Shanica Knowles, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle, Miley Cyrus, Cody Linley, Jason Earles and Moisés Arias attend the premiere of Disney’s ‘Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special’ on March 23, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Brianna Bryson/WireImage)
Montana
Dispatches from the Wild: Montana’s wild inheritance at risk | Explore Big Sky
Steve Pearce and the future of the BLM
By Benjamin Alva Polley EBS COLUMNIST
If you care about hunting elk in crisp October air, floating a clear-running river for cutthroat trout, or simply taking your kids camping beneath a sky unspoiled by drill rigs, you should be outraged that Steve Pearce was ever considered to run the Bureau of Land Management.
The BLM is the largest landlord in the West. It oversees nearly 245 million acres of public land—millions of those acres in and around Montana’s most cherished places. This land is the backbone of our elk and mule deer herds, our sage grouse leks, our pronghorn migration routes and our blue-ribbon trout streams. It’s also the stage on which Montana’s hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation economy plays out.
Putting someone with Steve Pearce’s environmental record in charge of that land is like handing your cabin keys to the arsonist who’s always hated it. In the four months since Pearce was first nominated, it emerged that, if confirmed, he and his wife would divest from more than 1,000 oil and gas leases in Oklahoma to address potential conflicts of interest. While some senators strongly support his “active forest management” approach, he still faces opposition from groups alarmed by his record on public land transfers. On March 4, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted 11-9 to advance his nomination, despite concerns from conservation groups.
Pearce’s track record is no mystery. He has consistently sided with extractive industries at the expense of wildlife, habitat and public access. He has supported opening more public lands to oil and gas drilling, weakening bedrock environmental safeguards and undermining science-based management. His votes and public statements have signaled again and again that he sees wild country as an obstacle to be overcome, not a legacy to be stewarded.
For Montana, that posture is an existential threat. Our big-game herds rely on intact winter range and unfragmented migration corridors across BLM lands. Aggressive drilling, poorly planned roads and relaxed reclamation standards shred those habitats. Once you carve up a landscape with pads, pipelines and traffic, you don’t get solitude—or mature bull elk—back with the stroke of a pen.
Anglers should be just as alarmed. Headwater streams and riparian corridors on BLM ground are the life support system for native bull trout, cutthroat and wild trout. A BLM director hostile to environmental safeguards is far more likely to greenlight development that increases sediment, degrades water quality and depletes the cold, clean flows our rivers depend on.
If Pearce takes office, outdoor recreation—and the rural economies built around it—will not be spared. In Montana, hunting, fishing and outdoor recreation pump billions of dollars into local businesses, guiding operations, gear shops and main-street cafes. People travel here precisely because of the open space, healthy herds and functioning ecosystems that BLM lands help sustain. When those landscapes are sacrificed to short-term profit, we don’t just lose scenery; we lose jobs, identity and a way of life.
This is not a partisan issue, especially in Montana. Public lands are one of the few things we truly share: ranchers who graze allotments, tribal communities with cultural ties to these places, hunters and anglers who’ve long defended habitat, and families who just want a place to pitch a tent. A BLM director should be a careful, science-driven steward accountable to all Americans—not a politician with a history of dismissing environmental protections as red tape.
Montanans know what’s at stake. We’ve fought bad ideas before—land transfers, giveaway leases, rollbacks to bedrock conservation laws—and we’ve won when we stood together. Steve Pearce’s nomination should have been dead on arrival. The fact that he was even on the list tells us how vigilant we must remain.
Our outrage must translate into action: calling elected officials, packing public hearings, writing letters and voting as if our public lands are on the line. Truly, they are. The BLM needs a director who sees these landscapes the way Montanans do: as sacred ground, not a balance sheet.
Anything less is a betrayal of the wild inheritance we’re supposed to pass on.
Benjamin Alva Polley is a place-based storyteller. His words have been published in Rolling Stone, Esquire, Field & Stream, The Guardian, Men’s Journal, Outside, Popular Science, Sierra, and WWF, among other notable outlets, and are available on his website.
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at June 26, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Mega Millions numbers from June 26 drawing
05-13-30-33-52, Mega Ball: 06
Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from June 26 drawing
07-08-20-22, Bonus: 12
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.
Montana
EXCLUSIVE: 2 ‘Exceptionally Rare’ Ski-In, Ski-Out Montana Mansions Head to Auction in Big Sky—and Could Sell for a Serious Steal
A pair of stunning Montana ski homes are going under the hammer in the exclusive resort of Big Sky—where they could sell for well below their market value, having been offered up with no reserve.
Currently listed for a combined total of $13 million, the “exceptionally rare” dwellings are both located within the exclusive Spanish Peaks Mountain Club community—and come complete with full access to all of the incredible amenities that the private club has to offer, including “a Tom Weiskopf-designed 18-hole Championship Golf Course, a 10-hole Par 3 course, preferred access to Montage Big Sky, and a private clubhouse featuring dining, a bar, fitness center, pro shop, pool, and hot tub.”
Now, the properties will be sold off to the highest bidder when they are auctioned off with Trayor Lesnock, founder and president of Platinum Luxury Auctions, in cooperation with listing agents Greg Smith and Amelia Turbyfill of Engel & Völkers.
The larger of the two residences, which are both currently owned by Mark and Jennifer Kozubal, was placed on the market for $7.25 million in 2025, having been completed in 2023. It was more recently listed for the reduced price of $6.68 million.
