An atmospheric river flooded Libby and Troy this week. Several bridges washed away and some homes were damaged. The water is receding and county officials are still assessing the damage.

Heavy rains brought severe flooding to northwestern Montana, flooding homes and washing out several roads and bridges. Lincoln County declared a state of emergency Thursday. The City of Libby has issued a boil water order for all users on the city water system.

Montana’s top attorney will lead the Republican effort to elect more conservative attorneys general next year. State officials are looking for a site in Laurel to build a new mental health facility for criminal defendants.

State higher education officials have changed the eligibility requirements for Montana’s American Indian Tuition Waiver. Starting next fall, blood quantum will no longer count toward eligibility.

A Helena judge has blocked a program that allowed parents of students with disabilities to spend state funds on private education expenses. The judge found the program was being funded illegally, because lawmakers hadn’t followed proper procedure.

A federal committee recently said children should no longer get the hepatitis B vaccine at birth. The change to the recommendation doesn’t remove parents’ ability to get their kids the vaccine at birth, but they will need to talk to their doctor ahead of time.

A group of young Montanans are asking the state Supreme Court to overturn new laws that weaken the state’s ability to regulate planet warming emissions, and exclude some fossil fuel projects from environmental review. This filing comes a year after they won a landmark ruling over Montana's constitutional right to a "clean and healthful environment."

The federal government says it will give farmers $12 billion in aid payments early next year. State agriculture leaders are torn on the plan.

Weather officials are keeping a close eye on the next installment of wet and windy weather expected to batter the Northern Rockies this week. Another 2 to 5 inches of liquid precipitation could be added to the already saturated terrain of northwest and west-central Montana.

The Trump administration in November prioritized approval of a rare earth mineral mine at the headwaters of the Bitterroot River. But the project faces strong opposition from the public, local government and members of Montana's congressional delegation.