Montana's independent, nonprofit source for in-depth news coverage of politics, government, and other issues that matter to the people of this great state. montanafreepress.orghttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.orghttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mrvowqfvck24The Trump administration is returning grizzly management to states even while the species retains Endangered Species Act protections. Supporters call it a pragmatic step toward recovery. Critics say too much remains undefined — and will lead it more dead bears. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/30/new-grizzly-rule-shifts-federal-control-to-states-what-does-it-actually-do/31 Jul 2026 00:25 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrvowqfvck24https://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mrvceru2jc2tThe Helena City Commission has tentatively decided to ask voters next spring to approve a public safety levy that will fund additional firefighters and police officers in the city. The $5.3 million levy would be enough to hire 21 additional firefighters and nine new police officers. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/30/helena-to-seek-voter-approval-for-additional-firefighters-and-police-officers/30 Jul 2026 20:40 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrvceru2jc2thttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mrspycfac22uUM’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research estimates about 10% of a data center’s total cost would go toward Montana jobs and goods. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/29/what-a-montana-data-center-costs-and-where-the-money-lands/29 Jul 2026 20:06 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrspycfac22uhttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mrqgugxcy22wAbout 200 properties will be excavated this summer as part of the ongoing cleanup of the former smelter site. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/28/epa-lead-contaminated-soil-east-helena/28 Jul 2026 22:17 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrqgugxcy22whttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mrq4gpmw322qDisease-resistant trees and climate-refugia mapping are driving ambitious plans to bring back iconic, threatened alpine tree. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/24/federal-project-aims-to-restore-greater-yellowstones-whitebark-pine-forests/28 Jul 2026 19:10 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrq4gpmw322qhttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mrq23xm3is2wAmerican meat producers hope for a premium on domestic beef and pork, but economists say the policy would violate trade agreements and raise costs. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/28/why-some-montana-ranchers-still-want-mandatory-country-of-origin-labels/28 Jul 2026 18:29 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrq23xm3is2whttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mrnz5zitk224The federal government says the sale of the historic building is needed, in part, to save money on deferred maintenance. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/27/bozeman-officials-sale-downtown-federal-building/27 Jul 2026 23:07 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrnz5zitk224https://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mrnxltkegc2aWhat a pair of proposals in pursuit of critical minerals can tell us about environmental reviews under Trump 2.0. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/27/forest-service-reviews-exploratory-mining-projects-in-the-headwaters-of-two-montana-rivers/27 Jul 2026 22:39 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrnxltkegc2ahttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mrgfutfzbs2gInvestigators found that a man killed in Glacier Park this spring likely came upon a grizzly while hiking after dark. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/24/glaciers-first-fatal-bear-attack-in-almost-30-years-came-after-surprise-encounter/24 Jul 2026 22:33 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrgfutfzbs2ghttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mrg6wybxgc2bIf approved by regulators, the voluntary program would let NorthWestern Energy customers subscribe to renewable electricity generated in Montana. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/24/missoula-moves-closer-to-statewide-green-power-program/24 Jul 2026 20:29 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrg6wybxgc2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mrdvgku2nk2uMadison and Gallatin counties accounted for more than 4 in 10 positions certified for Montana employers in fiscal year 2025. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/23/where-is-montanas-highest-demand-for-temporary-foreign-workers/23 Jul 2026 22:33 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrdvgku2nk2uhttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mrdqhqd7ss2fAn updated population model suggests the state has far fewer wolves than previously believed. Now, wildlife officials are proposing a smaller harvest. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/23/montana-wolf-population-shrinking-now-fish-wildlife-and-parks-wants-to-limit-the-wolf-hunt/23 Jul 2026 21:04 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrdqhqd7ss2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mrbo3ghixv2oThe guilty verdict in the official misconduct case against former Senate President Jason Ellsworth has been thrown out following revelations that jurors were exposed to sealed exhibits concerning communications with a potential key witness. https://bit.ly/4wXKBDl https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/22/ellsworth-guilty-verdict-thrown-out/23 Jul 2026 01:16 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrbo3ghixv2ohttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mrasnevjjs2kThe Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana has gained the city's approval to build a large affordable housing development on land that was once home to the Indigenous poor in Great Falls. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/22/little-shell-housing-project-gets-approval-from-great-falls-officials/22 Jul 2026 17:05 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mrasnevjjs2khttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mraiuudnbc24A Helena jury found former state Senate President Jason Ellsworth guilty Tuesday night of misdemeanor criminal official misconduct for awarding $170,000 in no-bid contracts to a company represented by a long-time business associate. