Podcasts about montana department

In our final episode of this season's "Session Voices" series, we talk (again) with Mary Collins, of UM's Center for Children, Families and Workforce Development. Mary talks about the many steps left to codify and implement new policies, now that the session has ended, and the ways in which communities can work together to implement these changes. We discuss the power of local coalitions, particularly Early Childhood Coalitions (ECC's) -- what they are, why they exist, and how you can get involved in one in your own community (or help create one).  Guest Bio: Mary Collins has worked in a variety of social service settings where she provided counseling, advocacy, and supportive services to children, adolescents, and adults. She worked for the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) in a variety of leadership positions focused on improving Montana's behavioral health system. In her role at the Center for Children, Families and Workforce Development, Mary works to support Montana's early childhood system. Her efforts are targeted at bolstering the capacity of Montana's Early Childhood Coalitions to support community-driven systems change.mary.collins@mso.umt.eduOrganizations/resources mentioned in this episode: The Montana Early Childhood Coalition: https://hmhb-mt.org/mtecc/UM's Center for Children, Families and Workforce Development: https://www.umt.edu/ccfwd/Zero to Five Montana: https://zerotofive.org/To contact your federal representatives: https://mt.gov/govt/congressional_delegation"Session Voices" was hosted and produced by Emily Freeman, with music by Caroline Keys. Connect with Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Website Facebook Instagram For statewide resources to support Montana families in the 0-3 years of parenting, please visit LIFTS ( Linking Infants and Families to Supports) athttps://hmhb-lifts.org/

Hailey Vine from the Montana Department of Agriculture, leads a conversation about growing and marketing specialty crops in the Big Sky — featuring producers Andi Thatcher from Rimrock Flower Farm in Roundup, Jake TeSelle, Crooked Yard Hops, Bozeman, and Katie Madden, […] The post Montana Growing, Marketing Specialty Crops first appeared on Voices of Montana.

In this third and final bonus episode from National Ag Week on KLTZ Glasgow's Live Under the Big Sky, we sit down with Jillien Streit, the new director of the Montana Department of Agriculture, to discuss her background, priorities for the department, and thoughts on agricultural trade. She also introduces the Beyond the Weather mental health campaign, a crucial initiative aimed at supporting the well-being of those in agriculture.The conversation continues with Shayna Chupein, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with Frontier Psychiatry, who shares valuable insight into mental health resources available for farmers and ranchers.If you or someone you know is struggling, remember—there is no shame in asking for help. Resources can be found at Beyond the Weather, and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7.The Ranchers Stewardship Alliance (RSA) is a rancher-led, grassroots organization, dedicated to improving the quality of life for rural communities throughout the Northern Great Plains. Through collaborative conservation projects, rancher education events, and local community outreach, RSA works to strengthen our rural community, economy, and culture for generations to come.For more on the Ranchers Stewardship Alliance, head to www.RanchStewards.org and follow us on Facebook and Instagram. Your feedback is always welcome. Email info@ranchstewards.org. Want to support our mission? Visit https://ranchstewards.charityproud.org/Donate.

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Trish Schreiber, senior fellow in education at the Frontier Institute in Montana. Schreiber shares her journey from Silicon Valley to Montana and her passion for expanding educational opportunities. She discusses the impact of the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, the state’s growing […]

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Trish Schreiber, senior fellow in education at the Frontier Institute in Montana. Schreiber shares her journey from Silicon Valley to Montana and her passion for expanding educational opportunities. She discusses the impact of the United States Supreme Court's ruling in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, the state's growing education tax credit program, and the recent passage of Montana's charter school law. Ms. Schreiber also examines challenges posed by entrenched special interests in K-12 education and highlights key resources that inform her work in advancing school choice and education reform.

Public Works Officer Shane Stack started working for the Montana Department of Transportation as a teenager and came to Missoula County in 2019. As Shane prepares to retire this summer, he reflected on the challenges facing public infrastructure, the ill-fated 2020 gas tax and how his department has gotten creative with funding solutions. Related links:Snow plow routes map (works best on desktop)Report a road maintenance concernBridge maintenance updatesText us your thoughts and comments on this episode! Thank you to Missoula's Community Media Resource for podcast recording support!

The Montana Department of Justice opened an investigation into a Hamilton senator Wednesday. The Division of Criminal Investigation will gather facts to determine whether Republican Sen. Jason Ellsworth is guilty of criminal misconduct.

A simple name search could reveal refunds or lost funds you didn't know about. I got an email the other day about taxes. I almost ignored it, but something caught my attention. It was a list of state tax department websites. Sounds boring, right? That's what I thought until I clicked on Montana's site and found something unexpected. There's a section on the Montana Department of Revenue's website called “Find Unclaimed Property.” It lets you search for money the state might be holding under your name. I typed in mine, but nothing came up. Then I tried my wife's. Boom—she had unclaimed money waiting for her. I checked a few team members, and some of them had money, too. This isn't just a Montana thing. Every state holds unclaimed money for people who haven't collected it. It could be from an old paycheck, a forgotten bank account, an insurance refund, or a utility deposit. If a company can't reach you, the money gets sent to the state. Most people have no idea this happens, and their money just sits there. Most people have no idea this happens, and their money just sits there. The good news is it's easy to check. Just go to your state's unclaimed property website, enter your name, and see if anything comes up. Try different versions of your name, maiden names, middle names, or even past addresses. If you find something, follow the steps to claim it. It's free, and the state won't charge you to get your own money. I had no idea this was a thing until I stumbled upon it. And I'm guessing most people don't know either. Imagine finding a few hundred, or even a few thousand dollars just sitting there, waiting for you to claim it. It's quick, it's easy, and it could put money back in your pocket. Take five minutes to check. Look up your name, your family's names, even your friends' names. If you find something, don't wait; claim it. And if you end up with a great story, I'd love to hear about it. You can reach me at 406-837-5531 or email me at ScottHollingerMT@gmail.com. Go check now—you might have money waiting for you.

In this episode of The Learning Curve, co-hosts U-Arkansas Prof. Albert Cheng and Alisha Searcy interview Nicole Stelle Garnett, Associate Dean and John P. Murphy Foundation Professor of Law at Notre Dame Law School, and a national expert in education law and school choice. Dean Garnett discusses the vital role Catholic education plays in fostering faith, community, and the pursuit of “the true, the good, and the beautiful.” She explores the challenges posed by the decline of Catholic schools in urban areas, as outlined in her book Lost Classroom, Lost Community: Catholic Schools' Importance in Urban America, and highlights policy solutions such as expanding educational choice options to support Catholic school families. She delves into recent landmark U.S. Supreme Court decisions, including Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue and Carson v. Makin, which undermined the legal barriers to school choice, like Blaine Amendments, while strengthening religious liberty in K-12 schooling. Dean Garnett also examines the growth of private school choice programs, education savings accounts, and education tax credits across the U.S., and offers insights into upcoming legal challenges as the opponents of school choice and religious education strategize to push back.

