In partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy, the Montana Department of Environmental Quality has awarded funding to 10 grid resilience projects across the state to strengthen electric infrastructure and improve reliability for Montana communities. The projects will help utilities upgrade aging infrastructure, reduce outage frequency, shorten restoration times following storms and extreme

The Governor’s office has appointed fourth-generation Sheridan County producer Tanner Jorgensen to the Montana Pulse Crop Committee. Jorgensen fills an eastern district seat, succeeding longtime board member Paul Kanning. Operating near Dagmar in northeast Montana, Jorgensen raises green peas, durum, spring wheat, barley and oilseeds alongside his parents, Tom and Jandy Jorgensen. Jorgensen

AJ Allen, prevention specialist for the Roosevelt County Health Department, reports that Kratom is another dangerous substance that is being consumed in the area. According to information from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, Kratom acts as a stimulant in low doses. At high doses, Kratom acts as a sedative, with effects such as pain relief, relaxation and a sense

In 49 states, the number of people enrolled in Obamacare plans has declined since Congress made coverage more expensive by allowing federal subsidies to expire at the end of last year. The lone exception was New Mexico, the only state that has used its own money to fully replace the expired aid, according to a new analysis by KFF, a health policy research group. Late in June, the Trump administration

Montana Free Press In recent years, Montana has sold more state trust land than it’s purchased due, in part, to a fast-moving real estate market. Seth Goodwin, Land Section supervisor with the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, told the state Land Board Monday, July 20, that ballooning real estate values and the state’s lengthy land-procurement process are thwarting the

Nominations are now open for Montana State University’s premier agricultural award. MSU’s College of Agriculture is seeking nominations for its 2026 Outstanding Agricultural Leader Award, which will be presented during the college’s Celebrate Agriculture week Oct. 25-31 on the MSU campus. The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, Sept. 11. The award recognizes individuals, families