The Department of Commerce announced last week it awarded grants to seven projects to increase tourism in rural communities throughout the state. The program stems from 2023 legislation brought by Sen. Daniel Zolnikov, a Billings Republican. Each project is receiving $1.25 million to start and the projects will be eligible for up to $2.75 million over the duration of the grant, which is funded

HELENA – The drawings for Montana deer and elk permits and for nonresident combination licenses are complete and applicants can check their results online. This is the sixth year of the new online application process, which allows Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks to complete the drawing much faster than in years past. There are a few ways to get your drawing results. Visit fwp.mt.gov,

Wolf Point’s junior high students fared well at the Academic Olympics competition in Glasgow on Wednesday, April 15. Eighth-grade student Kellen Moran placed first out of 75 students on the English test and sixth on the science test. Seventh-grade student Kylan Egnacheski earned seventh in the science test.

Applications for the State Hail Insurance Program are now available through the Montana Department of Agriculture. Producers can insure crops against hail damage at the maximum coverage rate of $75 per acre for dryland and $114 per acre for irrigated land. Rates charged are a percentage of the insured amount and vary by county. A detailed list of rates by county and crop can be found online by

NORTHERN PLAINS INDEPENDENT (Periodical Permit #23270) P.O. Box 379 Wolf Point, Montana 59201 406-653-2775 Fax: 406-653-2777 E-mail: independent@nemont.net Established In 2019 Northern Plains Independent (USPS# 23270) is published weekly by Northern Plains Independent Inc. 408 Main Street, Wolf Point, MT 59201-1510. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Northern Plains Independent, P.O.