Montana Public Radio News

The Northern Rockies is expected to have a normal springtime wildfire season, despite the warm winter and low snowpack. That's not an ironclad guarantee, but early indicators are not raising any red flags.

Mining company executives interested in gold near Lincoln met with locals this week to discuss their exploration plans. Australian mining company, Sentinel Metals, has applied for a permit to drill 21 holes on private land just east of Lincoln, the first step in determining if there is enough gold to build a mine.

Democratic House candidates try to separate from the pack. Senate Republican candidate Kurt Alme tries to downplay the last-minute maneuver that put him into the race. Senate Democratic candidate Reilly Neill promises to hold President Trump accountable if she's elected. And this may be the last time voters elect members of the state Public Service Commission.

In 1916, four years before women nationwide won the right to vote, Montanans elected Jeannette Rankin to Congress. She served two nonconsecutive terms, retiring in 1943. Rankin was the first woman in the country – and the last woman in Montana – to hold congressional office. One listener wants to know why.

MTPR is airing interviews with candidates running for federal office in 2026. MTPR's Victoria Traxler speaks with Russ Cleveland, a Democrat running for Montana's western U.S. House seat.

Trout are prized and ubiquitous residents of Montana's waterways. They're less commonly found in the classroom – unless you know where to look. In the Bitterroot Valley, some students are getting a hands-on lesson in what it takes to raise rainbow trout.

This past winter was defined by historic warmth in the Rockies. Long-term spring forecasts look similar – warmer and drier than normal.

A small company operating in western Montana has been tasked with supplying the federal government with a critical mineral. The project raises hopes and concerns for locals who have experienced the impacts of mining industries in western Montana.

Montana health officials say they will roll out new Medicaid work requirements by July, months ahead of the federal deadline. There's been worry the state is moving too fast and that Montanans who still qualify will lose coverage. The Montana Healthcare Foundation has released a list of actions it says the state can take to avoid that fate.

"No Kings" rallies draw thousands from across Montana. What effect are they having? Candidates have their hands – and chests – out. Moderate Republicans acquaint themselves with Democratic consultants for legislative races.

State lawmakers heard testimony last week on the connection between wildfires and skyrocketing insurance rates. Average insurance premiums for a typical Montana homeowner increased by 10% from 2021-2024.

MTPR is airing interviews with candidates running for federal office in 2026. MTPR's Victoria Traxler speaks with Ryan Busse, a Democrat running for Montana's western U.S. House seat.

MTPR is interviewing candidates running for federal office in 2026. MTPR's Shaylee Ragar speaks with Kimberly Persico, an independent candidate running for Montana's western U.S. House seat.

More than 200 of the brightest young minds from across the state filled a gymnasium at UM this week for the 71st annual Montana Science Fair. Students showcased their work – from magnetic levitation, to drone laser tag – and competed for a chance to enter the national science fair.

A new nationwide report on academic testing supports an observation of many Montana teachers and parents: students are taking too many exams.

Lewis and Clark County health officials confirmed five new measles cases this week. According to a press release, the cases are not tied to local schools or daycares.

MTPR is interviewing candidates running for federal office in 2026. MTPR's Austin Amestoy speaks with Sam Forstag, a Democrat running for Montana's western district U.S. House seat.

Helena City Police will no longer be prevented from working with federal immigration enforcement. The Helena City Commission last week voted to rescind the restriction after legal threats from Montana's attorney general.

An Australian mining company is looking to build a gold mine near the town of Lincoln. State environmental regulators are now soliciting public feedback on the project.

States are rolling out plans for their share of a $50 billion fund meant to improve rural health care. In some states, the money may provoke rural hospitals to cut services.

A school aide in Helena this week was charged with multiple counts of sexually abusing a student.

State legislators received an update Wednesday on the goals of the federal government's effort to streamline wildfire fighting resources. The Wildland Fire Service unifies operations previously managed by several federal agencies.

A property that once hosted a Missoula homeless shelter may one day support more than 200 new homes as part of the city's ambitious redevelopment plan.

