In The News

MISSOULA, Mont. – The Broadwater County Sheriff’s Office identified Mason Moore as the deputy who was killed in a shootout early Tuesday morning. Moore was 42 years old and a three-year veteran of the Broadwater County Sheriff’s Office. He was a husband and a father of three children. A procession of Montana law enforcement vehicles escorted Moore’s body to the morgue at St. Vincent Healthcare in Billings for an autopsy. The procession arrived in Billings at around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday. Firefighters raised a large American flag from a ladder truck as the procession moved up North 27th Street. Montana Highway Patrol reopened all lanes of

The United States is a big player in the global arms trade, and nationwide, Montana is pretty into the gun business, it has the highest number of licensed gun manufacturers per capita of any state. But not very many Montana guns are sold overseas. Montana’s Senators Jon Testerand Steve Daines are trying to change that for people like Peter Noreen. Noreen started and runs Noreen Firearms in Belgrade, which has 15 employees. Several men oversee SUV-sized machines that turn aluminum bricks into gun parts. In the adjacent room, an employee assembles the rifles. Peter’s wearing a faded, camo baseball hat, and when he

Growing up, Malik Washington witnessed his father wearing the uniform and going to work as a D.C. police officer, dedicating his life to a “greater cause” of serving and bettering the community. Washington, a member of the class of 2017 at Archbishop Carroll High School in the nation’s capital, serves as his school’s student body president. At Carroll, he said he’s learned enduring lessons about leadership and serving others. This summer, he will intern on Capitol Hill in the office of Montana Sen. Steve Daines, and the student said he hopes to one day serve in government himself, perhaps even

A coal mine on the Crow Reservation was the first stop for Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to Montana.  After Air Force Two landed, Pence climbed into a waiting vehicle and went directly to the Crow Reservation.  “Mr. Vice President it’s so good to have you here in Montana,” said U.S. Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) who accompanied Pence on Air Force Two. “I think it is noteworthy that the plane lands today in Billings and the very first stop of the vice president was to Crow Country and to coal country.” Westmoreland Resources leases coal from the Crow Tribe and

Prior to his appearance on Friday night, Vice President Pence received a first hand look at a Montana coal mine, then later declared that the “war on coal is over.” Vice President Mike Pence took the opportunity to visit coal country during his trip to Montana. Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke and Senator Steve Daines joined him in riding horseback at Westmoreland’s Absaloka Mine in Sarpy Creek. The meeting provided the Crow Tribe a platform to speak with the administration. With 85 employed at the mine, Westmoreland has faced a long battle. Since 2011, coal production has dropped 30 percent, and the number of those employed in the industry has plummeted from 130,000

United States Vice President Mike Pence declared “the war on coal” over Friday after touring a Crow Indian coal mine on horseback and meeting with stakeholders. “I just want to assure you that this administration is absolutely determined to continue to expand the opportunities to develop American energy in an environmentally responsible way,” Pence said. The vice president gathered with Crow tribal leaders and coal supporters at Absaloka Mine’s headquarters on the Crow Reservation. The mine is operated by Westmoreland Coal under lease with the Crow. Pence spent the afternoon at the mine before returning to Billings for an evening

Vice president Mike Pence headed to Montana Friday to garner support for Greg Gianforte, the Republican candidate vying for the Treasure State’s only seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. And considering he is in Big Sky Country, the former Indiana governor’s method of transportation while touring the Westmoreland Coal Company’s Absaloka Mine on the Crow Indian Reservation was, not surprisingly, horseback. Wearing denim blue jeans and sturdy boots, Pence toured the coal mine with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, a Montana native, and Senator Steve Daines. Pence also met with tribal and business leaders. “Thank you to Crow Nation tribal

The director of pesticide programs at the Department of Agriculture is rooting against President Trump’s proposed budget cuts to her agency.   “We hope that won’t happen,” Sheryl Kunickis, director of USDA’s Office of Pest Management Policy, said at a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on pesticide registration programs.   Kunickis and U.S. EPA’s acting director of pesticide programs, Rick Keigwin, each took questions from panel Democrats about the potential effect of the deep cuts Trump envisions for their agencies in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.   The officials said their agencies would have to adjust if Congress approves cuts,

In Montana, we know how important agriculture is — to our economy, to jobs and to keeping food on our tables, and on tables around the world. I’m thrilled to have former Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue as our new Secretary of Agriculture. I know Secretary Perdue will be a champion for Montana agriculture. Don’t take my word for it — come hear from him yourself when he is the keynote speaker at the Montana Ag Summit 2017 in Great Falls May 31—June 1. During a time of historically low prices, we need to find ways to maintain and grow our