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Study Identifies Resilient Western U.S. Rivers

Study Identifies Resilient Western U.S. Rivers

A new study published in the journal PLOS ONE has mapped waterways across the contiguous United States to identify areas that could help sustain freshwater biodiversity amid changing climate conditions. Researchers highlighted mountain rivers in Idaho and Montana, as well as the headwaters of the Colorado River system, as particularly resilient. These waterways benefit from features like longer-lasting snowpack, less nearby development, and connectivity that allows aquatic species to move into cooler or more suitable habitats. Conversely, desert rivers in New Mexico, Arizona, and southern Nevada were found to be more vulnerable due to water scarcity and additional pressures from a warming climate. The study aims to guide conservation efforts by identifying areas where protection and restoration could have the greatest impact.
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Senators Daines and Cantwell Urge CMS to Recertify LifeCenter Northwest, Citing Flawed Evaluation Methodology

Senators Daines and Cantwell Urge CMS to Recertify LifeCenter Northwest, Citing Flawed Evaluation Methodology

U.S. Senators Steve Daines (R-Mont.) and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) have sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy and Administrator Oz of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The letter urges strong support for the recertification of LifeCenter Northwest, which serves as the primary organ procurement organization (OPO) for Montana, Washington, Alaska, and northern Idaho. The senators, joined by other bipartisan lawmakers including Representatives Marilyn Strickland (WA-10), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), expressed concerns that CMS's current OPO evaluation methodology does not adequately account for the unique operational challenges of serving a large, rural, and geographically dispersed area. They highlighted issues such as limited availability of transplant centers, variations in acceptance practices for complex organs, and the necessity of long-distance air transport within narrow clinical timeframes. The l...
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Appeal to Halt WinCo Store in Great Falls Withdrawn, Paving Way for Development

Appeal to Halt WinCo Store in Great Falls Withdrawn, Paving Way for Development

Appeal to Halt WinCo Store in Great Falls Withdrawn, Paving Way for Development
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Mountain Lion Spotted in Southwestern Illinois; Officials Urge Residents to Leave It Alone

Mountain Lion Spotted in Southwestern Illinois; Officials Urge Residents to Leave It Alone

The Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) has confirmed multiple sightings of a mountain lion moving through southwestern Illinois. The University of Illinois Extension is advising the public to leave the animal alone and allow it to roam naturally. While large predators like mountain lions, black bears, and wolves are uncommon in Illinois, individual animals have been observed reappearing over the past few decades, often detected through increased use of trail cameras. Experts suggest it is unlikely that an apex predator will establish a permanent presence in the region due to insufficient contiguous forested habitat, even in southern Illinois. Mountain lions typically require a minimum home range of 70 square miles. Residents in Jackson and Union counties are being advised to keep pets and children indoors or under supervision as a precautionary measure. Mountain lions are a protected species, and it is illegal to hunt, kill, or harass them unless they pose an imminent threat to a person or pro...
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Montana Stream Access Rally Draws Candidates and Advocates to Bozeman

Montana Stream Access Rally Draws Candidates and Advocates to Bozeman

Over 250 citizens, political candidates, and advocates gathered at the Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture in Bozeman for a Montana Stream Access Rally. The event focused on the importance of the 1985 Montana Stream Access Law, which guarantees public recreational access to rivers and streams up to the high-water mark. Attendees engaged with state and county political candidates, as well as local businesses and nonprofits that depend on Montana's waterways. Candidates, including Alani Bankhead (Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate), Seth Bodnar (independent candidate for U.S. Senate), Amy Eddy (nonpartisan candidate for Montana Supreme Court), and several others running for state legislative seats, delivered speeches emphasizing their commitment to protecting waterway access. Many speakers shared personal connections to Montana's waters and highlighted the ongoing threats from private and corporate interests.
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Montana's Largest State Agency Director Steps Down, Successor Named by Governor Gianforte

Montana's Largest State Agency Director Steps Down, Successor Named by Governor Gianforte