This week on News Now, reporter Taylor Inman covers Montana's top stories shaping local and national conversations. The U.S. Senate passes the historic EXPLORE Act, with major wins for Montana public lands and outdoor recreation. The Montana Department of Corrections filed a lawsuit against Flathead County over the denied prerelease center proposal, raising questions about public safety and local governance. Plus, Glacier National Park's partnership with Columbia Falls High School continues to thrive as students craft employee housing for remote wilderness locations. Tune in for the latest on Montana's biggest developments!Read more from this week's show: State sues Flathead County over prerelease center decisionUS Senate passes sweeping national outdoor recreation packageStudents continue program constructing new Glacier National Park housingRead more local and state coverage:  Many Glacier set to be focus of Glacier Park projects in 2025Culture and history focus of annual John White SeriesDazzling Christmas light show awes viewers while giving to nonprofitExpanding rural access: UM debuts online school counseling programA big thank you to our headline sponsor for the News Now podcast, Loren's Auto Repair! They combine skill with integrity resulting in auto service & repair of the highest caliber. Discover them in Ashley Square Mall at 1309 Hwy 2 West in Kalispell Montana, or learn more at lorensauto.com. Check out Season 2 of Daily Inter Lake's Deep Dive podcast, dropping on 10/27/24! Reporter Kate Heston presents a four-part series on the Endangered Species Act, exploring the species most at-risk in northwest Montana. Discover how the law has helped some recover from near extinction and the challenges when federal and state protections overlap.Visit DailyInterLake.com to stay up-to-date with the latest breaking news from the Flathead Valley and beyond. Support local journalism and please consider subscribing to us. Watch this podcast and more on our YouTube Channel. And follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X. Got a news tip, want to place an ad, or sponsor this podcast? Contact us! Subscribe to all our other DIL pods! Keep up with northwest Montana sports on Keeping Score, dig into stories with Deep Dive, and jam out to local musicians with Press Play.

Christy Clark is moving. The now former Director of the Montana Department of Agriculture is adding that experience into her new position as Director of Montana’s Fish, Wildlife, & Parks. What’s on the top of the agenda for one of […] The post New FWP Director Brings MT Ag Background to Busy Post first appeared on Voices of Montana.

Snow-dusted peaks towered in the background, cows lowed in the expansive rangeland and cowboys on horseback moved heifers and steers off trailers. There wasn’t a film camera in sight, but it sure looked, sounded and felt like a scene straight out of the hit television show "Yellowstone.” And Wes Seward certainly looked the part donning his black cowboy hat and worn-in cowboy boots, with a gun holstered on his hip.  But Seward isn’t an actor pretending he’s an agent of the show’s fictional Montana Livestock Association. He is a district livestock investigator for the very real Montana Department of Livestock, a state agency with a history that reaches back to before the state’s formation and a mandate to ensure law and order within the state’s expansive ranching industry.  "Yellowstone" hasn’t just borrowed from Seward’s reality, though. It has changed it, bringing in more people, more animals, more money and more pressure on livestock producers who already face long days and long odds to make a living and to keep Montana’s ranching tradition alive. With me today is Ted McDermott a reporter with Lee Enterprises’ Public Service Journalism who recently reported on the world of livestock police and the effects of the TV show on life in Montana.  

Sarah Swanson, Commissioner of the Montana Department of Labor and Industry (DIL) joined the program live from Columbus as the department deployed a rapid response team to assist the miners and their families who are losing their jobs. Sibayne-Stillwater announced […] The post DIL Rapid Response on the Ground as Stillwater Layoffs Commence first appeared on Voices of Montana.

Over the last 18 months, the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation  – the DNRC  – has brought numerous stakeholders, some at odds for years, to the table to work on a Comprehensive Water Review. What is behind this water […] The post Diverse Stakeholders Collaborate For Better Water Outcomes first appeared on Voices of Montana.

In this episode, host Sloan Simmons engages with Lozano Smith charter school experts Courtney de Groof and Eric Barba.  The group discusses the recent Oklahoma Supreme Court decision to block the nation's first proposed religious charter school and implications of this development here in California and more broadly. Show Notes & References 1:55 – Drummond vs. Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board (Client News Brief 31 - August 2023) 7:23 – Issues presented in Oklahoma Decision 8:42 – Oklahoma State Charter Schools Act 9:45 – Federal constitutional questions that were addressed 12:22 – Federal cases (Trinity Lutheran Church of Columbia, Inc. v. Comer (2017) 582 U.S. 449; Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, et al (2020) 591 US 464) 19:11 – Big picture takeaways   For more information on the topics discussed in this podcast, please visit our website at: www.lozanosmith.com/podcast.

