most notably Alberta and Saskatchewan in Canada, have grappled with feral swine populations for years, and wildlife managers there and in the U.S. consider them to be an invasive species.

Montana State Veterinarian Tahnee Szymanski told Montana Free Press that feral swine can become established in three ways: they can migrate into Montana from an area with an established population, they can be introduced — illegally — by hunters eager to pursue them for sport, or they can develop when domestic animals are freed from the “normal checks and balances” associated with livestock production.

“Domestic swine, left to their own devices for a couple of generations, actually revert back to feral behavior very quickly,” Szymanski said. “This is a really good reminder that a potential feral swine population could crop up anywhere in the state.”

The state livestock department receives about six reports per year of potential feral swine sightings. All of them have turned out to be “owned domestic swine running at large,” according to an agency press release.

In this particular case, there were some unique circumstances related to a death in the family that owned the swine, Szymanski said.

“This situation just kind of got out of control,” she said. “It has been allowed to maybe fester a little bit longer than a traditional circumstance we would encounter.”

Syzmanski said trapping operations began earlier this month, and all parties involved are pleased the meat will be distributed at food banks around the state.

On Oct. 18, the first swine shipment arrived at Producer Partnership, a nonprofit animal processing facility that works with agricultural producers to turn donated livestock into food for schools and other nonprofits. Trapping operations are ongoing with another 30-45 animals yet to be collected, Szymanski told MTFP on Oct. 22.

Producer Partnership is the country’s only nonprofit meat processing facility inspected by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A product of the COVID-19 pandemic, Producer Partnership is located between Big Timber and Livingston and employs about 10 people.

Producer Partnership president and founder Matt Pierson estimates that the Montana Food Bank Network will receive between 8,000 and 14,000 pounds of pork from the swine. He said he’s unaware of any other organizations set up to take on these kinds of “oddball projects.”

“Our hope through this partnership is that people realize there’s a more amicable, better way to solve these issues without just going in and shooting everything,” he said. “It helps solve a problem for the state, and it helps put all that meat into the food bank.”

https://dailymontanan.com/

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, as well as all four members of the state’s federal delegation signed on to a letter last month claiming American Prairie’s bison restoration project is at odds with the state’s economy.

The five men sent the letter to Department of Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the former governor of North Dakota. The Interior Department holds decision-making power over grazing rights on Bureau of Land Management land, which under former President Joe Biden were granted to American Prairie in 2022.

The state, along with livestock industry groups, appealed the federal decision. Some ranchers have also expressed concern about added costs of having bison near their cattle, including fears of brucellosis, a bacterial disease that can spread between the animals.

“For us, a decision in favor of APR will re-shape the entire landscape of our state,” the letter reads. “Montana’s most profitable economic industry, for decades, has been agriculture. Agriculture drives our economy, sustains our small rural towns, and is the cultural epicenter of our state.”

While there’s no question agriculture is a cultural hallmark of the state, as a percentage of the state’s real gross domestic product, the industry ranked 12th in 2022. That year, Montana generated around $4.6 billion in agricultural cash receipts.

The letter goes on to argue removing “vast swaths” of land from agricultural production will harm the state and allowing American Prairie those grazing rights “threatens the economic vitality of our most important industry.”

American Prairie has sought to reintroduce bison to parts of Montana and owns more than 500,000 acres in the state. They own and manage 900 head of bison across 46,000 acres. The organization leases much of its land to cattle producers, supporting about 7,000 head and 25 ranchers, the organization spokesperson Pete Geddes said in a statement. There are almost a half million cattle in the seven counties they work, he added. Including calves, there are about 2.1 million head of cattle in the state.

“The claim that American Prairie ‘threatens the economic vitality’ of the state, is on its face absurd,” Geddes said. “American Prairie has little influence on the long-term demographic and economic trends in Central Montana. Extended drought, market fluctuations, international trade policies, personal family decisions, and global integrated agricultural markets have much larger impacts.”

Geddes went on to say that since 2020, the organization has paid $7 million in payroll, supporting 23 local jobs in Fergus and Phillips Counties, which infused $17 million into those economies, he said. They’ve also paid $877,000 in property taxes and $345,000 to ranchers participating in a wildlife abundance program, he added.

