Montana continues to rank among the bottom states in the nation in providing services for people with disabilities, according to one new report. The findings were given to lawmakers Monday as they consider a slate of bills aimed at improving the situation.

A Missoula high school was placed on lockdown for about three-and-a-half hours Monday morning after a loaded handgun magazine was found in a school hallway.

Its companion firearm was not found with it.

HELENA— The House Judiciary Committee is considering a bill that would allow any law enforcement officer in the state to file a missing child report as soon as a child is reported missing.

Bryan Lockerby, the administrator of criminal investigation for the Department of Justice, spoke in favor of the bill during the initial hearing on Monday. He said officers commonly get stuck in details of a case, like jurisdiction or whether or not a case is considered civil or criminal. Lockerby also said months have gone by before cases get properly processed.

The coalition of businesses that are keeping access to most of Yellowstone National Park open during the federal government shutdown are reaching out for help.

"Yellowstone is a large, dynamic park, and it touches all the communities in our region, and any assistance that can be provided from all of our partners to help keep Yellowstone open would be wonderful for the park," says Mike Keller, general manager for Xanterra Parks and Resorts in Yellowstone.

Butte Montana is famous. It was at one time the biggest city between Chicago and San Francisco. It’s in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, and sits at the headwaters of the mighty Columbia River, which flows all the way to the Pacific Ocean.

Butte boomed and thrived for almost a century because of one thing: copper.

Butte’s massive copper deposit was key to America’s success. The “Richest Hill on Earth” literally electrified the nation, and made the brass in bullets that won World Wars I and II. But in the 1980s, the last of the big mines shut down. Now, most of the riches are gone, and Butte is struggling.

Afternoon sunshine was softening into twilight on a recent fall day as I drove with my family down a forest road in the mountains north of Missoula. We were heading home after a day of hiking and grouse hunting—and we had a blue grouse to roast for dinner. We rounded a bend to find a covey of seven ruffed grouse, milling about in the road and pecking at the gravelly surface. What were they doing?