Republican Senate candidate Kurt Alme comes out of the shadows. Former Sen. Jon Tester says he is "wait and see" on endorsing independent candidate Seth Bodnar. Republican House candidate Christi Jacobsen crams a lot of activities into her new ad. And the Gianforte administration backtracks on its ban of weekend rallies at the Capitol.

A longtime mechanic and beloved community member in Froid, Montana was detained by the U.S. Border Patrol in January. Roberto Orozco-Ramirez' arrest has forced a reckoning in the Republican stronghold on what President Trump's immigration policies mean on the ground. Nora Mabie of the Montana Free Press has been following the case and the community's response. She joined MTPR's Elinor Smith to break down the details.

Another AI company has set its sights on building a data center in Montana, this time in Bonner. The community is wary after problems with a similar facility in the past.

Jew Mountain sits in rugged country on the BItterroot National Forest east of Painted Rocks Reservoir. One listener was curious about how the mountain got its name. The search for an answer revealed some family ties, a slice of history and a deeper story about geography, genealogy and why words matter.

Gov. Greg Gianforte has signed a new bill into law, nearly a year after the last legislative session ended. The policy defines male and female in state law as binary, and would eliminate legal recognition of transgender, nonbinary and intersex Montanans.

Montana's rural towns can often struggle to afford large projects like water and sewer pipe replacement. They mostly rely on state and federal grants. A proposed federal bill seeks to make it easier for small communities to manage grants from multiple federal agencies.

Montana Farmers Union is working to enhance legislative literacy in rural communities. Events demonstrate how to contact representatives and participate in the legislative session. Ag communities have been impacted by several state and federal policy changes in recent years.

Former U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, Governors Marc Racicot and Steve Bullock drew an overflowing crowd to a forum in Helena last weekend. They talked about the upcoming elections, the Trump agenda, and defending democracy. Racicot was a Republican governor from 1993 to 2001. Bullock and Tester were the last Democrats to hold statewide office in Montana.

The supposed Republican frontrunner in the U.S. Senate race is off to a timid start. The independent candidate in that race vows not to resort to namecalling. Two of the candidates for the U.S. House make no such promise. A national Conservative group is working hard to defeat moderate Republicans running for the Legislature. And the Gianforte administration reconsiders its ban on weekend rallies at the Capitol.

Zoning laws aimed at incentivizing home construction have survived a legal challenge. The Montana Supreme Court ruled they are constitutional.

School safety experts say many Montana schools lack the planning and technology needed to adequately respond to threats from natural disasters to shooters.

A first-of-its-kind statewide health insurance trust for school employees got the green light from state regulators last week. Administrators are hopeful it could help control one of education's most expensive line items.

A recent federal court ruling may increase what some Montanans pay for electricity. The order directs certain dams in the northwest to limit the amount of water used for generating electricity. The change marks the latest strain on western electricity cooperatives.

The state's largest utility is signing agreements to power data centers. But, the details of those agreements have remained unavailable to the public. Now a coalition of climate and energy groups is demanding state regulators release that information.

When your trumpet is crumpled or your flute sounds flat, rural western Montana can be a tough place to find a fix. That's where Music Medics comes in. It's an instrument repair shop that started hitting the road last fall to keep school bands across the region playing in tune.

A jury ruled in favor of Ravalli County Thursday in a federal class-action lawsuit over the county's Jail Diversion Program. A jury ruled that the fees inmates pay for that program are constitutional.

State health officials remain committed to a plan for implementing work requirements and other major changes to Medicaid months before a federal deadline. Federal officials aren't expected to release detailed guidance until June, raising concerns about whether the state's plan is feasible.

Democratic candidates for the western district House seat try to differentiate themselves from the pack. One area they differ: whether or not to take PAC money. Montana voters may get a chance to change campaign spending laws in the state. And one of the Democratic candidates hopes to channel the campaign success of a former governor.

A ballot initiative aimed at restricting dark money in Montana elections is advancing. Dubbed "The Montana Plan," the proposal would prohibit any entity that does business in Montana from contributing to candidates, political parties or ballot issues.