Some ranchers, including Gilles Stockton, an author and former president of the Montana Cattlemen’s Association, have other concerns.
“If you’re ranching in a brucellosis designated area, which they have in southwestern Montana, it’s hugely expensive,” Stockton said. “And it’s doubly expensive if one of your cows happens to become brucellosis positive.”

Some elk and about 60% of female bison in Yellowstone National Park test positive for brucellosis, a disease that attacks the reproductive system and causes abortions in pregnant cattle, elk, and bison. It’s a nonnative disease to the area, brought into Yellowstone by cattle in the 1900s and can also cause sickness in humans, though human infection is uncommon and the state hasn’t reported an official case since 2017.

“One of the primary mechanisms of historical transmission to people is through the milk, but pasteurization has made that a nearly obsolete pathway,” Dr. Tahnee Szymanski, State Veterinarian, said in an interview with the Daily Montanan. “In the 1930s and ’40s, here in the United States, we had a much higher incidence of brucellosis in our cattle herds all across the country, and they started the national brucellosis eradication program.”

Buffalo graze southwest of Lima, near Little Sheep Creek, Dillon Ranger District of Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest in 2019. (USDA photo / Preston Keres)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has what’s called Brucellosis Class Free status, a tool used to maintain compliance so infected animals aren’t being moved around or consumed.

Montana has a “Designated Surveillance Area” for the disease in southwestern Montana — stretching from Dillon to past Livingston, and down to Gardiner and the Wyoming and Idaho borders.

Those borders are built through a partnership with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Szymanski said. FWP will go out, capture, tag and test elk and track their movement. Park County and Madison County elk have tested positive for brucellosis, she said.

That said, Montana is considered brucellosis free.

“The only population of infected animals in Montana is Yellowstone National Park, bison or elk in the Greater Yellowstone Area, we have a couple of livestock herds that are under quarantine for past detections, but any other domestic bison or cattle herd in the state of Montana is considered to be free of brucellosis,” Szymanski said. “That includes tribal populations of bison, APR, bison, people should not be concerned about those animals because of potential disease risk.”

About 100,000 brucellosis tests are administered in that area each year to keep the state’s class free status, according to the Montana Department of Livestock. Cattle vaccinations do have hurdles and have to be performed by a licensed veterinarian.

“If a human accidentally injected themselves with it, that it would make them kind of substantially sick,” Szymanski said.

That costs about $630,000 per year, according to the agency. Losing the status would incur even more testing costs by places that receive bison and cattle from the state.

“Loss of Class Free status would lead to required testing of livestock exported from anywhere in the State (not just southwest Montana) and cost the livestock producers millions of dollars for testing as well as revenue from lost sales due to a negative stigma,” a Department of Livestock information sheet reads.

American Prairie tests their animals regularly, Geddes said, and brucellosis is not present in their bison.

Grazing permits have also been a source of contention for American Prairie, and the letter states the organization is violating federal law.
The letter mentions the Taylor Grazing Act, legislation dating back to 1934 that created stipulations for grazing cattle and eventually led to the creation of the Bureau of Land Management.

Challenges to the Bureau of Land Management over American Prairie grazing their bison say the act doesn’t allow for conservation grazing. American Prairie asserts that’s not true and Geddes said nowhere in Taylor Grazing Act does it limit grazing permits to production livestock.

“The BLM is authorized to issue grazing permits to ‘stock owners.’ American Prairie qualifies as both a ‘stock owner’ and ‘engaged in the livestock business.’ AP bison are livestock and we are operating as a non-profit business,” Geddes said. “American Prairie’s primary purpose for obtaining grazing permits is for grazing livestock.”

One of American Prairie’s goals is returning the land to a state more similar to when hundreds of thousands of bison roamed free before colonization and westward expansion.

The Taylor Grazing Act was in part intended to preserve and protect that same grassland, Stockton said, who feels ranchers have done a pretty good job of that.

“The results of that is that we were able to take land that had been really badly overused and restore it across eastern Montana,” Stockton said. “So, you know, the grasslands that you have in eastern Montana are really in the best shapes that they’ve ever been.”

Stockton ranches near Grass Range, is close to American Prairie holdings and feels the Bureau of Land Management overstepped their authority. There’s frustrations with who gets to graze when, fencing problems — keeping cattle away from bison, in a ranchers eyes — and costs associated with vaccinations if brucellosis does spread further.

