In The News

HELENA – The state of Montana is getting a second round delivery of Federal Drug Administration (FDA) approved COVID-19 antibody treatments. Regeneron’s antibody therapeutic, casirivimab and imdevimab, is used to treat non-hospitalized or mildly to moderately symptomatic people over the age of 12-years in danger of advancing to hospitalization or severe symptoms. According to a release from the Office of Sen. Daines, Montana is receiving 150 vials of the Regeneron casirivimab and imdevimab cocktail, one treatment per vial. In addition, Montana is also getting a fourth shipment of Eli Lilly’s antibody therapy this week, and 260 vials of bamlanivimab, one

Montana U.S. Sens. Steve Daines and Jon Tester are among a bipartisan group of senators calling for the permanent renewal of a federal excise tax break for craft brewers and distilleries, a growing industry in Montana. In a Tuesday letter to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, 57 senators urged passage of the Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform before it expires at the end of 2020. The measure aims to extend the tax breaks for small brewers and distillers granted as part of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the massive tax-reform plan

MISSOULA, Mont. — Time is running out to use the $1.25 billion Montana received in CARES Act money. Now, the majority of the country’s attorneys general signed on to a letter pushing for an extension. Montana Attorney General Tim Fox signed on to the letter, along with 42 other attorneys general, urging Congress to extend the deadline to use the funds until the end of next year. “We now know that, you know, things may not be back to normal until some time next year,” Fox said. “We felt like that deadline was somewhat artificial and inappropriate and that we

BILLINGS — The Pioneer League will usher in a new era in 2021, ending months of speculation and uncertainty regarding its future in professional baseball. The league, which was founded in 1939, has officially lost its longstanding professional development licenses with Major League Baseball parent clubs and will now shift to independent status as a Partner League of MLB. Major League Baseball announced the agreement on Monday, giving clarity to the Pioneer League’s direction since news broke last year of MLB’s desire to restructure the minor league system. Teams in the Pioneer League operated under player development contracts with MLB

It’ll be peanuts and Cracker Jack in 2021 for Great Falls Voyagers fans as Major League Baseball and the Pioneer League announced in a Monday news release that the Pioneer League is safe. Starting in 2021, the Pioneer League will transition from affiliated status to an independent professional MLB Partner League that will continue to provide baseball to Montana, Idaho, Utah and Colorado. Morgan Sword, MLB’s Executive Vice President, Baseball Economics & Operations, said, “Over the past year, we have worked closely with Pioneer League owners and elected officials to ensure the continued success of baseball in the Mountain West.

HELENA- Montana is going to receive 264 vials of Regeneron casirivimab/imdevimab cocktail and 370 vials of bamlanivimab. The first shipments of Regeneron’s antibody therapeutic, casirivimab and imdevimab are going to start to be received according to a release from Senator Steve Daines. The release says Regeneron’s antibody cocktail is authorized for the treatment of non-hospitalized mild to moderate COVID-19 cases in adults and children 12 years and older who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 and/or hospitalization.

HELENA — State officials said they are looking at a three-phased approach to provide vaccinations in Montana that includes getting the much-expected COVID-19 vaccines to frontline health care and other health care workers, high-risk populations and eventually to members of the general public who want it. The Department of Public Health and Human Services on Tuesday had the first meeting of a COVID-19 Vaccination Plan Coordination Team comprised of more than 60 people from key groups statewide. Plans are to ship the vaccines directly to the areas where they will be distributed.Pfizer recently asked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration

MISSOULA, Mont. — Operation Warp Speed means progress on COVID-19 vaccinations is moving fast, and state officials this week unveiled a draft plan of how initial vaccination distribution might look in Montana — but there is still a lot up in the air. The state’s vaccination plan is a draft based on a CDC playbook released in October. Part of it includes education and messaging to encourage folks to get the vaccine, which is something the country’s top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, emphasized in an exclusive NBC Montana interview Monday. “We need to articulate what actually happens. And

A great hope was announced to the world this week when we learned that a potential vaccine for COVID-19 is on the immediate horizon. Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer said its vaccine is 95% effective against the virus that has infected some 11 million U.S. residents and killed more than 250,000 since February. The company is asking federal regulators to allow emergency use of the vaccine, meaning shots could be available on a limited scale as early as next month. Globally, Pfizer has estimated it could have 50 million doses available by year’s end. Meanwhile, drugmaker Moderna says its vaccine is equally