Montana
Broadband assistance funds dry up; New leader for Heart Butte schools; Rosendale enters Senate race
Rep. Rosendale joins the U.S. Senate race
Montana Public Radio | Shaylee Ragar
Montana Republican Congressman Matt Rosendale is running for the U.S. Senate – despite pressure from GOP leaders to stay out of the race. He’s kickstarted a contentious Republican primary, which will decide who takes on U.S. Democratic Senator Jon Tester.
Rosendale filed his official paperwork at the state Capitol Friday. He was surrounded by Republican lawmakers, members of the far-right state Freedom Caucus and other supporters.
Rosendale says his record over a decade in Montana politics makes him the best candidate to take on Tester.
“They know that they can trust me. I don’t just make campaign promises. I actually serve the way I campaign. And that’s the refreshing difference that they’re looking for in their representation.”
Former Navy Seal and Bozeman business owner Tim Sheehy entered the race last June. He has the backing of several prominent Republicans, including Montana U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, who’s leading GOP efforts to take back the Senate.
Sheehy also clinched the endorsement of former President Donald Trump shortly after Rosendale announced his candidacy.
Daines said in a statement it’s “unfortunate” Rosendale decided to run and create a “divisive primary.” He pointed to Rosendale’s unsuccessful bid to unseat Tester in 2018, saying Republicans cannot risk losing the chance to flip Tester’s seat, and possibly, the U.S. Senate.
Although big names and super PACs are rallying behind Sheehy, Rosendale is betting on his grassroots support from Montana Republicans. Speaker of the House Matt Regier was among Rosendale’s supporters Friday.
“We need to fight to change the direction of this country and Matt Rosendale is a fighter. And the other candidates are just question marks.”
Chair of the Montana GOP Party Don K Kaltscmidt says the state party will not endorse a candidate for the U.S. Senate primary. He said he’s confident in whoever wins to take on Tester.
Federal broadband assistance program runs out of funds
Montana Public Radio | By Najifa Farahat
The federal program that helps people pay broadband internet bills stopped accepting new enrollments this week due to lack of funds. Millions of people could lose access to the internet as a result.
The remaining funds will fully run out in May 2024.
The Affordable Connectivity Program helps around 23 million households across the country.
Their internet bills will now increase up to $30 in the next few months.
The Biden Administration has urged Congress for an extra $6 billion to keep the program going until the end of 2024, but lawmakers have not yet acted.
Montana ranks as 44 in the nation for internet coverage, speed and availability.
According to BroadbandNow’s survey, nearly half of Montanans cannot find broadband for $60 a month or less.
Blackfeet Reservation school gets a new interim superintendent
Montana Public Radio | By Austin Amestoy
A longtime public schools administrator is taking the reins at a school on the Blackfeet Reservation struggling with financial woes. That’s according to a report from the Daily Montanan.
Greg Upham took over as interim superintendent at Heart Butte School Friday. Upham served as superintendent for Billings Public Schools for four years before retiring in 2023 after 36 years in education.
The Daily Montanan reports the Heart Butte school board selected Upham to help the district recover from millions of dollars in debt due to financial mismanagement. The school terminated more than 30 staff last month in an effort to save money.
Montana
Montana Lottery Powerball, Lotto America results for March 4, 2026
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 4, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from March 4 drawing
07-14-42-47-56, Powerball: 06, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from March 4 drawing
33-38-39-47-51, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from March 4 drawing
01-07-08-27, Bonus: 12
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 4 drawing
05-10-26-53-59, Powerball: 06
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Montana Cash numbers from March 4 drawing
03-04-06-08-10
Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 4 drawing
12-13-36-39-58, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life 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
University of Montana president job draws high interest • Daily Montanan
The search for a new University of Montana president has drawn more than 60 applicants, according to a spokesperson for the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education.
“We do not have an exact count at this time, as several applications are still being completed and additional submissions are expected,” said spokesperson and Deputy Commissioner Galen Hollenbaugh in an email earlier this week.
In January, then-UM-President Seth Bodnar announced his resignation to pursue other public service. Wednesday, the final day of filing, he announced he was running as an independent for the U.S. Senate to try to unseat Republican incumbent Steve Daines.
Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian earlier said that with the advice of AGB Search, a firm that’s helped the Montana University System conduct other executive searches, he would undertake an expedited process to appoint a new president.