But, even then, other concerns for Stockton trump issues with the bison nonprofit.

“We got a feeling that the APR, when they moved in here, they were at war with our culture, I guess, our communities and our cultures,” Stockton said. “But the fact of the matter is that in terms of actual impact, say, for me, personally, I’ve got more trouble with my billionaire neighbors.”

The Montana Lottery will launch its 19th annual Montana Millionaire raffle game on Sat., Nov. 1, with five $1 million grand prizes available to win.

Tickets go on sale statewide at 5:30 a.m. and sell for $20 each. They will be available at any Montana Lottery sales agent, including convenience stores, bars/taverns, grocery stores and casinos. Don’t wait - last year, tickets sold out in just under three hours!

In response to the unprecedented demand, the Lottery announced in June that it would add 120,000 tickets and a fifth $1 million grand prize to 2025’s game. Even with 620,000 tickets in total, Lottery officials still anticipate a quick sellout.

"Adding 120,000 tickets and a fifth $1 million prize was a direct response to the incredible player excitement we saw last year. While the game is bigger than ever, we still expect tickets to go incredibly fast, so don't delay," said Montana Lottery Director Bob Brown.

Every Montana Millionaire ticket is eligible to win one of 6,100 instant-win prizes of $100 or 2,500 instant-win prizes of $500, plus a Quarter Million Monday drawing of $250,000 on Dec. 1, and the grand prize drawings for five $1 million prizes on Dec. 26.

The Valley CARE Coalition will be holding a Trunk Or Treat event in the Reynolds Market parking lot on Thursday, Oct. 30th, from 4:30 - 7 p.m.

Free popcorn & cocoa will be given out while supplies last. Bring your children for a safe & festive evening, filled with decorated trunks & sweet treats.

If you're interested in decorating your trunk & joining the fun, contact Teresa Garner at teresa.garner@mt.gov

The Fort Peck Tribes had their Tribal Elections on Saturday. Here are the unofficial results.

Public Notice.........Valley County Dispatch has been receiving an unusual number of complaints regarding animal bites, attacks, dogs barking and generally running at large.

The Glasgow Police Department would like to remind pet owners that pets are their responsibility. Acts by their pets could result in citations, fines and possible legal action or lawsuits.

Dogs and cats are also required to have a city license and have their rabies shots to live in city limits. Patrolman will be out and about continuing to enforce these ordinances.

For any questions regarding animals in the city, please contact the Glasgow Police Department at 406-228-8050 or refer to the Glasgow City Ordinances.

Gas prices remained relatively quiet this past week. The national average for a gallon of regular went up a couple of cents to $3.07. Even though the national average hasn’t reached the $3 mark, drivers are paying less than they were this time last year, and that trend should continue as we enter the colder months. Gasoline demand goes down in the fall as fewer people are taking road trips.

Today’s National Average: $3.068

One Week Ago: $3.051

One Month Ago: $3.163

One Year Ago: $3.15

According to new data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), gasoline demand remained flat at 8.45 million b/d. Total domestic gasoline supply decreased from 218.8 million barrels to 216.7 million. Gasoline production increased last week, averaging 9.6 million barrels per day.

In Montana, the average price is $3.05 per gallon which is down from $3.09 a week ago and down from $3.21 a year ago.

In Valley County, the average price is $3.01 per gallon.

Oil Market Dynamics

At the close of Wednesday’s formal trading session, WTI rose $1.26 to settle at $58.50 a barrel. The EIA reports crude oil inventories decreased by 1 million barrels from the previous week. At 422.8 million barrels, U.S. crude oil inventories are about 4% below the five-year average for this time of year.

State Stats

Gas

The nation’s top 10 most expensive gasoline markets are California ($4.60), Hawaii ($4.48), Washington ($4.37), Oregon ($3.97), Alaska ($3.84), Nevada ($3.80), Idaho ($3.42), Arizona ($3.36), Utah ($3.31), and Illinois ($3.25).

The nation’s top 10 least expensive gasoline markets are Mississippi ($2.61), Texas ($2.61), Louisiana ($2.62), Oklahoma ($2.63), Tennessee ($2.64), Arkansas ($2.66), Alabama ($2.68), Kentucky ($2.69), Missouri ($2.70), and Kansas ($2.73).