In this episode of ALPS In Brief, our Risk Manager Mark Bassingthwaighte sits down with Attorney Ann Moderie to talk about a suicide that should have never happened. — Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Hello, I'm Mark Bassingthwaighte. Welcome to ALPS in Brief, the podcast that comes to you from the Historic Florence Building in beautiful downtown Missoula, Montana. And it's a smoky day out there today, but it's good to be back in the office in terms of the home office for a little while.  And I have a guest that is... I'm very excited to share... have her share her story with you, but it's just you want to talk about a compelling, just difficult, I don't even know how to say it. I mean, I'm still swallowing what I've just heard in terms of a detailed presentation on what she's doing. So my guest is Ann Moderie... Modera.   Ann Moderie:  Moderie.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Moderie. I'm so sorry, Ann.   Ann Moderie:  It's okay.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Bassingthwaighte gets mixed up. Yes. So, but Ann, can you... before we jump into your story, can you just share a little bit about yourself and what you do?   Ann Moderie:  Sure. And thank you for having me, Mark. I am a Montana attorney. I have been practicing for about 25 years. I have practiced out of Polson, Montana, which is on Flathead Lake for that entire time.  I practiced with my father for 14 years, and when he became district court judge, I went out on my own, and I've been out on my own since that time. I have handled primarily civil cases, mostly litigation, over the years. I recently have inherited a lawyer's practice who passed away who did a lot of estate planning and probate.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Wow. Okay.   Ann Moderie:  So I'm transitioning a little bit in the last couple of years, not as much litigation, but always on the plaintiff's side. I have tried to dedicate myself to helping victims, whether it's an unfortunate accident or intentional conduct, but I think there's a real need for attorneys that are willing to get in the fight.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yes. And you have fought an incredible battle. I just finished hearing a presentation that Ann gave that really focused on a first case.   Ann Moderie:  Yeah.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  And it's not your first, or is this your...   Ann Moderie:  Oh gosh, no.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yeah.   Ann Moderie:  I've been practicing since 1999.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Right.   Ann Moderie:  And this case came into our firm in 2005.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  But it's the first case of an interesting story. So, Ann, I just invite you, have at it, share what happened and what this is all about.   Ann Moderie:  Well, and I will tell the story, but I think it's important to point out that I was one attorney in a team that tackled-  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yes.   Ann Moderie:  ... this issue and these type of cases. So I don't mean to stand out as anyone that handled them by myself. But how I first became introduced to the troubled teen industry, and these are specialty boarding schools for, quote, troubled teens, and sometimes they're called tough love schools. They're a type of school that has its own behavior modification model that is kind of almost like a military-type setting. It's very rigid, very strict. And I didn't even know these schools existed.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  I didn't either until today.   Ann Moderie:  Yeah.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  I mean, this is...   Ann Moderie:  It's under the radar.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yeah.   Ann Moderie:  But back in 2005, a case came into our office related to the suicide of a 16-year-old girl at one of these specialty boarding schools. And the school was located in Thompson Falls, Montana, which is in Sanders County, which is a nearby county.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yes.   Ann Moderie:  These... I had no idea this was in our backyard. But the school was a boarding school, mostly for out-of-state students. They are placed there because they are struggling at home, whether it's drugs, alcohol, running away, getting in trouble. Parents would send them to this school as kind of an answer really to the struggles they're having or their concern about their children's safety. And these schools represent to the parents that they are the answer that they are going to change your kids' lives. They're going to turn them around.  And the mother contacted us because her daughter committed suicide at this school called Spring Creek Lodge. And we didn't morally... Suicide cases are difficult, so we really wanted to get the records and study them before we agreed to take it. The mother had access to all of her school records. So the mother got them, presented them to us, and we were mortified with what we saw. The notice that the staff had of this young woman hurting herself was unbelievable. We found 152 instances over six months-  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  That is just crazy.   Ann Moderie:  ... where there was clear intent to kill herself-  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Right.   Ann Moderie:  ... including statements that, "I want to die." She was cutting. She was crying. She was begging for help. She was acting out physically to staff. She tried running away. She tried hanging herself from her bunk. This was a girl who was struggling, and we felt comfortable with the records that we had that we should pursue this. And these people that ran this should be held accountable.  And it's important to understand this girl's history. She was adopted at birth. Her adopted dad died when she was just a toddler. And then it was just her and her mom against the world. They were close. They had a great... They were very connected with their lives. The mother ran a furniture store. She had her desk, and then she had a little tiny desk next to her where her daughter-  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Oh, my gosh. Yeah.   Ann Moderie:  ... would work with her. It's pretty neat story actually because they had each other and that's about it. And when this girl got into her teenage years, she started acting out. She started sneaking out. She wasn't involved in hard drugs, but she started experimenting with substances. The mother was very scared.  She didn't know how to rein her in. She didn't want her to rebel more. She was scared where this could go. And I think you have to step back and look at the people who send their kids there. These schools cost anywhere from 3,500 a month to 5,000 a month. So they are parents who can afford-  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Right. Yes.   Ann Moderie:  ... this kind of care for their children. And if you look at that type of family, boarding schools are not considered a bad thing. I mean, they're very actually elite.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yes.   Ann Moderie:  If you can afford to send your child to a boarding school, my goodness, that is a wonderful opportunity.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Right.   Ann Moderie:  So sending a girl to a boarding school, while some, it rubs them the wrong way, in other ways, it's not unusual for this family from their world.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Right.   Ann Moderie:  So she goes to... Oh, and one more thing about Karlye is she had a learning disability. It was diagnosed. She attended a school specifically designed for people with learning issues, but she was doing real good in school. That wasn't actually a problem in the program that she was in.  The mother went to an educational consultant with her concerns. What should she do? And it was encouraged or advised that she send her to a specialty boarding school where she could be monitored, kept safe while still addressing her learning disability. And she was referred to a New Mexico boarding school. The mother looked into it. She talked to everyone. It seemed to be a good fit.  They had a special education program. She sent her there. And within a short period, this girl ran away and took pills. And the school said, "We are not designed for the care for someone with these concerns or issues." And they sent her home. I mean, the school did the right thing.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Right, exactly.   Ann Moderie:  "We're not designed." So she goes home, and the mother's frantic at this point. She doesn't know if she's going to hurt herself if she's going to sneak out and get hurt. She goes back to an educational consultant, and they refer her to what is called Teen Help. It's represented to be a nonprofit referral resource for parents whose children are exhibiting certain types of behavior.  And Teen Help has telemarketers really, when you call in that have a script. We got the scripts that have... They say certain things to pique the parents' fear. "It sounds like you're... you need immediate help. The child, the longer you let it go, the further they're going to go away." One script we found partway through the script, it says to the telemarketer, "MAXIMIZE PROBLEMS" in all caps. They are designed, this company is designed to prey on the fears of parents.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Exactly. Yes. Yeah.   Ann Moderie:  So she listens-  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  It's social engineering is what I'm hearing.   Ann Moderie:  Oh, yeah. It's very smart, actually. And they give her all these statistics. "Within 24 hours, this many children will commit... will try to commit suicide." I mean, they're just talking to exactly what she's fearful of. And they say, "We're a non-profit. We don't get anything by these referrals. We don't have any connection to these schools.  But we think we have found just the school for your daughter. It's Spring Creek Lodge in Montana, and here are the pictures." It's a beautiful mountain setting. Well-maintained lodges. It looks gorgeous. They have pictures of kids boating and hiking, horseback riding. They show kids at computers. They represented that they have a special education program, 24-hour monitoring, therapy for the kids.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  This sounds like a prayer...   Ann Moderie:  Oh, [inaudible 00:10:29]-  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  ... an answer to a prayer for a parent.   Ann Moderie:  Oh, absolutely.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yeah. Yeah.   Ann Moderie:  It sounds... And especially a parent, we've all been there. We have kids who are struggling. I get it.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  I do too.   Ann Moderie:  So it sounds like a perfect fit for her. And the program, though, requires a commitment letter to be written and signed by the mother committing to this program. They also ask the parent to prepare honesty reports about the child. "Has this child ever been dishonest? Have they ever been manipulative?" Well, what teenager hasn't?  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yeah.   Ann Moderie:  But they keep that in the child's file, and they tell the parent that, "It's going to be strict. They're going to want to come home. They're going to want to manipulate you but stick to the program. We have a record of success. 15,000 students... children, we have been successfully turned their life around."  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Right.   Ann Moderie:  It sounds great. So the mother does everything that they ask for. She signs a contract. She's going to pay $3,500 a month. She writes a report about her daughter. She agrees to go to seminars. There are seminars that parents have to fly to and attend-  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Oh, okay. Yes.   Ann Moderie:  ... that are kind of a educational this is how you be a better parent type of thing. She agrees to it all, and she sends her daughter off. And the conditions at the school are not like the pictures.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Right.   Ann Moderie:  At the time this young woman was going there, there were approximately 500 kids going to this school.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Oh my gosh.   Ann Moderie:  There were kids sleeping on mattresses on the floor because they didn't have the room for them.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Right.   Ann Moderie:  But we later found out that this school is part of a network of worldwide schools. And some of those schools were getting closed down by government agencies and they were taking the overflow. So that's why it was overcrowded. Lice was rampant. Kids would've complained they didn't have enough food. And they told the family that, "This is a level system. You start at level one with zero points.  And as you do good things and accomplish certain tasks, you gain points. And if you gain enough points, you go to level two through level six. And at level six, you can graduate." And average time it takes to graduate is a year that these kids are in these programs. On level one, you can't talk, you can't make eye contact, you can't look out the window, you can't talk to your parents. You are completely isolated socially because... until you get to level two.  Well, another part of getting past level one is you have to succeed in their educational program. Their educational program turns out to be completely self-taught. There are no teachers teaching. They put a kid on a wooden box at a wooden carrel, and they give them a workbook. They have to go through the workbook and then take a quiz at the end. And if you pass that quiz, you move on to the next subject. Well, someone with a learning disability-  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Exactly.   Ann Moderie:  ... is not...  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  They're not going to be able to do that.   Ann Moderie:  No.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Right.   Ann Moderie:  Of course not. Which showed right from the start, it was obvious she couldn't get past one subject. She was... And you would... there's a window above the carrels where the student sat. And if you looked out the window, you lost points. Very quickly, things dissolved. It was not good. She could not get off level one. She could not speak to her mother.  And she already went in depressed and having some suicidal ideation. And under this point system, suicide attempts or suicide talk, you lose all your points. You're punished. They also have what they call intervention rooms, which is solitary confinement. And that is a punishment for being suicidal. They put you into solitary confinement, and you can be in there for days at a time.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  It blows me away that the consequences... You have somebody who's suicidal, and then what they do is going to make her more suicidal.   Ann Moderie:  And that's exactly what happened, Mark.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yeah. [inaudible 00:14:51] gosh.   Ann Moderie:  It was painfully obvious in the record. It was just snowballing. She starts cutting. She starts trying to hang herself. It was just daily. And their response was to just keep putting her in intervention. That was their response and to take points away.  And what's most concerning too is that the mother wasn't being told about this. Her only communication came from staff. And the staff was telling her this entire time that she's being manipulative. "She's trying to work us. Don't fall for it."  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  So these are the honesty statements. They have information now that they can...   Ann Moderie:  Yeah.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Gotcha.   Ann Moderie:  Yeah.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Gotcha.   Ann Moderie:  In fact, these honesty reports come not only up in that scenario, but if children in these schools allege abuse or mistreatment, the staff will pull out the honesty reports. And they say, "Look, even their own families say they're dishonest. How can you believe this?"  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Right.   Ann Moderie:  They're used against the kids. But at one point, Karlye's begging for therapy. And Spring Creek Lodge, interestingly, is very open to that. Come to find out, they do have a mental health facility on campus, but it's co-owned by the director of Spring Creek Lodge.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Of course, it is.   Ann Moderie:  Of course, it is. So they're all over that.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yeah. Yep.   Ann Moderie:  They say... They contact the mother, and they say, "She's asking for therapy. We can provide it at $150 an hour. We're happy to do that." And the mother, of course, being a wonderful, loving mother, says, "Of course, I will do..."  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Well, yes, you want to do the right thing.   Ann Moderie:  "... I will do anything to help her. Absolutely. No, any cost." And so they set her up with therapy, and she starts going to a therapist. Come to find out later, the only degree the therapist had at that time was a high school diploma. And he was charging $150 an hour to this mother.  And the therapy clinic did not have access to the school records, so that they didn't even know she was suicidal. She was going through therapy with this guy, and he was talking to her about her friends back home. And the loss of father, I mean, he didn't even know she was suicidal at that point-  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Wow.   Ann Moderie:  ... when he was giving therapy. But when... Another thing that happens when children are suicidal at this school, they not only punish them, but they put them on what's called high risk, which is more supervised.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Right. Gotcha.   Ann Moderie:  More supervision by parents. Every half hour, the staff has to actually sign something saying they've checked on her, which is a good thing. That part is good.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  That is a good thing.   Ann Moderie:  Yeah.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yeah.   Ann Moderie:  You can get off of high-risk status if a panel of seven staff members vote you off, none of whom have mental health training, none of whom have training in suicide risk assessment. So she was on and off high risk. They voted her off. I remember asking one staff member, "So why did you vote her off?" She was voted off high risk, I think, four days before she killed herself.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yeah.   Ann Moderie:  And the staff member said, "Well, I saw her on campus, across campus, and she looked like she was smiling, and she looked happy." And it turns out she's legally blind.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Oh, my...   Ann Moderie:  It just gets...  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  You can't make this stuff up.   Ann Moderie:  You can't make this up. I know.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  It just... Oh my God.   Ann Moderie:  So this is in 2004. Up to the day she kills herself, she's threatening suicide. They lose track of her for an hour. She goes into a bathroom stall, and she hangs herself. And two staff members found her, panicked, and ran. They brought other staff members back. They took her down, and she was still breathing-  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  [inaudible 00:18:32].   Ann Moderie:  ... but no one had CPR training. They didn't know how to help her. And she died in the helicopter on the way-  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Oh, my gosh.   Ann Moderie:  ... to the hospital.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  This is a crazy story.   Ann Moderie:  It's painful to hear. It's painful to tell.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yeah.   Ann Moderie:  So that's how we got involved in trying to hold this school and the directors accountable. But what we found in this case is that this is a small part of a major operation. There is what is called the World Wide Association of Specialty Programs and Schools. It's called WWASP.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Okay.   Ann Moderie:  And it's a network of schools... Well, they call them schools. They're programs across the whole world. They have them worldwide. And you start looking at how they all follow the same model, behavior modification model. All the schools have to enter into contracts with the same companies. These companies take a third of the profit off the top. So this is millions that these companies are making.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Right. Yeah.   Ann Moderie:  And if you dig through all of these companies, the layers and layers of ownership, it seems to all flow down to the same group of individuals who are located in Utah and who are the founders of this network of schools. And that's who we concentrated on at the end is because that's where the money was going.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yeah.   Ann Moderie:  So it resulted in settlements with some of the defendants early on. It resulted in a three-week trial. It was... And that led to other cases against this same school or being... There were other schools in Montana. I think I recently heard that there's, I think, 72 schools right now in Montana of this... Not WWASP schools, but just specialty boarding schools.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Okay.   Ann Moderie:  I think that that's what I heard.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  All right.   Ann Moderie:  But they have largely been unregulated. There's no federal regulation of these schools. It's left to the states. And in Montana, there was no regulation, or true regulation, until 2019. And in 2019, a law was passed that provided for these schools to be under the regulation of the Montana Department of Health and Human Services after there was a lot of press about these schools, and that has had some positive effects.  There has been some closures, investigations, and I'm grateful that we're inching towards that. But for those of us that work in this school, they... in this field, that we know that there needs to be much more done because the people that were running Spring Creek Lodge, they're involved in these other schools in Montana. There's been allegations of abuse or misconduct. The problem is still there. A little bit of regulations are not enough. What we want is federal regulation. That's our goal.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  The ultimate goal. Okay.   Ann Moderie:  Yeah. And the more we talk about it, the closer we can get to that goal.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Right. Right.   Ann Moderie:  And that is where this Netflix documentary called The Program comes in is a former student of one of these schools did a documentary. She is a filmmaker out of LA, former student. And she put together this documentary on these schools and specifically WWASP and did an amazing job. She very talented young woman.  Took a lot of courage because she's been taking the heat since then. But I was asked to participate in this program... the program, this documentary, which I did, and I was happy to do so. And we are hoping that this will have some positive effect. And just getting the word out is something.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  I want to make sure, folks, that you are clear. So there is, as a result of this case, other people have become aware. And this... A past student at one of these schools has filmed that they've created this series on Netflix, and it is called The Program, right.   Ann Moderie:  Yes.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  So if that's a show, it's a show I got to go look at.   Ann Moderie:  Yeah.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  I just... Again, I've had no idea. But I want to make sure all of you listening are aware of what to look for as well. Why... You got involved in this, I guess. And you've had some success changing the law here in Montana. Have you been involved in any other matters with any of these schools? Is this a practice area that you continue in-   Ann Moderie:  Well...  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  ... to some degree?   Ann Moderie:  Yes. I've had... I've been personally involved in two other cases. The other one was a case against... another case against Spring Creek Lodge.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Okay.   Ann Moderie:  I was involved in another case against another facility. And then I have been acted as a consultant on several other cases that are dealing with these same entities or their same individuals. The school, Spring Creek Lodge, closed in 2009.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  As a result of these legal [inaudible 00:23:53]-   Ann Moderie:  Well, I think they were in legal trouble. They were having these issues and bad press. But I think the economy at that time might have had something to do with the two because this was the recession.  And to be honest, I think that the recession had a lot to do with these closures. And WWASP is no longer in effect. But as I understand it, the people involved in these companies are still involved in the field but just under different names or under different capacities.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  They kind of just disappear but regrow somewhere else in a different name. But everything... They're still going full bore, is what I'm hearing.   Ann Moderie:  That's my understanding.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yeah. Yeah.   Ann Moderie:  Yeah, unfortunately.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Why do you like... Why is it important to you to talk about this?   Ann Moderie:  I feel like the more we talk about it, the closer we are to change.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Okay.   Ann Moderie:  Because the lawsuits haven't necessarily stopped them.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yeah. Yeah.   Ann Moderie:  Bad press. They know how to handle bad press. They're skilled media. They have media point consultants... professional consultants. I feel like the stories are what captures people. And that's why the documentary, I think, is so well done.  And she interviews and has [inaudible 00:25:20] former students participate and say what their experience was like and then what effect it's had on their lives. And I feel like I didn't even know about it. I didn't even know this existed. But we're making some headway. People are starting to learn about it. And even if it doesn't result in a successful lawsuit, if it prevents one parent from sending a child-  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yes, of course.   Ann Moderie:  ... I've done my job.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yeah. Yeah. Are there things that you think others, primarily all of us in the legal profession, could do here?   Ann Moderie:  I think being open to cases when they come into your office. I think at least taking a close look at these cases, even if it's not something that you generally handle, hearing these kids out and being open to it. I know that I have been contacted since this documentary came out by many past students, but we have statute of limitations issues. The school closed in 2009.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Okay. Right.   Ann Moderie:  The kids... Statute of limitations starts running when they turn 18 unless there was some kind of... they didn't realize there was a problem, and it was tied to the school. But that's very rare with the records they have in the school.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yeah. Yeah.   Ann Moderie:  So I hope that as a legal community, we open ourselves up to these stories. And even if you don't end up taking it, trying to give the family the support they need. There are organizations out there that help survivors of these schools that they've got a hotline you can call and get help. So the more awareness we can do as attorneys, I think, is the best.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Okay. And I absolutely agree with you. If you would like, you are welcome to share contact information if anyone in the audience happens to stumble onto something like this. If you would rather not, that is fine. I will share mine. And I assure you folk and mine's widely available, and I can pass things on, but...   Ann Moderie:  Well, I don't want to use this as a means-  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  It's okay.   Ann Moderie:  ... of getting cases either, though. I don't want it to seem like that.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Well, no, no. That's not... It's maybe they have a case, and how did you handle it?   Ann Moderie:  Okay. Yeah.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  I'm not trying to help drum up business for you.   Ann Moderie:  Yeah.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  It's, are you able to, or if you would like to have someone reach out so that they can help spread the word, they can understand what to do.   Ann Moderie:  Sure. Yeah.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  If not, I'll just share my information. How about we leave it at that?   Ann Moderie:  Well, I have a website, Moderie Law, and my contact information is on there. I'm always happy I to visit with survivors, and if I can help, help. If I can't, try to refer them to an organization or individuals that can. I'm always in any capacity, whether it's this field... this area of law, or not, I think that we need to do that as attorneys.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Yeah. [inaudible 00:28:30].   Ann Moderie:  [inaudible 00:28:30] job.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Well, I really appreciate you taking the time to share this story again. And I'm glad that we have an opportunity to continue to try to spread the message.   Ann Moderie:  Yeah.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  This is... I just am still, I wouldn't say, shock. I had no idea. And it's troubling to me. That's the word I'm looking for.   Ann Moderie:  Yeah.  Mark Bassingthwaighte:  Well, folks, I'm going to wrap with that. I encourage you to if you have any interest, and take a look at the Netflix series. Again, it's The Program. And if you have questions, concerns on risk management issues, ethics, insurance coverage, and all the things that I tend to do, I'm not the risk manager for ALPS. I'm hired by ALPS to be the risk manager for the bar at large.  And you are free to reach out to me at any time if there's anything I can do. My email is mbass, M-B-A-S-S@alpsinsurance.com. A-L-P-Sinsurance, one word.com. And I can also, if you ever want to reach out to Ann and have trouble locating her, reach out to me, and I can pass information along [inaudible 00:29:43] happy to do that. So that's it. Thanks for listening. Have a good [inaudible 00:29:47]. Bye-bye.   

