A commencement ceremony for Class 44 of the Montana Youth Challenge Academy took place June 12 at Vigilante Stadium in Dillon. Seventy-nine cadets were acknowledged for their completion of the program. Area graduates include Chaske’ Bearsghost, Isabella Jones, Slade Kirn, Emalee Vargas, Luthor Iron Cloud of Poplar and Eithan McKay of Brockton. Elsie Arntzen, Montana’s State Superintendent

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte has proclaimed June 21-27, 2021, to be Pollinator Week in Montana to highlight the importance of pollinator species, especially when it comes to enhancing agricultural production in the state. The Montana Department of Agriculture’s Apiary Program supports the health of two pollinator species in the state: honey bees and alfalfa leafcutting bees. “Montana’s

After his aggressive twoyear push, U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., has announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture will begin making more than $1 billion in payments to producers who suffered losses in 2018 and 2019 who have approved applications for the Quality Loss Adjustment Program and for producers who have already received an initial payment through the Wildfire and Hurricane Indemnity

U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., announced that Montana Rural Health Clinics will receive $5.6 million in U.S. Department of Health and Human Services funding as a result of the American Rescue Plan to increase COVID-19 testing and to further mitigate its effects on rural communities. Montana is home to 60 rural health clinics across the state — all of which provide life-saving care to underserved