When it comes to defining his family legacy, Dale Veseth is unwavering: Veseth Cattle Co. will remain a working ranch that strengthens opportunities for local ranchers, champions education and community-led conservation, and upholds Montana’s ranching heritage. To ensure that legacy endures beyond their lifetimes, Dale and his wife, Janet, have announced that they will gift their 38,300-acre ranch to the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA), a rancher-founded and rancher-led nonprofit Dale has helped build for more than 20 years. The gift, valued at $21.6 million, represents the largest recorded working ranch donation in Montana history. While the Veseths will continue to manage the ranch throughout their lives, this commitment ensures a thoughtful transition to RSA when the time comes.

“We’ve watched RSA grow into something pretty special,” said Dale. “It’s brought people together with a shared purpose and opened eyes to the positive impact ranchers have on the ground. We’re proud to know the ranch will be part of that. They’ll keep it working the way it’s meant to be.”

Veseth Cattle Co. sits in south Phillips County, an area of high interest for land acquisition. By choosing to gift their ranch to RSA, the Veseths are making sure this land will not be lost to outside interests but remain in the hands of local ranchers to the benefit of the local community. It is an act of conviction. It is a commitment that keeps agriculture at the heart of Montana’s rural future.
“When Dale first mentioned this gift, it was in the most casual way, as if it were no big deal. I think we were all completely taken aback, and honestly, I don’t think the shock has worn off,” said Conni French, RSA President and Phillips County rancher. “It’s hard to put into words what a gesture like this means, not just for RSA, but for the future of ranching and conservation here at home.”
Dale and Janet have made Veseth Cattle Co. a place where doors are open to innovation and collaboration. From interns and new technologies to partnerships with groups as diverse as the World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, Quivira Coalition, and Native, they have welcomed a wide range of voices and ideas. With Dale’s leadership in RSA, ranchers now have not only a presence but influence in conversations with these groups, making the case that responsible ranching is conservation, benefiting land, wildlife, and communities alike.

Known for both his ideas and his hard work, Dale works tirelessly, moving cattle often, watching the grass, and adjusting with the seasons to keep the range healthy. Guided by constant curiosity, he has dedicated years to refining cattle genetics, developing a one-of-a-kind crossbreed suited to his terrain. His approach reflects the Veseths’ belief that good grass management is conservation, and that responsible grazing and habitat protection go hand in hand. Beside him, Janet holds a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing and brings skill and dedication to every facet of ranch life. Together, the Veseths have built a place where productivity and stewardship are inseparable, with every decision made for the future. They also have an annual bull and female sale each March that Dale would be happy to bend your ear on.

“We’ve only been here for a blink of an eye in the grand scheme of things,” said Dale. “This land will outlast us all. It’s been a privilege to care for it. It’s been a fun ride, and we’re not done yet.”
Founded in 1942, Veseth Cattle Co. has earned some of the highest honors in the cattle industry for stewardship, including the Outstanding Conservationist of the Year from the Phillips Conservation District, the Environmental Stewardship Award from the Montana Stockgrowers Association, the Region V Environmental Stewardship Award from the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, and the Quivira Coalition’s Clarence Burch Award.

“Dale and Janet’s commitment is an act of selflessness and conviction,” said Angel DeVries, Executive Director of the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance. “We will continue working alongside them, and when the time comes, we will be ready to carry forward their legacy with the same strength and resiliency they have shown.”

This gift is part of RSA’s “Working Lands Forever” campaign, a commitment to sustain ranching landscapes, strengthen rural communities, and support resilient ecosystems for generations.
The Veseths’ decision ensures that their land, their work, and their vision will continue shaping the future of ranching and conservation in north-central Montana. It is a nontraditional choice rooted in tradition, a stand to keep ranching families on the land, communities resilient, and the working landscape intact.

About the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA): The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, a rancher-led nonprofit established in 2003, believes in a future where ranching and rural communities in the Northern Great Plains are so successful that ranch families never have to consider selling or transitioning their land out of production agriculture. Guided by the stewardship of ranchers, conservation, and community, RSA helps producers strengthen both their operations and the landscapes they depend on. Through educational programs, cost-share opportunities, and community partnerships, RSA works to support ranchers while sustaining wildlife habitat and the rural towns that make this region home.

As Montana’s general rifle season for deer and elk kicks off this weekend, state wildlife managers have made some changes to deer licenses in the state in response to localized disease outbreaks.