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/21/jury-finds-ellsworth-guilty-of-official-misconduct/22 Jul 2026 14:11 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mraiuudnbc24https://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mr6ztk6cc223It’s been nearly a decade since the Land Board has purchased new trust land under the state’s 23-year-old ‘land banking’ program. Public-land advocates worry the state is leaving access opportunities on the table. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/21/montana-is-selling-more-state-trust-land-than-its-buying/22 Jul 2026 00:09 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr6ztk6cc223https://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mr64omknpc2wNew federal rules would shift more management authority to states, raising questions about the future of one of America's most recognizable conservation successes. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/19/grizzly-bear-rules-esa/21 Jul 2026 15:27 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr64omknpc2whttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mr3z3sbbuc2dThe Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center remains a big tourism draw, but its three remaining full-time employees are set to leave with no apparent plan to replace them. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/20/federal-support-in-question-at-great-falls-popular-interpretive-center/20 Jul 2026 19:17 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr3z3sbbuc2dhttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mr3ounaimc2mResearchers are studying whether the health of aquatic insects is an early warning sign of broader changes across the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/20/yellowstone-salmonfly-hatch-fisheries/20 Jul 2026 16:14 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mr3ounaimc2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mqutqgc5kk2cThe young plaintiffs who challenged President Donald Trump’s 2025 executive orders to expand fossil-fuel production are asking an appellate court to revisit their appeal. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/17/young-plaintiffs-ask-9th-circuit-court-to-rehear-climate-lawsuit/17 Jul 2026 22:53 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqutqgc5kk2chttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mqspdlpmxs2bPlaces like Glendive, Billings and Miles City hit 115 degrees on Sunday, July 12. That’s only 2 degrees cooler than Death Valley, often the hottest place on Earth, reached that same day. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/16/eastern-montana-shatters-heat-records/17 Jul 2026 02:29 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqspdlpmxs2bhttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mqsaypzlcs27Democratic candidates for federal office in Montana remain woefully underfunded in all but one 2026 race, according to campaign finance reports that were due Wednesday. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/16/campaign-finance-filings-show-democrats-except-sam-forstag-far-behind/16 Jul 2026 22:12 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqsaypzlcs27https://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mqpjgkk2lc27The state’s eight most populous counties skewed older between 2020 and 2025, though the causes and pace of change varied across the state. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/15/montanas-most-populous-counties-have-grown-older-census-data-shows/15 Jul 2026 20:05 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqpjgkk2lc27https://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mqp57fvcq22bAfter 20-year controversy and numerous court battles, Trump administration declares grizzlies recovered despite public lands rollbacks. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/15/feds-transfer-grizzly-bear-management-to-states/15 Jul 2026 16:26 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqp57fvcq22bhttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mqneecar2c24New Montana Republican Party rules for officeholders appear to defy the state Constitution by demanding loyalty oaths and punishing elected officials, potentially including the governor, for going against the wishes of party leadership, a District court judge suggested Monday. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/14/gop-loyalty-battle-gets-a-hearing-in-court/14 Jul 2026 23:29 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqneecar2c24https://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mqn2a4uwxs2fThe U.S. Interior Department will officially drop the definition of the word “harm” from the kinds of actions prohibited by the Endangered Species Act in a Federal Register notice expected to publish Tuesday. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/14/do-no-harm-feds-rescind-endangered-species-act-definition-protecting-habitat/14 Jul 2026 20:28 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqn2a4uwxs2fhttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mqkiyugndc2eA criminal trial begins Tuesday for an embattled Republican state senator accused of attempting to improperly direct a state contract to a longtime friend. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/13/criminal-trial-ellsworth-begins-tuesday/13 Jul 2026 20:14 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqkiyugndc2ehttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mqddorwoqs2mThe Montana Department of Corrections intends to relocate women currently incarcerated at Boulder’s Riverside prison, which holds about 50 of the state’s 370 female prisoners, to Pine Hills Correctional Facility in Miles City, according to agency spokesperson Carolynn Stocker. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/10/dept-of-corrections-to-relocate-50-incarcerated-women-from-boulder-to-miles-city/10 Jul 2026 23:50 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqddorwoqs2mhttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mqddcnyzh22cGianforte described both his decision and Molnar’s conduct as “unprecedented.” Molnar says he will fight the one-year suspension in court. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/10/gianforte-suspends-psc-commissioner-brad-molnar/10 Jul 2026 23:44 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqddcnyzh22chttps://bsky.app/profile/montanafreepress.org/post/3mqasvknlik2lThe Missoula County commissioners Thursday approved a temporary moratorium on data centers, citing the potential impacts on public health and the environment. https://montanafreepress.org/2026/07/09/missoula-county-adopts-temporary-moratorium-on-data-centers/09 Jul 2026 23:45 +0000at://did:plc:6wd6s3q5kkmdviqfyfqcodeb/app.bsky.feed.post/3mqasvknlik2l