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Transparency still one of Montana's cherished values • Daily Montanan

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Transparency still one of Montana's cherished values • Daily Montanan


A few days ago, I was in Costco, and just as I rounded a corner, I passed a woman on the phone who said “Yeah, we was out digging, and when we come back in, there was Eric, dead in a mud puddle.” 

That was the entirety of what I heard of the conversation, so I have as many questions as you do about what this single sentence meant in this woman’s life. From the lack of emotion in her voice, I had to assume that she was talking about a dog, but it’s entirely possible that it was one of her relatives, or someone who worked for them. Maybe even a vehicle?

This little incident made me think about the fact that you never really know what’s going on in someone’s life until you hear, as Paul Harvey used to say “the rest of the story.” 

And as has been the case with so many of our most prominent politicians in recent years, the concerted effort to keep the rest of the story away from public view has become an art form, particularly in the Republican party. Greg Gianforte has somehow built a career in Montana without making himself available to public scrutiny. His “rallies” have generally been highly controlled gatherings, vetted to include only those who support him. After the way he handled a question he didn’t like in his first congressional race, it’s not hard to imagine why his handlers have taken this approach but it seems even more calculated than that. 

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It seems as if Gianforte and most of his contemporaries have come to realize that as long as they have an “R” next to their names, they don’t have to say much to garner support in Montana. So talking about anything publicly, or having any information released to the public, is actually risky. 

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen found this out the hard way recently when he gave the OK to the Colonel of the Highway Patrol, Steve Lavin, to conduct a survey among his staff, and the results of the survey were not flattering, especially toward Knudsen himself.

When the Daily Montanan published these results, Knudsen was so furious that he had his office issue a cease-and-desist order to the newspaper, trying to get them to retract the article. But of course this survey fell under the public information act because it was conducted by a government agency, so he didn’t have a leg to stand on, something you’d expect an attorney to understand. But Knudsen is not your ordinary attorney. He thinks nothing of bending the rules for his own benefit. 

In fact, he went on to make the decision to force out Lavin, giving him no explanation, but considering it happened right after the survey, it’s pretty easy math. When Lavin did a little research and realized that firing him without cause was not legal, he filed a lawsuit, and this is just the latest in a series of charges against Knudsen, who is already being investigated for 41 instances of professional misconduct. 

It has become increasingly clear, as Gianforte tried to avoid agreeing to a debate with Democratic challenger Ryan Busse, and Knudsen attempts to stifle the truth, that the Republican party in Montana is working hard to control the narrative, and only dole out a few morsels of information about what they’re up to. Because when the truth is damning, people generally do whatever they can to stifle it. Thankfully, we still have enough of a press in this country to bring these facts to light. 

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But please, Montanans, be aware of how hard these people are working to hide their truth from you. Although Gianforte eventually agreed to a debate, he still rarely makes public appearances that aren’t completely staged. Transparency has always been valuable to Montanans, and it should be even more so now. 



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Montana Lottery Mega Millions, Big Sky Bonus results for March 27, 2026

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

Here’s a look at March 27, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from March 27 drawing

13-27-28-41-62, Mega Ball: 16

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from March 27 drawing

04-05-15-16, Bonus: 14

Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 27 drawing

06-09-28-33-46, Bonus: 04

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

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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.



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REAL Montana participants gain global perspective on agriculture during Morocco trip

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REAL Montana participants gain global perspective on agriculture during Morocco trip


GREAT FALLS — REAL Montana, short for Resource Education & Agriculture Leadership, is a two-year leadership development program through Montana State University Extension designed to strengthen the future of the state’s natural resource industries. The program combines in-state seminars, national travel, and an international study tour to expose participants to a wide range of perspectives.

Madison Collier reports – watch the video here:

Montana Ag Network: REAL group highlights international industry

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The mission is simple: build a network of informed leaders who can help advance Montana agriculture and natural resource industries in a rapidly changing world.

A global classroom

This year, participants traveled across Morocco, visiting farms, research centers, and food production facilities to better understand how agriculture operates on a global scale.

According to REAL Montana Co-Director Tara Becken, the trip is about more than just travel, it’s about perspective.

“We were able to see how Montana commodities fit into the global picture,” said Becken, who also attended the trip. “Wheat from Montana’s Golden Triangle ends up on a plate on the other side of the world.”

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Participants explored everything from citrus production to international trade, gaining firsthand insight into how food systems connect across continents.

Similar challenges, different landscapes

While Morocco’s environment and crops differ from those in Montana, participants said the challenges facing producers still felt familiar.

“Even though we’re worlds away, our challenges are very, very similar,” Becken said, pointing to issues like drought, labor shortages, and market pressures.

For Alice Miller, a participant in the program, those similarities stood out immediately.

“They’ve been dealing with drought. They’re working through input costs and labor… those are the same conversations we’re having here,” Miller said.

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From farm to global table

One of the most impactful moments for participants came from seeing food production up close and realizing how connected it is to back home.