Every year in Montana small pockets of game animals, usually white-tailed deer, succumb to diseases.

A family hemorrhagic diseases that includes epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) and blue tongue, saw late summer and early fall outbreaks across Montana, with the heaviest concentration in the northeastern part of the state, according to Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks.

Earlier this month, FWP’s Fish and Wildlife Commission, the board that handles department policy, made a regulation change to limit white-tailed deer licenses in northeast Montana. The commission voted to limit the sale of region-wide 006-00 deer B licenses to a total of 2,000, and only allow one per hunter.

Hunters that purchased multiple licenses prior to Oct. 10, when the new regulation took effect, can still use the licenses.

EHD and blue tongue virus are spread through biting midges, and pockets of the disease often form along rivers or near other waterways where midges reproduce in large numbers. The viruses are often fatal, with animals dying from internal bleeding, and can result in high death rates in very localized areas.

“It’s real sporadic and real patchy,” FWP Game Management Division Chief Brian Wakeling told the commission at their October meeting. “We’re certainly seeing it places we’ve never seen it before, but we’re not seeing it at a level that’s a concern to a population from a biological standpoint.”

While the regulation change only affects hunters in Region 6 in the northeastern part of the state, EHD and blue tongue disease have been suspected in multiple localized die-offs around the state.

In mid-September, FWP officials put out a press release following reports of roughly two dozen dead deer near Eureka and a dozen near Plains, which they suspected were viral outbreaks. Localized EHD and blue tongue outbreaks were also reported along the Yellowstone River corridor in the southeastern part of the state and in prairie habitats.

In early October, the department suspected hemorrhagic diseases were behind white-tailed deaths around Frenchtown and along the Clark Fork River west of Missoula.

In Montana, outbreaks of EHD and BTV have historically occurred east of the continental divide, and while most deer and pronghorn mortality in Montana resulting from hemorrhagic disease infection still occurs in the eastern part of the state, EHD was documented west of the continental divide in Montana for the first time in 2013.

Outbreaks of the disease typically subside as winter weather descends on an area as hard frosts mitigate midge activity, and FWP expects mortalities to continue to slow with recent freezing temperatures across the state.

FWP staff say that members of the public do not need to report dead deer suspected of succumbing to hemorrhagic diseases in areas that are already being monitored.

Hemorrhagic diseases are not a risk to humans, and meat from animals that appear healthy at the time of harvest remains safe to eat when properly cooked. Hunters should avoid harvesting or consuming animals that appear sick.

Nationwide there has been an increase in EHD and blue tongue virus outbreaks. According to reporting in The Guardian this week, Ohio has received reports of more than 9,000 dead deer suspected of dying from hemorrhagic viruses, up from just 2,000 in 2024.

In northern Idaho, biologists with Idaho Fish and Game said they’ve received roughly 1,000 reports of white-tailed deer mortalities in the Clearwater region, suspected to be caused by EHD.

The Agriculture Department will reopen about 2,100 county offices all across the country Thursday, despite the ongoing government shutdown, to help farmers and ranchers get access to $3 billion of aid from existing programs.

The USDA said each Farm Service Agency office will have two workers who will be paid even though the government remains shut down. These offices help farmers apply for farm loans, crop insurance, disaster aid and other programs. Thousands of other federal employees like air traffic controllers are working without pay during the shutdown.

A USDA spokesperson said this move reflects President Trump’s commitment to helping farmers and ranchers, who are traditionally some of his strongest supporters. Recently, some of them have been unhappy with Trump’s latest moves although his support remains strong across rural America.

Just this week, ranchers were unhappy with Trump’s idea to import more beef from Argentina because that could hurt their profits, and earlier this month soybean farmers complained that a $20 billion aid package for Argentina allowed that country to sell soybeans to China. Farmers are also still waiting on details of an aid package Trump promised to help them survive his trade war with China, but that aid has been put on hold because of the shutdown.

“President Trump will not let the radical left Democrat shutdown impact critical USDA services while harvest is underway across the country,” the USDA spokesman said.

A White House official said the administration is using funds from the Commodity Credit Corporation, a USDA agency that addresses agricultural prices. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the administration’s plans were not yet publicized.