Christian has been providing brief updates on a website dedicated to the search. Last week, he said he and AGB Search are reviewing applications, and the pool of candidates was “strong and diverse.”
The commissioner also announced he was convening a small working group to assist in the search, members who “represent a variety of perspectives to assist in vetting and narrowing this field of exceptional candidates.”
In an email this week, Hollenbaugh identified the members of the working group who are assisting Christian with application review as:
- Community member and former Regent Joyce Dombrouski
- Faculty Senate Chairperson Valerie Moody
- Staff Senate President Dominic Beccari
- Administration Representative John DeBoer (Vice President of Academic Affairs)
- ASUM (Associated Students of the University of Montana) President Buddy Wilson
Hollenbaugh declined to comment on the way the rest of the process would unfold or the role the working group members would play.
Christian earlier said he anticipated an appointment within one to three months, or as soon as early this month.
Montana
Montana Supreme Court allows ballot measure on initiative process to move forward
HELENA — The Montana Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a proposed ballot measure intended to simplify the process for introducing ballot measures in the future.
Justices ruled 5-2 that the measure, currently called Ballot Issue #8, did not violate state requirements that a single constitutional amendment can’t make multiple separate changes to the Montana Constitution.
“We’re very grateful to the Montana Supreme Court for agreeing with us that the attorney general’s finding of legal insufficiency for Ballot Issue #8 was incorrect,” said SK Rossi, a spokesperson for Montanans Decide, the group sponsoring the measure.
Montanans Decide argues the Montana Legislature has passed laws making it harder for the public to propose and pass ballot issues. The Montana Constitution already guarantees the people the right to pass laws and amendments through ballot measures, but Ballot Issue #8 would expand that to include a right to “impartial, predictable, transparent, and expeditious processes” for proposing those measures. It would seek to prevent “interference from the government or the use of government resources to support or oppose the ballot issue.”
Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s office argued the measure “implicitly amended” multiple provisions in the state constitution, including by limiting the “power and authority of public officials to speak officially on ballot issues that affect those officials’ public duties” and by putting restrictions on judges and on the Legislature. Montanans Decide, the group sponsoring Ballot Issue #8, disagreed – and the majority of justices sided with them.
“Its provisions operate together to define and protect a single constitutional right—the people’s exercise of initiative and referendum,” wrote Justice Katherine Bidegaray in the majority opinion. “They are closely related components of one constitutional design.”
Bidegaray’s majority opinion was joined by Justices Jim Shea, Laurie McKinnon, Beth Baker and Ingrid Gustafson.
Chief Justice Cory Swanson and Justice Jim Rice each wrote dissenting opinions, saying they would have upheld Knudsen’s decision to disallow Ballot Issue #8. Rice said the language restricting government interference with a ballot issue was not closely related and should have been a separate vote. Swanson agreed with Rice and said the measure’s attempt to fix a timeline for legal cases surrounding ballot measures was also a separate substantial change.
In a statement, Chase Scheuer, a spokesperson for Knudsen’s office, reacted to the decision.
“This decision only further muddies the courts’ jurisprudence on ballot issue questions,” he said. “This initiative would violate the separate vote requirement by amending multiple parts of the Montana Constitution, but the court contradicted its prior rulings. Attorney General Knudsen will continue to neutrally apply the separate vote requirement in his review of ballot initiatives.”
The court’s decision means that Knudsen’s office will now need to approve ballot language for Ballot Issue #8. Once that language is finalized, Montanans Decide could begin gathering signatures to qualify the measure for the November ballot.
However, last year, sponsors of another initiative went to the Supreme Court to argue that the ballot statements Knudsen prepared were misleading. If Montanans Decide object to their ballot statements, that could further delay signature gathering while the case plays out in court.
“Regardless, we’re going to push as hard as we can to get those petitions into the hands of voters and let them sign and support if they so choose,” said Rossi.
Rossi said the legal battle this measure has gone through – and the possibility of more to come – shows why Ballot Issue #8 is needed.
“The state Legislature, and also statewide elected officials, have taken every opportunity to create burdens and hurdles and rigamarole for campaigns to get through in order to just get to the signature gathering phase, and then to get through the signature gathering phase onto the ballot, and then get through the election phase,” said Rossi. “The reason we filed this initiative is just to make sure that the process is simple, that the timeline is clear, and that Montanans can have their will heard when they want to propose and pass laws that they deem worthy.”
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