Spanning more than 4,200 square feet, it features five bedrooms and five bathrooms, as well as a beautiful chef’s kitchen, ideal for hosting large groups. There are also “multiple living areas designed for entertaining and hosting family and friends,” according to the listing.
Combining classic Alpine style with “sleek, modern finishes,” the property offers both comfort and elegance, as well as incredible privacy, thanks to its plum location at the end of a quiet street.
Boasting incredible proximity to both the club’s golf courses and the Big Sky slopes, the property features an array of amenities designed to create a relaxing sanctuary where owners and their guests can retreat after a busy day of sporting activity.
“After a day on the ski slopes or a round of golf, relax in your private hot tub, cozy up by the fireplace, or cook a meal in the chef-inspired kitchen,” the description states.
The second property offers just under 3,000 square feet of living space, including four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms—as well as “direct ski-in, ski-out access with groomed connectivity to Big Sky Resort terrain,” according to its listing.
Much like the other residence, the second dwelling—which was brought to the market in January with an asking price of $6.25 million—has been designed specifically for those with a passion for outdoor living, providing the ideal setting in which to unwind after a long day of skiing or golfing.
“The residence includes open-concept living spaces designed for gathering after skiing, hiking, or riding, complemented by warm mountain finishes throughout,” the listing notes.
For those seeking to enjoy year-round life on the mountain, the property has been outfitted with a number of unique features that ensure a comfortable, luxurious experience no matter the weather, including “whole-home humidification and water purification systems.”
Beyond the impressive infrastructure, other alluring amenities include a “full-home audio and visual system,” as well as a dedicated eight-locker ski boot room that opens directly onto the nearest ski trail.
“Outdoor amenities include beautiful landscaping and a stone fireplace seating area positioned along the ski trail, with expansive views to the surrounding mountains,” the listing description continues.
However, perhaps the most tempting aspect of both properties is the fact that they could be sold for well below market value—presenting a truly rare opportunity for buyers to secure property in an area where luxury home sales are booming and price tags are regularly set in the seven-figure range.
“Opportunities like these are exceptionally rare in Big Sky,” seller Mark Kozubal explains. “These two Spanish Peaks Highlands homes offer true ski-in/ski-out access to a lightly used lift that connects directly into Big Sky Resort, creating an almost private ski experience with little to no wait.
“Combined with the privacy, beauty, and prestige of Spanish Peaks, these properties stand apart as truly unique mountain residences.”
Both properties are conveniently located within one of the most exclusive enclaves in Big Sky, offering proximity to both the area’s stunning ski resorts and the Yellowstone Club, which has long been one of the most star-studded neighborhoods in the area.
Among those celebrities who are rumored to have purchased properties at the Yellowstone club are NFL star Tom Brady, musician Justin Timberlake and his actress wife Jessica Biel, and Microsoft billionaire Bill Gates.
“Spanish Peaks is one of the premier private residential clubs in the West,” the club’s website notes. “Here, you can experience world-class skiing and golf, fine food and drink, spectacular natural beauty and so much more. This is mountain living at its best.”
Auctioneer Lesnock emphasizes that the opportunity to secure homes in such a luxury-leaning market for what could be a truly bargain price is not something that happens very often.
“Single-family homes within Spanish Peaks have solidly maintained an entry point of at least $5 million, so the ability for buyers to ‘name their price’ in these without reserve auctions represents a substantial purchase opportunity compared to this status quo,” he explains.
“In addition to the high caliber of each property, the community’s world-class golf, ski and wellness amenities are integral parts of the overall formula that continues to attract affluent, second-home buyers to Spanish Peaks from around the world.”
As for why the owners have chosen to pursue an auction, rather than waiting for the homes to sell in a more traditional manner, Lesnock says this process will help them to secure a sale in a timely manner, without having to hang around for months on end in the hopes that a buyer will come forward.
“Under the luxury auction process, we’re giving buyers not only that economic purchase opportunity, but also the guarantee of a seamless, non-contingent sale, free of the haggling and aggravations that can plague traditional, luxury property transactions,” he shares.
“The sellers also benefit in accord, knowing they have a date-certain sale and a clear path to their ‘Next Step.’”
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After Miley Cyrus reunited with her alter ego for the Hannah Montana 20th anniversary special in March, one of her co-stars is explaining his absence.
Mitchel Musso, who played Hannah’s friend Oliver Oken on the Disney Channel show, noted he had a scheduling conflict, but he would have made time for the reunion if it was a new episode of the 2006-’11 series or a movie.
“The kid in me was banking on it, like ‘I can’t wait for us to all be on set again,’ and it just didn’t work out that way,” he said on the Joe Vulpis Podcast. “Do something other than what was done. Like, do an episode. Do the show. The set’s still there. Or it can be dressed very quick with somebody who’s a pro, and they did that for that and just did it differently.”
Musso continued, “It is what it is. But it wasn’t the right thing and I was busy doing something that was more important, right? But it would have been way more important if it would have just been an episode, or a movie, or a whatever. Of course, that would have been more important.”
The actor said he would have “dropped everything” if it meant getting back into character as Oliver. “It would have been everything,” he said.
“It didn’t turn out that way… Of course they asked me. But like I said, it wasn’t presented correctly,” added Musso. “And I’ve been waiting 10 years. You know, the people they say 20. My break’s been 10. So, it’s too long of a wait to do it in a way that isn’t even close to, in my opinion, correct.”
Emily Osment, who played Miley and Oliver’s friend Lilly Truscott, was also absent from the reunion special, noting she was busy filming Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage but feels “lucky to have been a part of this once-in-a-generation goliath of a television show” like Hannah Montana.
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