Republicans like Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley and North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven along with farm groups like the National Corn Growers Association and Illinois Soybean Association praised the move while Democrats accused the administration of using farmers as political pawns in the shutdown fight. Both parties have been unable to reach an agreement to fund the government and end the shutdown that began Oct. 1.

Thune said reopening these offices, like he has been urging the administration to do, will give farmers access to critical services in the midst of harvest season.

“Like many hardworking Americans, producers in South Dakota and across the country – who work tirelessly to provide high-quality food for our nation – are being hurt by Senate Democrats’ reckless government shutdown,” Thune said.

Kenneth Hartman Jr., who is chairman of the Corn Growers Association, said this is a crucial time because farmers are getting ready to place orders for next year’s seed and fertilizer right now as well as settling up with the bankers for this year’s operating loans. And farmers are grappling with soaring costs.

“Because of the inflation factor, the farm economy is really in a critical situation here. So anything that the farmers can get when it comes to support from the farm programs from the farm bill of last year, we need to get that open and get that money out to them,” said Hartman, who is in the middle of harvesting his crop near Waterloo, Illinois.

The House Agriculture Committee Democrats said on X that this shows that Trump and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins “could have supported farmers all along, but you chose not to because you’d rather use farmers’ pain to score cheap political points while increasing the cost of living for ordinary Americans by making food and health care more expensive.”

Minnesota Rep. Angie Craig, who is the ranking Democrat on the Agriculture Committee, said the administration should have done this sooner to ensure that farmers can get the help they need.

“I am glad the administration is finally doing right by America’s farmers by partially opening FSA offices, though I question why the administration waited so long and made this decision only after putting farmers through three weeks of uncertainty,” Craig said.

Michael Ackerman, also known as Michael LittleBull, has been charged with three counts of second degree murder in U.S. District Court in Great Falls.

Ackerman has also been charged with use of a firearm during a crime of violence. The charges were filed on Oct. 2.

According to court records, Ackerman killed three individuals with malice aforethought on or about Sept. 11 at and near Poplar. The victims were two females and a male.

A jury date is scheduled for Dec. 9, in Great Falls. The deadline for discovery is Oct. 10.

Second-degree murder carries maximum penalties of life in prison, a $250,000 fine and five years of

supervised release. On Sunday, Sept. 14, at approximately 4 a.m., the Fort Peck Tribal police officers received information from the Yellowstone County Sheriff’s Office that a male had confessed to shooting and killing his wife, his stepson and the stepson’s girlfriend at a residence in Poplar. The male was identified as 73-yearold Michael Littlebull/Ackerman, an enrolled member of the Fort Peck Tribes.

Fort Peck Tribal police officers responded to a residence in Poplar to investigate the information. After receiving no response at the residence, tribal police officers received and executed a search warrant to enter the residence. Once inside the residence, tribal police officers located

65-year-old Earlene Jones, 41-year-old Matthew Black Thunder and 35-year-old Winona Longee deceased inside the residence. All three victims appeared to have been shot at least one time at close range with a small caliber bullet.

n Thursday, October 23, Reuters reported that Trump administration announced plans to quadruple the tariff-rate quota for Argentine beef to 80,000 metric tons, allowing more imports at lower tariffs. The move, according to the White House, is intended to help ease record-high U.S. beef prices caused by tight cattle supplies and strong consumer demand.

However, the decision is drawing sharp criticism from U.S. cattle producers, who say the policy threatens domestic ranchers and will do little to reduce prices at the grocery store.

In an interview with the Western Ag Network, Colin Woodall, CEO of the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA), questioned the effectiveness of the plan.

“There were some great statistics out today showing that even if Argentina sent 100% of its global beef exports to the United States, it would only increase our beef supply by about 2.5%. That’s not enough to bring consumer prices down,” Woodall said. “And more importantly, it’s not the same quality as our product.”

Woodall added that the move places additional financial pressure on American ranchers.

“Here we are as producers taking the financial hit on a plan that’s not going to bring down prices. As a result, we’re being told to simply take lower prices.”

The administration’s decision comes alongside a USDA plan to expand the domestic cattle herd and support ranchers impacted by drought and high feed costs. Economists, however, say such measures will take time to have an effect.

Montanans who use SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, may not receive the benefit in November.

A message to SNAP clients on the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services website said the following on Tuesday:

“As a result of the ongoing federal government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service has directed states to stop the issuance of SNAP benefits for the month of November until further notice.”