Governor Greg Gianforte announced that Charlie Brereton, the director of Montana's largest state agency, the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), will be stepping down from his position on October 30. Brereton is leaving to pursue an opportunity in the private sector. Since 2022, Brereton has overseen significant initiatives within the DPHHS, including a $300 million overhaul of the behavioral health system and the securing of over $200 million in federal funding through the Rural Health Transformation Program. Governor Gianforte commended Brereton's leadership during his tenure. Dr. Doug Harrington, the department's current State Medical Officer, has been appointed as the acting director. Dr. Harrington is a Montana native with over 40 years of medical experience, including work on early heart transplant teams and holding multiple patents in cardiac diagnostics. He expressed his honor in taking on the role and his intention to build upon the department's existing momentum.
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Yellowstone County Motor Vehicle Office Adjusts Hours and Operations in Billings

Yellowstone County Motor Vehicle Office Adjusts Hours and Operations in Billings

The Yellowstone County Motor Vehicle Office in Billings has relocated to Room 125 of the John V. Ostlund County Administration Building at 2825 3rd Avenue North. Effective Tuesday, September 1, 2026, the Downtown Motor Vehicle Office will close daily at 5:00 PM. This new closing time specifically applies to the Downtown office, while the hours for the Laurel and METRA satellite offices remain unchanged. The METRA MV office will also be closed on specific dates in October for events. The Motor Vehicle Department is currently accepting scheduled appointments in the Billings office and offers limited walk-in transactions for title work, with a limit of five title transactions per customer per day. An Express Renewal window has also been opened, allowing no more than five renewals per customer, and online renewals are processed the following business day.
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Montana Opens New Facility for Weights, Measures, and Building Codes Programs

Montana Opens New Facility for Weights, Measures, and Building Codes Programs

Montana has opened a new 511 square meter (5,500 square foot) facility in Helena, providing a permanent home for two crucial programs within the Montana Department of Labor & Industry: Weights & Measures and Building Codes. This state-owned facility is designed to accommodate the specialized vehicles, equipment, and testing required for certifying scales, pumps, and meters statewide. It features a maintenance bay for department trucks, an office and laboratory area with a public lobby and conference room, and a larger mass-calibration space equipped with an overhead crane for working on cattle and truck scales. Governor Greg Gianforte stated at the ribbon-cutting ceremony that this facility will reduce long-term costs and avoid future relocation expenses while supporting the important work of these programs as the state's economy grows.
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Sip 'N Dip Lounge in Great Falls Recognized as a Top Global Bar, Thrives with Unique Mermaid Attraction

Sip 'N Dip Lounge in Great Falls Recognized as a Top Global Bar, Thrives with Unique Mermaid Attraction

Sip 'N Dip Lounge in Great Falls Recognized as a Top Global Bar, Thrives with Unique Mermaid Attraction
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Kaikōura's Little Penguins Excluded from New Zealand's H5N1 Bird Flu Vaccination Program

Kaikōura's Little Penguins Excluded from New Zealand's H5N1 Bird Flu Vaccination Program

Kaikōura wildlife advocates and local councils in New Zealand are expressing disappointment after the Department of Conservation (DOC) decided not to include the district's little penguins (kororā) in the government's H5N1 avian flu vaccination program. Despite calls from the Kaikōura Wildlife Centre Trust and Deputy Mayor Vicki Gulleford, DOC stated that little penguins are not at risk of extinction and that wildlife vaccinations are labor-intensive and stressful for the birds. The decision has been criticized by Sabrina Luecht, manager of the Kaikōura Wildlife Centre Trust, who argues that DOC's species prioritization system is flawed, focusing solely on threat classification and failing to incorporate multi-threat assessments for highly vulnerable populations. The little penguin population in Kaikōura is described as having low and declining numbers, limited breeding locations, and requiring high intervention care, largely provided by volunteers.
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Silver Bow Mining Intersects High-Grade Copper Mineralization at Rainbow Block in Montana

Silver Bow Mining Intersects High-Grade Copper Mineralization at Rainbow Block in Montana

Silver Bow Mining Intersects High-Grade Copper Mineralization at Rainbow Block in Montana
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Montana Land Board Approves Oil and Gas Lease Sale Generating $2.1 Million for Education Fund

Montana Land Board Approves Oil and Gas Lease Sale Generating $2.1 Million for Education Fund

Montana Land Board Approves Oil and Gas Lease Sale Generating $2.1 Million for Education Fund