Victoria Traxler
Rural Policy ReporterVictoria Traxler is MTPR’s Rural Policy Reporter. She graduated from Elon University in 2020 with a degree in Journalism and International Studies. She then moved to New Mexico where she worked as a Public Safety Reporter at the Santa Fe New Mexican. Afterwards, she came to Missoula to complete a Master’s Degree in Environmental Science and Natural Resource Journalism at the University of Montana in 2024. During her time as a graduate student, Victoria interned with MTPR’s news team and fact-checked The Wide Open podcast. When she’s not reporting, she can often be found romping around mountain trails or playing with her tabby cat, Pico.
406 -282-4668
victoria.traxler@mtpr.org
MTPR wants to do a better job delivering news to, and telling stories from, the rural towns and tribal communities in Montana. What issues are at the forefront of your mind, and how are state or federal policies impacting your life?
-
The U.S. Secretary of the Interior met with mining executives and local government officials at the site of the largest Superfund complex in the world to discuss how to revitalize Montana’s former mining hub. -
A 2023 state law requires 10 municipalities to update their land use plans before the end of this May. These plans detail how communities want their growth and development to look over the next two decades. Whitefish is almost done with their plan, but local government is torn on recent revisions. -
Agricultural producers across the nation are aging out. In her podcast Reframing Rural, Montana-born journalist Megan Torgerson explores this issue and others that impact rural communities across the state. In her latest season, Succession Stories, Torgerson asks Montana farmers and ranchers one of the biggest questions they face today: who’s going to take over their land? MTPR’s Victoria Traxler sits down with Torgerson to hear what she learned -
"Harmonic rippling pattern" might seem like a description of the soothing sounds from a white-noise generator lulling you to sleep. That's close. But in this case, the noise machine is your car and the rippling pattern is the washboard road you're bouncing over. One listener wants to know what causes these washboard patterns. -
Lincoln County was hit hard by flooding from winter storms in 2025. Records of major floods in the area date nearly 100 years. A closer look at that history shows decades of mitigation measures, plans and preparations that officials say prevented further catastrophe in December. -
The Missoula County Commission recently gave the green light to a plan that will guide the future development of western Montana's Swan Valley. Core values identified in the new plan include preserving the rural character of the region, protecting natural resources and ensuring access to public lands. -
Briefs: Glacier National Park is ending its ticketed entry system this summer; A merger between two major freight-rail companies has drawn concerns from rail-dependent states, including Montana; A historic resort near Glacier National Park is slated to close operations in March. -
Cattle industry representatives say they need more workers. They hope expanding a foreign labor program will help. Finding adequate farm labor is one of the biggest challenges producers face. -
Blackfeet tribal officials declared a state of emergency due to extreme winter temperatures impacting the region. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high of 6 below zero in Browning Wednesday morning, and a low of negative 13 on Wednesday night. Wind gusts may also reach up to 50 mph. -
A southwestern Montana community is searching for new leadership after its mayor abruptly resigned.