It said SNAP clients may not receive the benefits even if they are already authorized to receive them, and they should check the webpage for updates “from the federal government.”

In September, 77,679 Montanans were SNAP recipients, according to the DPHHS public benefits dashboard. DPHHS said the average monthly benefit is $332 per household.

It’s about $173 for each household member per month, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

A fact sheet from the Center said in Montana, more than 63% of participants are families with children; more than 38% are in families with members who are older adults or disabled; and more than 43% are in working families.

Western Native Voice announced the status of SNAP in a newsletter on Tuesday afternoon.

“According to the Montana Department of Public Health & Human Services (DPHHS), SNAP benefits for November cannot be issued at this time, as they are contingent on new federal appropriations,” the newsletter said.

It also provided an update on the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, or WIC, for November in Montana.

“For WIC benefits, Montana has advised that the program remains active through November 30 using carry-over funds, but future continuity will depend on federal guidance,” the newsletter said, citing the state health department.

It said the situation is the result of the ongoing federal government shutdown, “which is causing delays or interruptions in funding for programs that rely on annual congressional appropriations.”

The newsletter encouraged SNAP recipients to plan ahead, check benefit card balances, and explore alternative resources “in case there are changes.”

In a phone call Tuesday, Western Native Voice‘s government relations director Keaton Sunchild said SNAP benefits have been used as a negotiating tactic by the White House and by Senate leadership over the last week.

Western Native Voice is a Montana-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering Native communities and addressing issues that impact Indigenous people. Sunchild is based in Washington, D.C.

“They’re trying to target what they view as more liberal social programs to try to ratchet up pressure, as messed up as that seems,” said Sunchild.

In the U.S. Senate, Republicans and Democrats are at a stalemate when it comes to funding and reopening the government, and the House is out of session, kept in recess by Republican Speaker Mike Johnson.

Sunchild said at first, it wasn’t clear if the threat to withhold money for SNAP was empty, but he learned this week federal officials were informing the state health department none of the federal money for SNAP would be released.

A spokesperson for DPHHS did not comment Tuesday on the situation as Sunchild described.

However, the spokesperson said the website post about SNAP was made Friday, Oct. 17, and a mailing to recipients started Monday to 35,650 households.

Sunchild said it briefly appeared the White House might release some tariff revenue to cover some of the missing SNAP funds, but that doesn’t look like it’s the case. So he said the money will run out on Oct. 31.

“Food insecurity is such a huge issue across all of Montana,” Sunchild said.

He said that’s the case especially in rural communities, and it isn’t talked about often enough.

“And now, literally people are going to have to choose between living expenses and food because of a big political game, basically,” Sunchild said.

In response to whether Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte was trying to help, spokesperson Kaitlin Price said the governor is pushing for a fix to the shutdown.

“The governor has advocated to continue support for vulnerable Montana families by urging Washington Democrats to do their job and work with Republicans to pass a clean, short-term continuing resolution to fund the government,” Price said in an email.

She did not immediately respond to follow-up about whether the state had practical solutions in the works as well or whether the governor had advocated for the Trump administration to release available contingency funds.

A U.S. Department of Agriculture “Lapse of Funding Plan,” cited in a CBS report, said contingency funds are available for SNAP benefits in the event of a shutdown, and some federal employees should be exempted from furloughs to support program operations.

Amy Allison, head of the Missoula Food Bank and Community Center, said she was in a meeting Tuesday talking about how to prepare for the possibility that SNAP would not be authorized in November.

She said last month, 2,969 people who shopped at the food bank indicated that they receive SNAP benefits, and in the county, 7,936 people receive SNAP benefits.

Allison said that means 4,900 more people might need help if they don’t receive the benefit. Shoppers at the food bank don’t pay for groceries.

“We are incredibly concerned that numbers will increase, and we’ll see a lot of folks needing additional support if they are not receiving those SNAP benefits,” Allison said.

Jessy Lee, development director for the Missoula food bank, said the organization is committed to making sure anyone who needs food access has it.

She said the nonprofit will make sure that it has enough food for anyone who walks through its doors.

“We’re making some purchasing contingency plans that will ensure that we have enough food for a potential influx of customers,” Lee said.

