Montana
Director of Montana Ag Department named new FWP director
Laura Lundquist
(Missoula Current) As of Monday, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks will have a new director.
On Friday, Governor Greg Gianforte announced the appointment of Christy Clark as FWP director. Clark is the director of the Montana Department of Agriculture, a position she has held since January 2022.
“Christy Clark is a strong leader with the skills needed to lead the agency tasked with protecting Montana’s cherished recreational opportunities and public access to public lands,” Gianforte said in a release. “With her record of leadership, I am confident in her as she takes on this new role at FWP. I appreciate her willingness to serve in this new capacity after her successful tenure at (the Department of Agriculture).”
At the same time, FWP acting director Marina Yoshioka sent a message to all employees announcing that Christy Clark would take over as director as of Monday. On Nov. 15, Gianforte announced that Dustin Temple would retire as director at the end of the year. There was no mention of Temple in either Gianforte’s announcement, and the FWP email did not say whether Temple was leaving FWP of his own accord.
In the message, Yoshioka said Clark’s “strong background and dedication to public service make her an excellent fit to lead us into the upcoming Legislative Session and beyond.”
Clark is very active in Montana’s agricultural industry but has no experience with fish and wildlife. Clark has served the Department of Agriculture in various roles, including deputy director, agricultural sciences administrator and agricultural development and marketing bureau chief.
A rancher from the Choteau area, she graduated from California State University Sacramento with a degree in English, owned a construction company, and served in the Montana House of Representatives from 2011 to 2016, where she sat on the committees of agriculture and business and labor, among others.
In 2011, Clark sponsored three bills related to FWP but they didn’t favor sportsmen. The only bill that passed was House Bill 287, which allowed FWP to collect wolf hides to help finance livestock loss mitigation. A related bill, HB 470, sought to increase hunting license fees to pay for livestock mitigation but it died in committee.
Finally, HB 286 would have created a “wildlife population management account” to be funded by the sale of conservation licenses, which are a prerequisite for obtaining hunting and fishing licenses. The bill required that $110,000 from sportsmen’s dollars be transferred annually to the account.
Christy Clark
That money would be used only to manage populations of predatory animals, and “the department shall give priority to expending funds deposited under this subsection (2)(a) to manage BEARS, WOLVES, AND coyotes and shall contract with the United States department of agriculture wildlife services for this purpose,” according to the bill.
The associated Legislative fiscal note pointed out that using sportsmen’s dollars for other than wildlife management “would result in the subsequent loss of eligibility for Pittman/Robertson, Dingell/Johnson, and State Wildlife Grants funding amounting to $20,433,953 federal dollars per year.” HB 286 died in process.
With Friday’s announcement, it is anticipated that Gianforte will nominate Clark for Legislative confirmation as FWP director during the next session.
Contact reporter Laura Lundquist at lundquist@missoulacurrent.com.
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at May 10, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 10 drawing
06-22-28-31, Bonus: 08
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from May 10 drawing
01-03-20-35-46, Bonus: 05
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.
The Socorro Independent School District honored and celebrated its top two educators at the 2026 Teacher of the Year Gala on Friday, May 8 at the El Paso Convention Center.
Cristina Garcia, a fifth-grade teacher at Mission Ridge Elementary School, was recognized as the 2026 SISD Elementary Teacher of the Year. Javier Esparza, an audio and video broadcast teacher at Socorro High School, was named the 2026 SISD Secondary Teacher of the Year.
https://www.ktsm.com/news/socorro-isd-honors-top-2-teachers-at-gala-celebration/
EL PASO, Texas (KFOX14/CBS4) — A proposed high-voltage transmission project in far East El Paso is raising concerns among residents in the Montana Vista area, as developers work to determine a potential route that could impact private property.
The project, known as Pecos West, is being developed by Grid United and would create a high-voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission line connecting El Paso to southeastern New Mexico.
According to the company, the goal is to link major parts of the U.S. electric grid, specifically the Western and Eastern interconnections, allowing electricity to move in both directions between regions. Developers say the project could strengthen energy reliability, expand access to power markets, and help prevent outages during extreme weather.
Grid United also describes Pecos West as a multi-billion-dollar infrastructure investment that could bring jobs, tax revenue, and long-term economic benefits to communities along the route.
However, for residents in Montana Vista, the immediate concern is not the long-term benefits, but what the project could mean for their land.
At a community meeting Saturday morning, several residents were able to voice their concern, telling KFOX14/CBS4 they feel they have not received enough information about the project’s path or timeline, especially as discussions about a preliminary route continue.
“We haven’t got anything from you,” said Armando Rodriguez, president of the Montana Vista Landowners. “Not one quote.”
Others echoed concerns about communication, calling on the company to directly notify homeowners who may be affected.
“You need to go to these houses, give people information, and say this could affect you,” one resident said.
Grid United says the project is still in the planning and development phase, and no final route has been approved.
The company says construction would only begin after securing regulatory approvals and negotiating land agreements with property owners.
Company representatives also emphasized that landowner participation is voluntary.
“Pecos does not have eminent domain,” said Alexis Marquez, community relations manager for the project. “If a landowner does not want it on their property, we would look at alternate routes.”
Developers say outreach will continue as planning progresses, but residents are asking for more direct communication now, especially those who believe they could be directly impacted.
The project is not expected to be completed anytime soon, with Grid United estimating that Pecos West could become operational in the mid-2030s if approved.
For now, the conversation in Montana Vista reflects a familiar tension seen in large infrastructure project, balancing long-term regional benefits with local concerns about transparency, property, and community impact.
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