Montana FWP is considering a new state park
John Hooks | Montana Public Radio
Montana officials are proposing to create a new state park in Central Montana.
The proposed state park includes over a hundred acres at the confluence of the Judith and Missouri rivers. The land was donated to the Montana State Park Foundation by conservation group American Prairie.
Fish Wildlife and Parks is seeking public comment on a proposal to make the area Montana’s 56th state park.
The land has seen a number of important historical moments: it was used as a camping area and in treaty negotiations by indigenous tribes. Lewis and Clark passed through with the Corps of Discovery in 1805. An army camp and a prominent cattle ranch were built on the land. It’s also where the first documented skeletal remains of a dinosaur were found in North America.
FWP is proposing a ‘rustic’ state park with limited amenities. The agency says this will preserve historic buildings on the property, ensure public access, and possibly boost tourism in central Montana.
The agency is seeking public comment on the acquisition by December 14th.
Tourism assistance grants to be sent for emergency services in rural communities
John Hooks | Montana Public Radio
The State Commerce Department is sending over a million dollars to emergency service providers in rural communities experiencing rises in tourism.
The money will pay for new police cars, fire engines, and search and rescue vehicles at 26 rural public safety agencies.
Tourism brought more than 12 million visitors and $5 billion into Montana in 2023, according to The University of Montana’s Institute of Tourism and Recreation Research. But all those visitors are a strain on services in rural communities. While tourists use emergency services the cost of maintaining them disproportionately falls on locals.
The grants from the Commerce Department were allocated in a bill from the 2023 Legislature setting aside funding from Montana’s lodging tax on hotels to help rural communities expand emergency services.
Former superintendent pleads no contest to police investigation obstruction charge
Austin Amestoy | Montana Public Radio
A former candidate for Superintendent of Public Instruction Tuesday pleaded no contest to a charge that she obstructed a police investigation at a school in southwest Montana. Sharyl Allen served as superintendent of Harrison School until earlier this year, when Madison County law enforcement said she prevented them from interviewing witnesses during an investigation. MTPR later reported the investigation centered around alleged sexual misconduct by an unlicensed teacher Allen hired.
Allen originally denied the charge before her plea change. She did not respond to MTPR’s request for comment. The state will dismiss the charge within 60 days if Allen continues to follow the law, according to a plea agreement.
State Health Department receives waste and fraud reduction grant
Aaron Bolton | Montana Public Radio
The state health department will have additional money to reduce waste and fraud in public assistance programs. The agency received a $425,000 federal grant for the work.
The state health department’s Office of Inspector General received one of the 10 grants.
The department says it will test new technology and methods to detect waste and fraud before it starts the program next summer. Staff will monitor programs like Medicaid, heat and food assistance.
Officials say that will help easily flag cases that come from outside Montana or multiple applications from one computer or phone. In the past, staff have manually searched for those indicators of fraud.