The Glasgow Scotties and the Malta Mustangs are conducting a food bank challenge culminating in the Glasgow vs Malta football game Friday evening.

Bring two items for the Food Bank to the football game and get a free bag of popcorn! Or drop off your items at Glasgow High School before Thursday afternoon.

All food donated will go to the Valley Community Emergency Food Bank!

President Trump’s plan to increase foreign beef imports will crush already struggling ranchers, said Montana Farmers Union President Walter Schweitzer.

Beef markets need enforcement of current anti-trust laws and mandatory Country of Origin Labeling to create truth for consumers and a fair playing field for ranchers. As cattle prices have increased, so too have costs, such as feed, fuel and equipment.

“When will Trump put the American farmer and rancher first?” Schweitzer said. “It is bad enough that we are giving $40 billion to bail out the Argentina economy while they exported billions of dollars of soybeans to China, but now we are going to allow Argentina to dump their beef scraps into the U.S. markets.”

Currently, America is importing more beef than ever in the country’s history, while cattle inventory is the smallest it’s been in more than seven decades because of droughts, depressed prices, and increased input costs. Limited – and misleading – competition with 85% of the meatpacking market controlled by just four meatpackers means ranchers get paid less while consumers pay more.

Beef and pork are the only foods that do not have mandatory Country of Origin Labeling that would ensure consumers know what they’re putting on their plates. Loopholes in the law allow for imported beef that is packaged in the U.S. to bear the “Product of USA” label, misleading consumers.

A coalition, including Montana Farmers Union, is pushing Congress to listen to consumers who want to know where their food comes from and Montana’s Legislature, which passed a resolution in support of MCOOL this year.

Already, Trump’s announcement has negatively impacted prices for American ranchers, causing the market to drop its limit.

“Expanding beef imports benefits the multinational beef packers at the expense of cattle ranching families and the consumers,” Schweitzer said.

“Instead of trying to undercut American ranchers, President Trump and Congress should be focused on creating fair markets that mean a more food secure America,” he added

In response to ongoing media coverage and public concern regarding ideological activism in public schools, including in Montana, Superintendent of Public Instruction Susie Hedalen sent a formal letter to all Montana school districts directing them to be in compliance with state and federal laws.

The letter reinforces expectations for administrators and school boards to uphold state and federal regulations as a condition of maintaining state accreditation and receiving public school funding.
“Parents entrust our schools to focus on reading, writing, and core subjects, not political and ideological indoctrination,” said Superintendent Hedalen. “We will not allow taxpayer-funded classrooms to become platforms for activist agendas while parents sit on the sidelines. I expect every school board, administrator, and teacher to follow the law, protect students, and preserve the integrity of our education system. Montana parents have had enough of politics in our classrooms- and so have I." Hedalen added. “We are drawing a firm line: teach academics, not activism.”

Superintendent Hedalen specifically highlighted House Bill 819 and House Bill 471. HB 819 strictly limits the display of flags and banners on government property, including public schools. Only officially recognized government flags are permitted. Personal, political, or activist flags are not allowed. HB 471 reinforces parental rights by requiring an explicit opt-in before a student may receive identity instruction. It is not enough to notify parents active, written permission is required.

Superintendent Hedalen was also a strong supporter of House Bill 557, introduced by Rep. Jodee Etchart in the 2025 session. The bill would have ended the state-mandated use of PIR (Pupil-Instruction-Related) days for teacher union meetings. In recent years, these meetings have seen dwindling attendance and growing ideological indoctrination instead of true teacher professional development. The Superintendent looks forward to working with the 2027 legislature to successfully get similar legislation successfully passed.

“Government-encouraged school closures for union activities are an outdated and unproductive use of taxpayer time and resources,” said Hedalen. “HB 557 got it right PIR days should be used to strengthen instruction, not to promote union politics. We fully intend to pursue this bill again in the next legislative session and to support true educator professional development for the benefit of students.”

The OPI supports a variety of professional development opportunities for educators across the state including OPI’s Summer Institute and locally-driven professional development programs. Superintendent Hedalen recently attended a Great Falls educator professional development day hosted in partnership with Malmstrom Air Force Base. The OPI is also migrating the Teacher Learning Hub to a newer platform providing better online, OPI approved professional development for educators.

The Glasgow City Council will meet Monday in the council chambers in the Glasgow Civic Center.