In this episode of News Now, host Taylor Inman covers the week's top headlines in northwest Montana. The family of missing paddleboarder Emily Rea is offering a $25,000 reward for information leading to her whereabouts. Tribal leaders urge U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy to apologize for remarks made about Native Americans. Additionally, the Montana Department of Corrections proposes a 90-bed prerelease facility in Kalispell, prompting public meetings and discussions.Website for more information about Emily Rea - https://eyesforemily.softr.app/ Read more of these stories: Family of missing paddleboarder offers $25,000 for tips leading to her return Sheehy faces scrutiny for derogatory comments about Native AmericansPrerelease facility proposed for former hotel site in KalispellRead more local and state news:  Green Party candidate for U.S. Senate will remain on November ballotNew public park planned in Kalispell along Ashley CreekAG issues cease-and-desist letter to nonprofit news outletSuspect shot at Two Bear Air during standoff, sheriff saysMontana Supreme Court lifts hold on two pro-construction housing laws A big thank you to our headline sponsor for the News Now podcast, Loren's Auto Repair! They combine skill with integrity resulting in auto service & repair of the highest caliber. Discover them in Ashley Square Mall at 1309 Hwy 2 West in Kalispell Montana, or learn more at lorensauto.com.Visit DailyInterLake.com to stay up-to-date with the latest breaking news from the Flathead Valley and beyond. Support local journalism and please consider subscribing to us. Watch this podcast and more on our YouTube Channel. And follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X. Subscribe to all our other DIL pods! Keep up with northwest Montana sports on Keeping Score, dig into stories with Deep Dive, and jam out to local musicians with Press Play. Got a news tip, want to place an ad, or sponsor this podcast? Contact us

