Montana Public Radio News

Pencils down! Does that phrase bring back some anxiety-inducing memories? What if, like in your bad dreams, it's an exam you haven't studied for? A listener wants to know why student test scores have stopped rising. The answer involves triangles and time. Learn more in this lesson of The Big Why. There won't be a quiz afterward.

Four Democrats competing for Montana's western U.S. House seat met for their first public forum Tuesday. The candidates covered a wide range of topics, from housing costs to immigration policy.

A federal investigation found systemic problems in a Helena hospital that resulted in sexual abuse allegations against employees going undocumented for weeks or months. MTPR's Austin Amestoy spoke with St. Peter's Health CEO Wade Johnson for the hospital's response.

Water watchdog groups and tribes are suing federal environmental regulators. The suit challenges the federal approval of Montana's new water quality standards.

The Montana GOP completed its sweep of all state and federal offices in 2024. This year the party is putting greater focus on another branch of government – the judiciary. Montana Republicans laid-out their priorities during their winter kickoff in Great Falls over the weekend.

The Missoula City Council Monday approved sweeping new rules for residential development within the city. The major overhaul will allow developers to build more and larger apartment complexes, and loosen rules for how many housing units can sit on a single plot, among other changes.

Thousands of Montanans are petitioning the federal government to hold public meetings on a proposal to rescind roadless protections. The change would impact more than 6 million acres of forest lands across the state.

Montana Republican leaders are mum on President Trump's threat to "nationalize" elections. Tribal leaders vow to fight Trump administration efforts to remove "woke" exhibits from national parks and monuments. Gov. Gianforte pushes for the establishment of a conservative religious club in Montana schools. And the Epstein files become an issue in Montana's congressional race.

Montana's junior senator has thrown his support behind the Trump administration's push to end birthright citizenship. Several federal courts blocked the order from going into effect. The Supreme Court will hear arguments debating the order's constitutionality in April.

There's good and bad news to report from Montana's labor market last year, according to economists with the University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

A recent report analyzed how national monuments affect their local economies. National Monuments protect places of historic or scientific interest, but some argue these areas hinder local development.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte Wednesday rallied support for an initiative to engage high school students in conservative politics. Gianforte announced that he and Superintendent of Public Instruction Susie Hedalen sent a letter to all Montana school districts encouraging support for local “Club America" chapters.

The spring-like weather that's gripped Montana since before Christmas shows almost no signs of going away.

A Montana couple is donating their multimillion dollar cattle ranch to preserve its conservation legacy and keep the land in the hands of locals. It's the largest ranchland donation in the history of Montana. The land sits among some of the state's best remaining habitat for threatened grassland birds.

The deadline to decide on whether grizzly bears will remain under federal protection has been pushed back by a year. The U.S.. Fish and Wildlife Service was originally court-ordered to make a decision by the end of January, but last Friday, a federal judge extended that deadline to the end of the year.

More than 100 people gathered Friday at a Missoula hospital to honor Alex Pretti, a Veterans Affairs nurse killed last week by ICE agents in Minneapolis

Montana's largest utility is planning how it's going to generate power and meet rising demand in the era of data centers. The company is now soliciting public feedback on that draft plan. MTPR's Ellis Juhlin attended a recent meeting in Missoula and reports.

Businesses around Montana closed their doors or altered their operations Friday to protest immigration enforcement actions. The closures are part of a national movement.

Montanans charged or convicted of crimes in the state often face barriers finding a job and housing, long after their cases have closed. And the internet creates a permanent record. The state is looking at ways to change that.

Montanans respond to the Minnesota protester shootings with peaceful protests and policy changes. Democratic congressional candidates denounce the shootings. Sen. Steve Daines calls for an investigation and defends ICE. And the jury is still out on the long-term political impact of the shootings and the government response.

Elk are a familiar sight in much of Montana now, but that hasn't always been the case. By the early 1900s, unregulated hunting had led to massive declines in wildlife nationwide. But In Yellowstone, elk populations were exploding thanks to protections in place there. The solution to restoring elk outside the park seemed obvious. Less obvious was how to make it happen. This week on the Big Why, we trace the animals' bumpy path from the living laboratory called Yellowstone Park to the Bitterroot Valley and beyond.

Tariffs enacted by President Donald Trump last year are still straining Montana farmers. Producers are left in limbo as they wait for a ruling on the legality of those tariffs.

The first report on Montana's new public charter schools shows their students generally lag behind peers in standard public schools. But, that data comes with caveats.

Some Laurel residents don't like the state's plan to build a psychiatric hospital near town. The backlash came quickly after state officials announced the site location.

The federal government could partially shut down this weekend if Congress doesn't pass a spending package. Montana's congressional delegates are holding the Republican line to advance law enforcement funding.

Montana's largest utility has released a draft plan of how it will generate power for the next two decades. It's soliciting public comments on that plan in meetings across the state.

According to a 2025 Forbes report, Montana ranks number one in the nation for drunk driving fatalities. One local nonprofit is offering a reward for drinkers who keep their keys in their pocket.

With state-of-the-art exhibits and free admission, the new Montana Heritage Center museum in Helena is a tantalizing field trip destination for teachers. But school travel is expensive. Now, a donor-funded grant is helping busloads of students visit the “Smithsonian” of Montana.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recently launched its new Regenerative Agriculture Pilot Program. That means more funding for Montana farmers and ranchers who prioritize the health of the land they work.

Amid internal strife at the Montana Public Service Commission, a legislative committee will study reshaping the state's utility oversight board.

Helena city officials Monday solidified policies for limiting interactions with federal law enforcement. Citing the unrest in Minneapolis, some residents say they aren't strong enough.

The Montana political world awaits UM president Seth Bodnar's decision about his future, and Republicans aren't waiting to put out an attack ad. Democratic Senate candidate Reilly Neill thinks a conspiracy is behind a possible Bodnar Senate run. And new candidates with no political experience continue to enter the congressional races.

A program aiming to keep Montana's ambulance services financially afloat is in jeopardy, as federal health officials say the state can't implement the program. Rural ambulance providers could close if it fails.

A state senator pleaded not guilty Thursday to an official misconduct charge over a no-bid contract he awarded to a longtime colleague in 2024. The case is now headed for a jury trial.

One former, and two current state senators are challenging a new property tax policy in court. Around 80% of residential property owners saw tax relief last year under the policy. The lawsuit amplifies a fracture between Republican lawmakers.

A massive plumbing failure at Montana's state prison revealed serious faults in the facility's infrastructure. Despite recent state investments, putting money into prison projects can be a hard sell.

Montana education officials approved two new public charter schools Friday. That's the fewest since lawmakers paved the way for the schools in 2023.

For nearly three decades a federally funded project has worked to deliver clean water to thousands in northeastern Montana. A proposed policy would extend that work.

University of Montana President Seth Bodnar's resignation announcement Wednesday sent shock waves across the state. It also led to more questions than answers.

The Bureau of Land Management announced its decision Friday to cancel key bison grazing permits for American Prairie, which is working to build a 3 million-acre nature reserve in northeastern Montana.

A Bozeman Republican has launched a challenge to Montana's senior senator.

Wetlands make up just 3% of total land in Montana. But new research finds their benefits have much larger ripple effects.