“Eating oranges right off the trees and then thinking about how that food ends up on our grocery store shelves… it just hits different when you’re there,” Miller said.

The experience reinforced a broader takeaway: Montana agriculture plays a role far beyond state lines.

“Montana really is feeding the world. That’s not just a phrase, that’s a reality,” Miller said.

Building the next generation of leaders

The international trip is just one part of the REAL Montana program, which includes eight in-state seminars and a national policy-focused trip to Washington, D.C.

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Participants are selected from across Montana’s natural resource industries, including agriculture, energy, and forestry, with the goal of building a diverse network of future leaders.

Program leaders say those experiences are critical as the industry faces ongoing challenges, from global trade to shifting consumer demands.

“Unless we can understand the world around us, it’s really hard to tackle our own problems,” Becken said.

As the current class prepares to graduate, the focus now shifts to applying those lessons back home.

“We hope they go out and make a difference for the state of Montana and their communities,” Becken said.

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Looking ahead

Applications for the next REAL Montana class are open through March 31. The program targets individuals working in Montana’s natural resource industries who are interested in growing as leaders and making an impact in their communities.

For Miller, the experience is one she encourages others to pursue.

“It’s an investment you won’t regret making, in yourself and in your industry,” she said.

The Montana Farmers Union is now offering a scholarship to help offset the cost of participation for eligible members accepted into the program. The support is designed to make leadership development more accessible to those working in agriculture and natural resource industries.

More information on scholarship opportunities and the application process can be found on the REAL Montana website.

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Montana’s measures to tackle housing crunch offer hope for Michigan

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Montana’s measures to tackle housing crunch offer hope for Michigan


News Story


State House considers reforms that allowed greater variety of construction in Big Sky State

Michigan could follow Montana’s lead after state House members introduced a bipartisan package of bills aimed at making housing less costly.

“The bipartisan Housing Readiness Package modernizes our development processes to reduce unnecessary costs and delays, making housing more affordable and available across the state,” according to a press release from the House Republican caucus. “This is about ensuring Michigan is prepared for growth and that more residents have access to safe, stable homes.”

The package draws on ideas Montana successfully enacted in 2023 and 2025 to ease the state’s housing shortage. It includes Michigan House bills 5529, 5530, 5531, 5532, 5581, 5582, 5583, 5584 and 5585. The package is intended to restrain cities and counties from restricting accessory dwelling units, duplexes, and other non-single-family units; to limit protests and impact studies on developments; and to reduce local red tape.

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Housing costs in Michigan have almost doubled in recent years, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. Michigan has exceeded the pace of housing inflation found in other states.

The average price of homes in the state was about 75% of the national average in 2012, but it is roughly 82% of the average today, according to Jarrett Skorup, vice president of marketing and communications at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

Inflation, interest rates, and rising construction costs have increased housing prices, Skorup told Michigan Capitol Confidential, but local government red tape is still making things worse.

“A lot of this is because of dumb, unnecessary, big-government policies at the local level,” Skorup told CapCon in an email. “This bill package protects the private property rights of citizens in a way similar to what Montana and many other states have done. It is good policy that will help people afford to live where they want.”

Montana made changes to legalize duplexes, allow accessory dwelling units, open commercial zones to housing, and permit taller buildings that can accommodate more housing units.

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The laws faced a legal challenge, but the Montana Supreme Court unanimously upheld the bipartisan legislation.

“There are a lot of similarities between what is being proposed in Michigan and what we accomplished in Montana,” Forrest Mandeville, a Republican state senator from Stillwater County, told Michigan Capitol Confidential in an email.

Montana enacted laws that call for freedom to build duplexes and accessory dwelling units by right (with no need for extra approvals) in many cities. The Big Sky State also streamlined review processes and simplified public participation.

“These reforms were necessitated by a housing market that was seeing prices skyrocket and existing zoning that created a lot of single-family-only development in large areas,” Mandeville said.

A broad coalition supported the changes: builders, real estate agents, free-market advocates and some local government groups, Mandeville told CapCon. Housing prices and rents have stabilized since the legislation was enacted.

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“We tried to get government out of the way to encourage building without red tape,” Sen. Jeremy Trebas, a Cascade County Republican, told CapCon in an email about the housing situation in Bozeman. With a population of 60,000 and slow growth, the city faced a housing crunch, with a large inventory of aging and obsolete buildings. Expensive housing and taxes, Trebas said, were driving people to move to Washington, California and other states.

“If we could change land-use policy, encourage development of higher density like duplexes as infill, allow for housing in commercial zones (as it was a 100 years ago), reduce minimum lot sizes, and allow by-right accessory dwelling units and such, we could let the market work to produce density and supply without spending government dollars to incentivize it,” Trebas said.

Opponents of Montana’s reforms expressed concerns about more people moving in from out-of-state, said Trebas. He countered that Montana natives were hurt by high costs that price upcoming generations out of the housing market.





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