For at least a decade, a pair of great gray owls have made their nest each spring in the top of a broken cottonwood tree trunk on the Blackfoot-Clearwater Game Range northeast of Missoula. They fledge chicks almost every year, and they’ve become increasingly popular with wildlife photographers — including professionals — who appreciate the nest’s easy access and visibility from the ground.  So it made sense that some photographers were upset this spring when they learned that the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks planned to remove the nest. Why would FWP do that? Mainly because of the photographers themselves. And because the nest wasn’t actually natural.  With me today is Joshua Murdock, outdoors and natural resources reporter at the Missoulian. He visited the nest with an FWP biologist and met with photographers.  

Montana Department of Labor Commissioner Sarah Swanson 

Dr. Veronica Gillispie-Bell, Medical Director of the Louisiana Pregnancy Associated Mortality Review and the Louisiana Perinatal Quality Collaborative, details the work to lower accidental overdose among pregnant persons; Linda Krantz, Health Communications Specialist with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, explains why her department created a public health podcast; and a new ASTHO report delivers a blueprint for setting up a health equity or minority health office. Louisiana Department of Health Webpage: LDH premieres video series on treatment for maternal substance use disorder Talking Health in the 406 Podcast Webpage ASTHO Report: Establishing an Office of Health Equity or Minority Health ASTHO Webpage: Stay Informed  

Welcome to the #ShareYourHotness Podcast episode 137! Jeri Mae Rowley, Speaker ~Trainer~ Saddle Maker's Daughter, shares precious life and leadership lessons from her family's world-famous saddle shop.  She has been invited to present keynotes and concurrent sessions in 39 states, Canada, and the US Virgin Islands. Provide leadership, communications, and customer service training for businesses and organizations. Jeri Mae's clientele covers an intriguing variety of industries and organizations: from the Federal Reserve to National Wildlife Preserves; municipalities to multi-media; semiconductor to pet cemeteries; drill bit manufacturing to tropical island resorts. Her resume includes successful experience as a manager, salesperson, state-wide training program administrator, college workforce training director, and college instructor. Jeri Mae has been president of “almost every organization I've belonged to since Lively Livestock 4-H.”  She is a past president of the National Speaker's Association's Mountain West Chapter, serving professional speakers in Idaho, Utah, Montana, and Wyoming.  She has also served as president of her local Chamber of Commerce, Faculty Senate, Convention and Visitor Bureau, Society of Human Resource Managers, and National Speakers Association. She served on the Boards of the National Speakers Association DC Chapter and the DC Metro Association for Talent Development. Jeri Mae taught Small Business Entrepreneurship, Human Resource Management, and Hospitality Management for sixteen years at Flathead Valley Community College in Kalispell, Montana. She is a Certified Instructor for the Montana Department of Commerce NxLeveL Entrepreneurship Course, Travel Montana Superhost Customer Service Training, and the American Hotel and Lodging Association in Management and Marketing. In addition to her teaching duties at Flathead Valley Community College, she served as the college's Workforce Training Director and Statewide Coordinator for Travel Montana's Superhost Customer Service Seminar program. Jeri Mae has received regional, state, and national recognition for her success as a leader and educator, including Montana's Glacier Country Person of the Year, Montana State SHRM “Above and Beyond Award,” and the prestigious “Visiting Scholar Award” from the National Tourism Foundation. Support The #ShareYourHotness Podcast by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-syh-podcast Find out more at https://the-syh-podcast.pinecast.co

