News Staff National Endowment for the Arts grants are being awarded to Montana projects like the MMIW play and Native ceramics. A round of federal funding will pay for western Montana workshops on Native American ceramic practices; elementary students learning poetry and Plains Indian sign language, translating some work into Salish, and an original touring play addressing … Read more
A Billings man pleaded not guilty to a homicide prosecutors described Friday as an “unprovoked, cold-blooded, vicious execution.” Melvin Pretty On Top , 23, made his first appearance in Yellowstone County District court Friday. The 23 year old is charged in the Dec. 21 shooting death of, 48-year-old Troy Chaney of Billings outside the Colonial … Read more
Plans are underway to build a first-of-its-kind homeless shelter in Great Falls. Housed Great Falls hopes to develop Pallet Shelters, which are villages of durable and insulated sleeping cabins to hep the unhoused population in the Electric City. The non-profit plans to have the shelter up and running within the next two years or when … Read more
HELENA – A Republican state lawmaker from Billings has announced her resignation. Rep. Mallerie Stromswold released a statement this weekend [Saturday], announcing she would immediately step down as representative for House District 50. Stromswold was one of Montana’s youngest lawmakers, at 19, when elected to her first term in 2020, while attending college. This was … Read more
MISSOULA – A trial date for Shannon Schweyen’s lawsuit against the University of Montana has officially been set. Schweyen’s case against UM is scheduled to appear before a seven-person jury on Nov. 13 in Missoula, according to court documents. The former head coach of the Montana Lady Griz basketball program is suing UM for alleged … Read more
GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls man has now been added to the llist of Montanan’s taking part in the deadly Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection. Patrick William O’Brien was arrested last week [Jan. 5], in Great Falls on four misdemeanors stemming from the violent attack in which prosecutors argued the 54 year old drove to … Read more
MONTANA – 2022 ended with more Marijuana sales in Montana than expected. According to the Montana Department of Revenue, they estimated 2022 marijuana sales would be a little over $3-million. However, sales were over $400,000,000, according to the department’s website. $58 million in taxes has been collected so far for 2022, and officials said many … Read more
MISSOULA – A new telecommunications company in Missoula plans to begin laying its fiber network this year, a move that will position it to compete directly with Charter. TDS Telecommunications will do the same in Lolo, Helena, Butte and Great Falls, the company said Wednesday in a news release. The final build preparations are in … Read more
[News release] GREAT FALLS – A Great Falls woman convicted in a retail fraud scheme was sentenced Wednesday. A judge ordered Crystal Lynn Jackson, aka Crystal Lynn Barber, 38, to seven months in prison, according to the Montana U.S. Attorney’s Office. She pleaded guilty in 2022 to wire fraud and identity theft, stemming from the … Read more
Just days into the 2023 legislative session in Helena and lawmakers are already tasked with having to fill a vacant seat, after the surprise departure of a Republican house Rep.. The Legislature got underway Jan. 2, and House District 29 representative Doug Flament, a Lewistown Republican who was appointed in 2021, had yet to appear … Read more