Montana

Montana Governor and Park Superintendent clash over Yellowstone Bison

Published

2 years ago

July 27, 2024

Montana Governor and Park Superintendent clash over Yellowstone Bison

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK — Yellowstone National Park published its bison management plan for the coming years this week to both praise and condemnation. Parks superintendent Cam Sholly is reacting to some strong criticism from Montana Governor Greg Gianforte.

“This comes down mostly to population,” said Sholly.

He added, “We’ve tried to strike a balance, listen to various stakeholders, cooperating agencies, tribes, the general public, to come up with a balanced plan that’s by far not perfect.”

MTN NEWS

“We’ve tried to strike a balance, listen to various stakeholders, cooperating agencies, tribes, the general public, to come up with a balanced plan that’s by far not perfect,” said Cam Sholly.

Yellowstone bison, have always elicited a strong response from people. Some want to see a lot more, others want to see a lot less. The state of Montana is among the latter. It has almost always advocated for fewer bison.

Sholly says reducing the herd too much could jeopardize the population. He said, “People remember the 2022-23 season. We had almost 4,000 bison out of the park. We had to capture almost 1,000 and hold them for almost two months to prevent a massive starvation situation, which no one wants.”

This week, Yellowstone National Park published its bison management plan for coming years this week to both praise and condemnation. Parks superintendent Cam Sholly is reacting to some strong criticism from Montana Governor Greg Gianforte.

That season the herd dropped from about 5,900 animals to about 3,700 in just a matter of months.

“If we had only 3,000 bison as a state as requested in the population and we had another migration out like that, then what?” Asked Sholly.

Montana Governor Greg Gianforte said the state has legitimate concerns about the bison population and claims that the Park Service is refusing to listen. He said in a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland that Montana was shut out of the conversation. He wrote, “The NPS did not solicit meaningful input from, or collaborate with, my administration prior to the publication of its January 28, 2022, Notice outlining the alternatives for consideration.”

Sholly maintains that’s not what happened. He said, “I offered for the state to present its own alternative that we would include in the analysis that didn’t happen.”

Sholly claims the park’s efforts to protect Montana’s cattle from brucellosis are successful.

“There’s been elk transmitting to cattle. There’s not been a documented bison transmission. That’s because we maintained that separation successfully,” said Sholly.

But Gianforte says facts are on his side. in the letter, he writes the state was, “Given only 15 days to review a 230 page document.” He added that on May 1 he was given until May 24th to schedule a meeting with the park. He wrote, “Unable to accommodate such a short and impromptu comment timeframe… I declined YNP’s offer to meet.” He also said the state asked for a 60-day extension of the comment period but the park only extended that time by 15 days. Sholly maintains the state’s desire to have a fixed population of 3,000 bison is not realistic.

“You can’t manage a wild species to a static population target. Even the state just changed, from their elk objective of 2005, which was somewhere around 92,000, to a range last year, which is like 96,000 to 140,000, because they were over their objective in multiple areas in the state, including North of Yellowstone,” said Sholly.

Gianforte concluded his letter by writing there is a new day in the West and closed with an ominous note, when he wrote, “Repeated and continuous procedural abuses, like those outlined above have hardened those who once believed in fair play. Instead states like Montana will now show up prepared for marginalized participation, short-changed processes, dishonest brokerage and ultimately, litigation.”

“So it’s pretty easy just to come out against everything. It’s another thing to come up with solutions to managing the species successfully,” said Sholly.

Sholly said the park works successfully on bison management with many agencies, plus the public and Indian tribes.

NPS announces decision on bison management plan in Yellowstone National Park
Rare, sacred white bison has not been seen in Yellowstone since birth
Yellowstone National Park calls for more bison in new plan
Buffalo Field Campaign reacts to NPS Bison management plan

Source link

Click to comment

Montana

Kalshi sues Montana AG to prevent gambling enforcement

Published

11 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Press Room

Kalshi sues Montana AG to prevent gambling enforcement

Jonathan Ambarian

HELENA (KPAX) — An increasingly popular online prediction market has filed suit against Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, seeking to stop his office from enforcing state gambling laws against them.

The company Kalshi has filed a case in federal court, arguing that the state has no authority to regulate their operations.