Send us a Text Message.Joe Connor is the CEO & Founder of Odyssey, a company that partners with state agencies to administer school choice programs. Odyssey currently serves over 140,000 students by helping them access more than $400 million in state funding for education. Joe started his career as a teacher and school leader at the KIPP and Rocketship Education school networks. After working in schools for several years, Joe attended law school where he focused his research on private school choice and education policy. Joe practiced litigation while advocating for education choice, including working on Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, a landmark school choice case. Joe previously founded SchoolHouse, a private school network before founding Odyssey. He has also worked as legal counsel for Match Education, AltSchool, the Notre Dame Ace Academies, and Primer.Recommended Resources:

Amidst controversy over alleged unfair labor practices at the Montana Department of Justice, where Trooper Alicia Bragg's termination sparked outcry for workplace transparency and accountability. Concurrently, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks spearheads efforts to revive the native redband trout population, crucial for preserving ecological balance in the region's waters. Meanwhile, the Flathead Lake Biological Station embarks on a $9.5 million SUBSEA project, diving deep into oceanic research to unravel the mysteries of carbon cycling and ecosystem dynamics, offering insights crucial for global marine conservation efforts.Read the full stories here:Montana Highway Patrol likely committed unfair labor practice in firing trooperState wildlife agency gives boost to native rainbow trout species Flathead Lake Biological Station embarking on an ocean study  A big thank you to our headline sponsor for the News Now podcast, Loren's Auto Repair! They combine skill with integrity resulting in auto service & repair of the highest caliber. Discover them in Ashley Square Mall at 1309 Hwy 2 West in Kalispell Montana, or learn more at lorensauto.com.Visit DailyInterLake.com to stay up-to-date with the latest breaking news from the Flathead Valley and beyond. Support local journalism and please consider subscribing to us. Watch this podcast and more on our YouTube Channel. And follow us on Facebook, Instagram and X. Subscribe to all our other DIL pods! Keep up with northwest Montana sports on Keeping Score, dig into stories with Deep Dive, and jam out to local musicians with Press Play. Got a news tip, want to place an ad, or sponsor this podcast? Contact us

Send us a Text Message.This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host Downrigger Dale sits down with the Chief Marketing & Communication Officer of the Montana Department of Commerce, Mitch Staley, to talk about the VisitMT.com website and all the amazing things it can do for Montanans and those outside of Montana that want to discover our great state. And believe us when we say they aren't just talking about the typical trip to Glacier or Yellowstone Parks. Rigger and Mitch get goin down Montana roads that for sure qualify as the “roads less traveled”! When you listen you will learn how to find a Montana adventure that is perfect for you! Have you ever had this discussion with your spouse, kids, partner or traveling buddy; “Where do you want to go?” “I don't know, where do you want to go?” “Well, what do you want to do?” “I don't know what do you want to do?”? VisitMT.com is the ultimate cure for that discussion! Mitch Staley explains how that website can even suggest a travel itinerary for you. For example, you can click on an area of the site labeled “Trip Ideas”. When you click on that it will give you ideas to click on like “5 Days in Eastern Montana” or “4 Days in Northwest Montana” or… Well, you just need to listen and learn about all the ways you can plan a trip on VisitMT.com. How about taking your kids on a Dinosaur Discovery Tour?! As Mitch explained there are all kinds of ways "To Montana" whether you love to fish, hike or…just listen to this podcast and find out “How You Can Montana”. If you are a business owner, you can promote your business on VisitMT.com for free! See the link below to get started! There are a few links in the article above to get you to some of the areas that Rigger and Mitch talk about in the Podcast. Below are a few other links you will also find helpful.Links:Again, here is the main link to get you started on VisitMT.com.Questions? You can call Visit MT at 1-800-847-4868 or click here for a live chat with the folks at Visit MT. Click here to learn more about promoting your business on VisitMT.com.Click here for many other related links that the Montana Department of Commerce and the Montana OfficeRemember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.

MTPR's Ellis Juhlin sits down with the outgoing director of the Montana Department of Environmental Quality.

Montana's top environmental regulatory agency is under new leadership. The new director takes office amidst ongoing changes, legal challenges and preparations for the next legislative session.

Almost half of the land in the western United States is owned by the Federal Government. Compare that to only 4 percent of land east of the Mississippi. Obviously, there is a story to tell on this topic.Dirt Road Discussions visited with an online panel consisting of Amanda Kaster, Director of the Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation; Keith Hamilton, a fourth-generation rancher and farmer from Wyoming; and Ben Menges, a fifth-generation farmer from Arizona. With host Cam Hammond and Ott Clark, the panel takes us through an honest conversation about the pros, cons, victories, frustrations, benefits, and limitations of living near and working on these federal lands. If you don't know what federal lands are, no worries. They will explain that, too.Thank you to multiple western state Farm Bureau Federations who made this possible.

The Montana Department of Justice is blocking access to what it calls privileged documents showing its communication with a Canadian mining company. An environmental group is now suing to access the information.

Taylor Inman sat with the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce Workforce and Special Initiatives Director Jennifer Cronk and Neal Drakage with the Montana Department for Labor and Industry. They discussed the Spring Job Fair coming up on April 11th at the Flathead County Fairgrounds. It's a fantastic opportunity for local businesses to hire full-time, part-time, and seasonal employees. On the flipside, it's a great place for anyone to explore their opportunities in a career shift. More information here about the job fair. For business signups as employers/exhibitors, click this link.Visit DailyInterLake.com to stay up-to-date with the latest breaking news from the Flathead Valley and beyond. Support local journalism and subscribe to us! Watch this podcast and more on our YouTube Channel. Find us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Got a news tip, want to place an ad, or sponsor this podcast? Contact us!

A number of forest restoration projects are slated for funding through the Montana Department of Natural Resources & Conservation. Recent legislation paved the way for it. DNRC Director Amanda Kaster joined the program to talk about how these projects and […] The post DNRC Goals for Land Management first appeared on Voices of Montana.

