Polson medical center expansion will double primary care services
Aaron Bolton
Providence’s St. Joseph Medical Center in Polson began a multi-phase expansion this week. The first phase will double primary care services. Part of that will include a new “rural health clinic.” The hospital says it struggles to keep up with patient demand as surrounding communities have grown.
The first phase is expected to cost nearly $13 million and was funded through private donations. Construction may be done by the fall of 2026.
Additional phases will include expanding the hospital’s emergency room, mental health and substance abuse services. The hospital also plans to install an MRI suite to bolster its diagnostic capabilities.
Those projects don’t yet have a timeline.
Montana launches teacher apprenticeship program
Austin Amestoy
The state of Montana will soon offer apprenticeships for teachers-in-training. That’s according to a release from Gov. Greg Gianforte’s office.
The federal government awarded Montana a $4 million grant to establish the program. It will pair college students with teachers in the classroom during their four years of school, paying them as they learn. The state says it will enroll up to 160 teaching apprentices in fall 2026.
The program’s goal is to keep teachers in Montana. The state has historically struggled to retain recent college graduates pulled away by neighboring states offering higher starting pay.
Public comment opens on proposed BLM oil and gas leases
Austin Amestoy
The Bureau of Land Management plans to sell oil and gas leases on 5,500 acres of public land in northeast Montana this fall. The announcement launches a period for the public to review and protest the decision until Aug. 8. The sale is spread across more than a dozen parcels near the North Dakota border in the Bakken oil field. President Donald Trump this year signed an executive order intended to accelerate oil and gas leasing on public land.
See the parcels for sale and submit comments.
FWP urges anglers to kill and report brown trout caught on the Flathead River
Victoria Traxler
Montana wildlife managers are calling on anglers on the Flathead River to kill and report all brown trout catches. The non-native fish has been detected in the river. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks says the trout competes with native species for food and preys on juvenile fish.
FWP is using DNA detectors to understand how widespread the fish are. In the meantime, anglers are encouraged to kill brown trout on the Flathead and report them by calling 406-752-5501.
Brown trout are golden-brown to yellow-brown in color, with dark brown spots surrounded by lighter halos. They can also have red or orange spots.
Montana Public Radio is a public service of the University of Montana. State government coverage is funded in part through a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
