The Montana VA Health Care System is starting to administer COVID-19 vaccines to all veterans, spouses and caregivers this week as a result of bipartisan legislation championed by Senate Veterans’ Affairs committee chairman U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.. President Joe Biden signed the Strengthening and Amplifying Vaccination Efforts to Locally Immunize all Veterans and Every Spouse Act (SAVE LIVES

Choteau Acantha The Montana Legislature is working this week on plans to appropriate the nearly $3 billion American Rescue Plan Act funding package that Montana will receive from the federal government. Unfortunately, the Legislature is entertaining a controversial amendment in the bill to cut federal aid funds by 20 percent to local government entities that have imposed public health directives

As part of his efforts to prevent significant financial losses for Montana electric co-ops and rural telecom providers due to the coronavirus pandemic, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont.,introduced his bipartisan Flexibility for Rural America Act to give co-ops the option to refinance Rural Utilities Service debt at market rates, making it easier to deliver their critical services to rural America.

Lustre Christian’s track team opened its season at the Glasgow Invitational on Thursday, April 1. Jasiah Hambira led the way for the Lions as the sophomore placed third in the high jump by clearing 5-6 and took third in the long jump with a best of 18-0. Hambira finished eighth in the 200 with a time of 25.67 seconds. Lustre’s Cayden Klatt was 12th in the 300-meter hurdles.

Each spring, Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks receives calls from people who have picked up deer fawns or other wildlife. It’s important to remember that FWP no longer accepts, holds or rehabilitates moose, deer, elk and most other animals. Often, people think they are rescuing an orphaned animal. However, it’s important to understand that wildlife care for their young much differently than