Education Headline RoundupThis week's stories:Liberty University, a large evangelical Christian university in Virginia, was fined a hefty $14 million by the U.S. Department of Education. The fine stemmed from the university's failure to comply with the Clery Act, a federal law regarding campus safety.Lawmakers in Greece's parliament have voted effectively to end a state monopoly on university education amid protests and demonstrations in central Athens that drew 18,000+ people.Nebraska's State Board of Education has voted 5-3 against a rule change process that would have enabled the defining and banning of sexually explicit books and materials from school libraries and removed a requirement for schools to purchase a minimum number of new books each academic year.Landmark Supreme Court Cases that Changed U.S. Education: Part IIWelcome to part two of our discussion of pivotal Supreme Court cases that have shaped the landscape of student rights, privacy, religious freedom, and affirmative action in education. This week, we're covering:Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier (1988)This case significantly impacted student press freedom, allowing schools to restrict student speech in school-sponsored publications under certain conditions. We discuss the balance between student free speech and school authority. Safford Unified School District v. Redding (2009)The strip search of a 13-year-old student raised questions about student privacy and the limits of school searches. We analyze the Supreme Court's decision and its impact on school policies regarding student searches.Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue (2020)Examining the intersection of state scholarship programs and religious freedom, we look at how this case challenged the separation of church and state and its implications for educational funding and religious schools.Kennedy v. Bremerton School District (2022)This case highlighted the clash between religious expression and public school policies. We discuss the implications of the Court's decision on the role of religion in public life and the rights of students and educators.Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President & Fellows of Harvard College (2023)In this recent landmark case, we analyze the impact of affirmative action policies on college admissions and the Court's ruling on diversity and racial discrimination in higher education.Join us as we contemplate each case's significance in shaping the rights and responsibilities of students, educators, and institutions in the United States.Questions for Reflection:How do these Supreme Court decisions impact the rights of students and educators in schools today?What are the broader implications of these rulings for education policy and practice?How can we ensure a balance between protecting individual rights and maintaining a safe and inclusive learning environment in schools?Sources & Resources:Liberty University Hit With Record Fines for Failing to Handle Complaints of Sexual Assault, Other Crimes — ProPublicaU.S. Department of Education Imposes $14 Million Fine Against Liberty University for Clery Act ViolationsState Education Board rejects rule to ban sexually explicit books in all school librariesBoard of Education votes 'no' on rule impacting content in school libraries | Nebraska Public Media.State Ed Board rejects measure defining and banning sexually explicit materials in school libraries • Nebraska ExaminerFacts and Case Summary - Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier | United States CourtsHazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier | OyezHAZELWOOD SCHOOL DISTRICT, et al., Petitioners v. Cathy KUHLMEIER et al. | Supreme Court | US LawSafford Unified School District v. Redding | OyezEspinoza v. Montana Dept. of Revenue | Constitution CenterStudents for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College | Definition, Questions, Grutter v. Bollinger, Affirmative Action, & Decision | BritannicaStudents for Fair Admissions v. Harvard FAQ: Navigating the Evolving Implications of the Court's Ruling - Stanford Center for Racial JusticeKennedy v. Bremerton School District | OyezSupreme Court Sides With Coach Over Prayers at the 50-Yard Line - The New York TimesSupreme Court school prayer ruling in Lee v. Weisman and family's quest - The Washington PostBoard of Education of the Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley | BritannicaRegents of the University of California v. Bakke | OyezRegents of the University of California v. Bakke (1978) | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information InstituteLau v. Nichols | OyezSan Antonio Independent School District v. Rodriguez | Oyez1973: San Antonio ISD v. Rodriguez - A Latinx Resource Guide: Civil Rights Cases and Events in the United StatesThe Worst Supreme Court Decisions Since 1960 | TIMEAmerican Heritage Dictionary of the English LanguageCoach Who Won Supreme Court Case Over Prayers on the Field Resigns | New York TimesEspinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue - Institute for Justice20-1199 Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v. President and Fellows of Harvard College (06/29/2023)Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College | OyezKEY FACTS Students for Fair Admissions, Inc. v President and Fellows of Harvard CollegeStudents for Fair Admissions v. Harvard FAQ: Navigating the Evolving Implications of the Court's Ruling - Stanford Center for Racial JusticeFrequently Asked Questions on Justices - Supreme Court of the United StatesHarvard Overhauls College Application in Wake of Affirmative Action Decision | Newsdiscrimination | Wex | US Law | LII / Legal Information Institute.

03/07/24: Wade Enget is the Mountrail County State's Attorney and joins Joel on "News and Views" to talk about the evolving story around former Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem's deleted emails. Wade was appointed to review the Montana Department of Justice investigation into a North Dakota building cost overrun, and says he is not authorized to review new information. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Montana Supreme Court has ruled 5-2 that the Montana Department of Environmental Quality did its job correctly, and quite well, actually, in permitting the Black Butte Copper Project. It's a rare “on all points” court win for resource development. […] The post High Court Gives High Five on Black Butte Copper Project first appeared on Voices of Montana.

Featuring Kevin Gilbertson, CIO, State of MontanaCarrie Albro, CIO, Montana Department of Public Health & Human ServicesAdam Carpenter, Chief Data Officer, State of MontanaMark your calendars for the 2024 Phoenix Live Podcast Tour April 1st-3rd, 2024 in Scottsdale, Arizona.Learn more here: https://www.techtables.com/2024-phoenix-live-podcast-tourBefore we get into this week's podcast, I wanted to give a special shout-out to TechTables podcast sponsors: SentinelOne, Verizon, and SAP.SentinelOne's AI-powered security platform to break down silos and protect this state's entire enterprise with real-time data and control. With seamless updates and overhead reduction securing 15,000+ endpoints across 25 agencies, SentinelOne partners to protect critical assets across states and agencies. Learn how SentinelOne empowers this state to stay secure.Verizon Frontline. The advanced network for first responders on the front lines. It's your mission. It's your Verizon.More than 35,000 agencies rely on Verizon Frontline and its mission-critical solutions. Check out the solutions built for first responders.Overwhelmed by Digital Transformation? Here's How One City Keeps Pace in the Digital Age.Provide residents and city employees with an even better, happier life through digital transformation.Download the Case Study Now--------

AI has come for the animals.  When the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks unveiled its 43rd annual photo issue of Montana Outdoors on Jan. 1, the magazine carried an explanation on page 1: Magazine staff, editor Tom Dickson wrote the magazine had gone to great lengths to verify that photos submitted for the issue were, in fact, photos.  Dickson's concern was that images produced by generative artificial intelligence — AI programs that create new material in response to a prompt — now often appear as realistic as actual photographs and could be submitted to the magazine for publication. On today's episode, Joshua Murdock, natural resources reporter for the Missoulian newspaper, discusses his reporting on AI-generated wildlife imagery.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week on the Montana Outdoor Podcast your host, Downrigger Dale has a conversation with Montana Governor, Greg Gianforte. Rigger and the Governor get into all kinds of topics about Montana's great outdoors. Things like: What is the overall outlook for Montana's Outdoors for 2024? What About Montana's outdoor economy, which is a huge part of our overall economy, will it keep growing? Can Montana's population continue to grow without ruining the things that has made it the best place in the world to live? You can get the Governor's answers to those and many other questions by listening to this week's Podcast! A few other very interesting tidbits about Montana's outdoor economy that Governor Gianforte brought up during his conversation with Rigger; Do you know how fast Montana's Outdoor Economy grew in one year? How many people are employed in jobs directly connected to Montana's outdoor economy? Spoiler Alert! If all those folks lived in the same town, they would become the 7th largest city in the State! There is a TON of important information in this podcast for sure and even a great recipe for duck from the Governor! So, listen now!If you would like to learn more about Montana's outdoor economy, click here for an interesting report from the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. You can also click here to get another interesting report about Montana's outdoor economy from the University of Montana. Rigger and the Governor also talked about the Black Butte Copper Mine and the gold mine near Emigrant Montana that was opposed by the community. Click here to get more information about Black Butte Copper Mine and the Community support. To read an article about the ban on mining near Emigrant click here. If you have a question for Governor Gianforte, click here to send him an email. Downrigger Dale would love to hear your thoughts about this podcast or your ideas for future podcast topics! Click here to email Downrigger Dale.Remember to tune in to our live radio show, The Montana Outdoor Radio Show, every Saturday morning from 6:00AM to 8:00AM. The show airs on 30 radio stations all across the State of Montana. You can get a list of our affiliated radio stations on our website. You can also listen to recordings of past shows, get fishing and and hunting information and much more at that website or on our Facebook page. You can also watch our radio show there as well.

