Austin Amestoy
Morning Edition Host and ReporterAustin graduated from the University of Montana’s journalism program in May 2022. He came to MTPR as an evening newscast intern that summer, and jumped at the chance to join full-time as the station’s morning voice in Fall 2022. He also hosts MTPR's podcast "The Big Why," where he joins other MTPR reporters in answering listener questions about Montana.
Austin grew up in Laurel, Montana, and loves covering all things state politics, policy and beyond. In his free time, Austin enjoys creative writing, watching and critiquing films, and long walks through Fort Missoula.
He is best reached by emailing austin.amestoy@umt.edu.
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Montana lawmakers Tuesday criticized the state Office of Public Instruction (OPI) for failing to properly implement a slate of new education laws.
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The United States Postal Service penned a letter last week criticizing what it called “mistruths and false narratives” about its proposed plan for changes at its Missoula facility.
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After a year of taking questions from our adult listeners across Montana, The Big Why team thought it would be fun to see what kids are curious about. They wanted to know 'why was the first dinosaur found in Montana?'
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Last month, Cascade County commissioners capped a tumultuous year of election discord when they hired a new nonpartisan election administrator. But according to new reporting from online publication The Electric, Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen emailed commissioners before they made their choice and advised them against hiring two of the four candidates for the job.
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Home and rental prices in Missoula have surged in recent years, driven by low supply and high demand. This year’s housing report from the Missoula Organization of Realtors shows a slight improvement in home affordability, but there's more to the story.
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A $40 million dollar gift will help Yellowstone National Park address its critical need for more employee housing. A state education panel Thursday finalized contracts with 19 new public charter schools set to open in cities across Montana.
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Federal regulators last year criticized the Montana health department as “severely out of compliance” with rules that require applications for nutrition assistance to be processed in a timely manner, according to reporting from Montana Free Press.
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This is the second in our series about how Montana is responding to climate change. The state doesn't have a climate action plan, but that doesn't mean nothing is happening on the ground. Here's what cities and tribes in Montana are doing to adapt to and mitigate climate change.
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Environmental regulators said a new $40 million boost of federal dollars is enough to get a Superfund cleanup project in East Helena across the finish line.
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MTPR’s Austin Amestoy sat down with the filmmakers behind “Tomorrow’s Town Today,” which explores life in the coal-centric town of Colstrip, Montana, through the eyes of some of its youngest residents.