Clayton Murphy

Montana’s largest union has pledged their support for Independent Montana Senate candidate Seth Bodnar. The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center of Great Falls is restructuring and getting a makeover.

The Public Service Commission, which regulates Montana utilities, is closing public comment on NorthWestern Energy’s controversial 20-year plan on July 28. The proposal has drawn criticism from private citizens and environmental advocacy organizations.

A district court judge has thrown out a state senator’s guilty verdict less than 24 hours after it was spoken. Sen. Jason Ellsworth was found guilty of using his access to Senate funds to privately award $170,000 in government contracts to a longtime friend, using a loophole to avoid a public bid. A retrial is scheduled for December.

After more than a year of investigations and a six-day trial, Republican Sen. Jason Ellsworth has been found guilty of abusing his power to award a close friend $170,000 in government contracts.

Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum announced a proposal Tuesday to return the federal management of grizzly bears to state governments. While details of the new rule are unclear, environmental groups are preparing for changes.

Infighting continues in the Montana Republican Party as a new set of bylaws for party members comes under scrutiny in district court. A Montana state senator charged with official misconduct faces a jury trial that started Tuesday. More than 100,000 people responded to a proposed overhaul of federal grazing regulations.