In The News

Members of the Montana congressional delegation are pressing the Air Force to make a decision regarding the planned replacement of the UH-1N Hueys flown at missile bases, including Malmstrom Air Force Base. Last week, Rep. Ryan Zinke sent a letter, with 14 other lawmakers, to the House Armed Services Committee and House Appropriations Defense Subcommittee requesting that funds be included in the fiscal year 2017 defense appropriations and authorization bills to replace the Hueys. The Hueys at Malmstrom are flown by the 40th Helicopter Squadron, which is part of Air Force Global Strike’s 582nd Helicopter Group. The group includes the

Hamilton’s Caitlin Gillespie has been appointed to the U.S. Air Force Academy. She had been nominated by all three Montana Congressmen earlier. Caitlin, a senior at Hamilton High School, already has completed her first solo flight as a pilot (see photo) and will continue to head to the sky with classes at the academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado. She has been captain of track and basketball teams, is an honor student and is a delegate to American Legion’s Girls State. Senator Steve Daines said in a news release, “I was proud to personally congratulate Caitlin on her appointment to the

Oil and gas may be in a downturn, but communities in the area continue to make positive strides forward when it comes to regional development and infrastructure. One of those strides could include a new Amtrak stop in Culbertson. Amtrak officials have confirmed they have been evaluating the neighboring community for a stop for about three years now. “We know that it makes business sense to stop at Culbertson,” said Marc Magliari, a spokesman with Amtrak. “There’s a long distance between Wolf Point and Williston. Where we are now is talking with Culbertson about where the stop would be. It

A self-driving car can’t get you out of a traffic jam. That’s something Republican Sen. John Thune learned from the passenger seat of a modified Chrysler 300c from Continental on Tuesday as the Senate Commerce Committee explored autonomous driving technology. “We went out into Virginia. Of course we hit the 395 traffic,” said Thune, R-S.D., who is the committee chairman, referring to the interstate heading south from Washington. “Evidently driverless cars are not going to help our traffic jams.” Once the car reached suburban Arlington, it switched into self-driving mode. “It’s really amazing, just way more than I’ve seen or thought possible,”

Law­makers are push­ing ahead with two bills that would tweak cer­tain parts of the Fed­er­al Com­mu­nic­a­tions Com­mis­sion’s con­tro­ver­sial net-neut­ral­ity rules—the sig­na­ture In­ter­net-policy achieve­ment of the Obama ad­min­is­tra­tion. But even as Re­pub­lic­ans try to chip away at the sweep­ing In­ter­net reg­u­la­tions, the real at­ten­tion re­mains fixed on the D.C. Cir­cuit Court of Ap­peals, which is ex­pec­ted to soon rule on the broad­band in­dustry’s law­suit against the FCC. As long as a Demo­crat is in the White House, the courts pose the only real threat to the reg­u­la­tions, which re­quire that In­ter­net traffic be treated equally. Demo­crats con­sider the rules cru­cial for

Senator Steve Daines on Monday applauded the House of Representative’s passage of legislation to ensure the completion of two hydroelectric facilities in Montana. The legislation would provide for the reinstatement and three-year extension of a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) license for Clark Canyon Dam Hydro Project in Dillon, Montana and a six-year extension of the FERC license for the Gibson Dam Hydro Project near Augusta, Montana. “The Gibson Dam and Clark Canyon Dam are two projects that are critical for tax revenue and jobs in Montana communities,” Daines stated. “I’m excited to see bipartisan support for the completion of

The Obama administration is reportedly poised to indict the Iranian hackers responsible for infiltrating a New York dam in 2013. The anticipated move is widely seen as an attempt to deter Tehran’s rapidly developing cyber program, and head off concerns that the country will use a new influx of resources from its recently struck nuclear deal to fund cyber warfare efforts. “It’s a pretty big deal,” said Adam Segal, a cyber policy specialist and senior fellow at the Council on Foreign relations.  But conservatives worry it will do little to deter Iran. If the White House publicly blames Iran for

A U.S. Senate hearing has been scheduled for March 17 to consider a bill that would protect East Rosebud Creek in the Beartooth Mountains. The proposal would designate as Wild and Scenic the 13 miles of the creek from its start near Fossil Lake to East Rosebud Lake and the seven-mile stretch from East Rosebud Lake to the Custer National Forest Service boundary. East Rosebud Lake is not included because private property surrounds the lake. Only public land in the National Forest would be part of the Wild and Scenic designation. Leslie Ziegler, of Friends of East Rosebud, said Friday

“It is clear Iran is not a friend to the United States or its allies,” Daines said. “It’s time that President Obama decides what he values more: the friendship of Iran or the security of our homeland.” Sen. Steve Daines (R-Mont.) on Thursday bashed President Obama for taking years to blame Iran for a 2013 cyberattack against a New York dam. “It is downright shameful that it has taken President Obama three years to denounce Iran for a malicious cybersecurity attack on our country while at the same time sitting at a negotiating table with them,” Daines said in a