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Tucked into the legislature’s Continuing Resolution for Fiscal Year 2017 was a Christmas present for the nation’s farmers — a life preserver of sorts for the front lines of the agriculture industry, whose family enterprises are facing historic low commodity prices in wheat and concurrent unexplained volatility and low prices in the cattle industry. The $1.07 trillion funding bill that continues the government through April 28 by maintaining funding at current budget cap levels was necessary once again to prevent another government shutdown, but the stop-gap measure does make a provision for one area of increase.  The USDA’s loan provision,

Chabad Lubavitch of Montana will light up one of 10,000 public menorahs worldwide in downtown Bozeman tonight, symbolizing the universal message of religious freedom. The public 9-foot menorah erected at First Security Bank at Main Street and Bozeman Avenue will be lit at 6:30 p.m., followed by a community-wide celebration for the first night of Chanukah. Sen. Steve Daines will attend with his wife, Cindy, and will light the lead candle and address the crowd. Following the menorah lighting ceremony, people will sing and eat traditional Chanukah foods of doughnuts and chocolate gelt.  “As the world and even parts of

A Montana company has been granted a license to build a $1 billion, 400-megawatt power storage project in the central part of the state that would supplement electricity from wind turbines and other sources, according to documents released Thursday by federal regulators. The 50-year license from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission allows Absaroka Energy, of Bozeman, Montana, to construct and operate the project on a 177-acre site near the tiny town of Martinsdale, home to fewer than 100 people.  The facility called the Gordon Butte Pumped Storage Project would use excess power produced by wind farms or other sources to pump water

U.S. Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell has not announced any intention to retire with the coming change of presidential administrations, which is another way of saying he appears to intend to continue in the job he’s got. “We can’t speculate on the chief’s intentions,” Forest Service spokesman Byron James said on Monday. “He is a career employee, not a political appointee. There is no need to reapply for the position when an administration changes. As a  career employee, he will continue to serve.” Tidwell was Region 1 Forester headquartered in Missoula before taking the job of chief of the Forest Service

Undersheriff Dave Rau entered the search and rescue headquarters Thursday afternoon thinking he was there for a staff meeting. Instead, he was greeted by Sen. Steve Daines, Montana Attorney General Tim Fox and his family.  “This is a very important moment,” Daines said as he thanked Rau and his loved ones for their sacrifices. Daines wanted a chance to thank Rau for his 20 years with the Lewis and Clark County Sheriff’s Office. Rau is retiring from the force at the end of the month.  Daines said he is honored to be able to place a letter he penned regarding