State of Montana Department of Revenue v. Timothy L. Blixseth

Go to www.thejasoncavnessexperience.com for the full episode and other episodes of The Jason Cavness Experience on your favorite platforms. Sponsor  CavnessHR delivers HR companies with 49 or fewer people with our HR platform and by providing you access to your own HRBP. www.CavnessHR.com  Chandler's Bio Chandler Lewis, M.Sc (he/him/neurodivergent), is the Founder and Managing Director of 360 Social Impact Studios and the Director of Equity and Inclusion at the Cross Cultural Health Care Program (CCHCP). With over 13 years of experience in childhood and adult education, start-ups, non-profit management, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), and management consulting. Chandler has a rich history of working with organizations that serve under-represented communities.  His focus is particularly on social impact innovation and mental health. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Political Science from the University of Washington and a Master's of Science in Organizational Leadership, with an emphasis in public safety leadership, from The Johns Hopkins University. Previously, he worked as the Operations Manager for JustLead Washington, fostering a sustainable network of community leaders who collaboratively work toward equity and justice throughout Washington State. Chandler continues his community leadership as the Executive Director of Circle of Friends for Mental Health, a mental health- focused nonprofit based in Seattle, WA, that provides therapeutic creative arts programming to people struggling with homelessness, addicon, or mental health challenges. In recent years, Chandler has been extensively involved with numerous life science and technology startups in the Pacific Northwest, providing a wide range of consulting services focused on organizational and product development. His expertise lies in supporting the creation of organizational strategic plans, product development roadmaps, clinical and regulatory implementation strategies, and global business development plans.  He also has significant experience working with organizations at the intersection of human services and juice, having spent 5 years with King County Dependency CASA as a Court Appointed Special Advocate and Guardian Ad-Litem. Chandler also works extensively with the University of Washington and has served as an Adjunct Instructor for the UW CoMoon/National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps (I-Corps) Program.  He serves as a Faculty Mentor and Advisor for several prestigious programs, including The Tombolo Institute at Bellevue College, Washington State University and SP3NW's Flexible Infrastructure for Resilient Entrepreneurship (FIRE) program, The Washington State Department of Commerce, UW CoMoon Advisory Services, UW CoMoon Labs, UW School of Nursing, and the Masters of Science in Entrepreneurship Program at the Foster School of Business. A certified CCHCP Equity and Inclusion trainer, Chandler leads a 40-hour certification program several times a year. He also holds certifications such as Lifecycles Capacity Consultant, Leading Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Technology of Participation (ToP): Facilitation Methods & Strategy Planning, Social Impact Strategy: Tools for Entrepreneurs and Innovators, and Human Centered Design Workshop Trainer/Facilitator. Chandler has engaged groups at all levels and has provided leadership on projects with organizations including the UW School of Medicine, Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA), Marshfield Clinic Health System, Providence Health System, the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Health Department, Downtown Emergency Service Center (DESC), Solid Ground, Mary's Place, and the Washington State Nursing Commission.  We talked about the following and other items Trade mission to Australia with Washington State Governor Jay Inslee Rural Opportunities and digital learning DEI Mental Health  360 Social Impact Studios  Starting a VC fund Entrepreneurship Chandler's Social Media  Chandler's Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chandlerjlewis/ 360 Social Impact Studios: https://www.360socialventures.com/  

Addressing nutrient pollution resulting from underperforming septic systems in Montana's scenic Flathead Lake Basin is the topic of episode two. Host Jeff Berckes is joined by three environmental science professionals to discuss issues associated with septic systems, how they can impact water quality, and the role homeowners can play in preventing this type of pollution. They also share their latest research and innovative partner projects that tackle this source of nutrients. About our guests: Emilie Henry serves as the program coordinator of the Western Montana Conservation Commission, Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation. Henry develops and supports on-the-ground projects and programs, including surrounding septic leachate, that protect aquatic resources in western Montana. Nanette Nelson is a research scientist at the Flathead Lake Biological Station, University of Montana. She is an environmental economist with interests in non-market valuation of environmental goods and services and economic impacts of aquatic invasive species. Mike Koopal is executive director and founder of the Whitefish Lake Institute, a science and education based nonprofit organization. Koopal serves as a governor-appointed member of the Water Pollution Control Advisory Committee and chairs the Western Montana Conservation Commission's On-site Wastewater Treatment Committee and Technical Committee.

The director of the Montana Department of Commerce has resigned after an audit found he misused state dollars.

In the latest episode of Let's Be Civil, Chad and Nate are joined by Infotech's John Oberdiek, former Montana DOT CIO Mike Bousliman, and current Montana DOT Digital Delivery leader Pat Lane to explore the role of change management in adapting to new technological and process innovations. As the rate of change increases, the importance of instituting a positive culture of change management grows alongside it. How is your organization approaching change management?  Hosts: Nate Binder & Chad Schafer, Infotech Guests: Pat Lane, Montana Department of Transportation Mike Bousliman, Infotech John Oberdiek, Infotech About Infotech: ⁠https://www.infotechinc.com/

The Interagency Bison Management Program partners met at Chico Hot Springs Resort in early November. The partners include tribal representatives, state and federal officials.  When the Park Service attempted to change some language in the group's adaptive management plan, the executive officer of the Montana Department of Livestock protested. But, there's a lot more to this story than this one meeting. At play are simmering tensions between the State of Montana and the Park Service over managing the migratory bison that call Yellowstone National Park home for most of the year. With me today is Brett French, outdoors editor at the Billings Gazette, who attended the gathering and has reported on Yellowstone bison for years. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) says possible heavy metals contamination at a public park in Deer Lodge does not pose a short-term risk to human health.

Click on the podcast to learn more about the 24 free, virtual courses offered to individuals and businesses through the successful SafetyFestMT program from the Montana Department of Labor & Industry, with DLI Commissioner Sarah Swanson. The post SafetyFestMT w/ Labor and Industry Commissioner Sarah Swanson first appeared on Voices of Montana.

Martha Williams is the director of the United State Fish and Wildlife Service, the agency responsible for implementing the Endangered Species Act (along with NOAA's fisheries division). She grew up on a farm in Maryland and studied law at the University of Montana. From 1988 to 2011, she served as legal counsel for the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks. After a stint as Deputy Solicitor Parks and Wildlife in the Department of the Interior, she was appointed director of the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks from 2017 to 2020. She is an avid outdoorswoman, hunter and angler. She spoke with Lesli Allison, CEO of Western Landowners Alliance, in August 2023 in the living room of Granger Ranches HQ in the Madison Valley of Montana. Their conversation took place after meeting with landowners and touring the ranch's remarkable stream restoration project.   Complete show notes and a transcript of this episode are available at onland.westernlandowners.org/podcast/

The Montana Department of Environmental Quality said wastewater may be leaking from holding ponds that sit just uphill from Holland Lake in the Swan Valley.

The Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife & Parks recently released the results of two hunter surveys. One was sent to 5,000 residents and another to 800 nonresidents. The surveys asked questions about the state's management of elk and mule deer, two iconic species in the state. Brett French, outdoor editor at the Billings Gazette, recently wrote about the results of the survey. Since the story on the FWP survey came out, Montana Backcountry Hunters and Anglers examined the methodology the agency used. The group contends that counting neutral responses to the survey as those satisfied with the state's elk management sways the calculation to FWP's favor. On this episode French, talks about the survey and subsequent blowback to the results.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Montana Department of Labor and Industry is under new leadership. Gov. Greg Gianforte selected Sarah Swanson for the role of commissioner.

Facing a critical shortage of frontline health care workers, the Montana Department of Labor and Industry has partnered with the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Browning to graduate new Certified Nursing Assistants.

This week on The Learning Curve, Cara and Gerard talk with Kevin Chavous, president of Stride K12, Inc. and a former member of the Council of the District of Columbia, on the growing movement toward school choice in education. Chavous discusses the impact of the U.S. Supreme Court rulings in Espinoza v. Montana Department of […]