Kalshi offers “event contracts,” where users buy a contract based on whether a predicted future event will or will not happen by a set time. If it does happen, users who bought “yes” contracts are paid out, and if it doesn’t, those who bought “no” contracts are paid out. Before the final resolution, the value of the contracts can vary based on the market, and users can sell them early based on that value.

Kalshi’s contracts cover everything from business and economic indicators to election results and other news events to sports. As the company has received more attention, it has also faced scrutiny from some states that consider its model too close to gambling. Kalshi has maintained it’s not the same because users’ contracts are financial “swaps” with other traders, rather than a bet against the market itself.

“Because traders do not take a position against the exchange itself, traders’ ability to hedge risk requires counterparties willing to assume risk in the hope of seeing a return,” the company’s attorneys said in their complaint.

Last year, an attorney representing the Montana Department of Justice’s Gambling Control Division sent Kalshi a cease-and-desist letter, saying that they had found probable cause that the company’s operations were gambling, “because participants risk money or other things of value for a gain that is contingent in whole or in part upon lot, chance, or the operation of a gambling enterprise.” They asked the company to stop offering event contracts in the state, saying they were seeking “voluntary compliance.”

Kalshi argues their operations are regulated by the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission, like other financial markets, and that federal law overrides any attempts by states to implement additional restrictions.

“One of Congress’s avowed goals in creating the CFTC was to avoid the ‘chaos’ that would result from subjecting exchanges to a patchwork of 50 different—and potentially conflicting—state law,” the company’s attorneys wrote in their federal complaint.

In the complaint, attorneys said Kalshi believed it had reached an agreement with the state to delay any enforcement while a federal appeals court hears arguments in a similar case centered on Kalshi’s operations in Nevada. However, they said the state sent another cease-and-desist letter last week, so they filed this action seeking to prevent Montana regulators from taking any enforcement action.

In the Nevada case, a judge barred Kalshi from offering contracts on sports. However, an appeals court ruled in a separate case last week that New Jersey did not have the authority to regulate Kalshi.

In addition, the CFTC has announced lawsuits of its own against states that sought to regulate prediction markets.

MTN reached out to Kalshi’s media contact, but as of Tuesday evening had not received a response.

Source link

Montana

Montana Lottery Mega Millions, Big Sky Bonus results for April 14, 2026

Published

23 hours ago

April 15, 2026

Press Room

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at April 14, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from April 14 drawing

17-21-24-57-69, Mega Ball: 12

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from April 14 drawing

02-04-30-31, Bonus: 16

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Montana Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 9 p.m. MT on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky For Life: 8:38 p.m. MT daily.
Lotto America: 9 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
Big Sky Bonus: 7:30 p.m. MT daily.
Powerball Double Play: 8:59 p.m. MT on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Montana Cash: 8 p.m. MT on Wednesday and Saturday.
Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.

Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form.

Source link

Montana

This Weekend is Huge for Music Lovers in Montana

Published

1 day ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

This Weekend is Huge for Music Lovers in Montana

There’s something special about a record or CD that feels nostalgic, and if you need another reason to support locally owned record stores in Montana, this is it.

This Saturday, April 18, is Record Store Day 2026, and independent record stores in Montana and across the country are gearing up for one of the biggest days of the year. It’s a one-day event where customers can find exclusive in-store only releases.

For record collectors, it’s a chance to find special releases that are in limited supply. I’m planning to get in line in hopes of scoring a copy of the Billy Strings NPR Tiny Desk concert on vinyl.

That’s just one of over 300 limited-edition releases that will be available on Record Store Day. You can find a complete list of 2026 releases on the Record Store Day website.

Records

Photo by Peixuan Yu

Record stores in Montana aren’t just a place to buy music. They’re a part of the fabric of the communities they serve. Cactus Records in Bozeman is considered a local landmark and the go-to spot for music lovers in town.

Sure, it’s much easier to stream music digitally, but it isn’t the same as holding a physical copy in your hands.

Record Store Day is about showing up and supporting local. Keeping these independent shops alive and thriving in a world that’s increasingly digital. Every purchase you make this Saturday goes directly back into those stores, and helps make sure they’re still here the next time you’re looking for something new.

If you plan on heading to a local record store on Saturday, don’t be surprised if you see people getting in line early. It’s a big day for vinyl lovers and music fans in Montana. I hope you find what you’re looking for.