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Exclusive Interview With Secretary Buttigieg in Montana

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Exclusive Interview With Secretary Buttigieg in Montana


Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) – Following his visits to the Missoula airport, the CSKT Reservation, and lots of travel time seeing the beauty of western Montana, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg granted me an exclusive nearly 13-minute live in-studio interview in the KGVO Radio studio on Wednesday afternoon.

Secretary Buttigieg first described his reaction to the additions to the Missoula Airport, including the many new carriers recently added to carry travelers around the nation and the world.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Provides an Exclusive Live Interview

“The added capacity at the airport means more airlines and more flights can serve this region,” began Buttigieg. “That means helping to keep air fares under control, because I know affordability is a real concern. So seeing that we were not just creating a better day-to-day experience, but a more competitive landscape was really encouraging for us. The other thing I loved seeing there is that the first phase of that project came in under budget, which is what I’d love to see more of because usually with infrastructure, it tends to happen in the opposite direction.”

Secretary Buttigieg also referenced his visit to see the planned expansion project between Missoula and East Missoula.

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Buttigieg Praised the Project Linking Missoula to East Missoula

“Everything we’re doing is going to make a difference in day-to-day life,” he said. “The Safe Streets for All Grant that we’re working with Missoula and funding to connect East Missoula even though it’s only three miles away, is really cut off by the way that the highways run,” he said. “That’s a big project for us, too. It’s on my radar, even though it’s one of many in that program because we really believe that that part of what we can do with our generation’s worth of infrastructure is make sure that it really is connecting and not what you had sometimes in the past, because dividing a highway shouldn’t stand between you and where you need to be.”

The discussion then led to electric vehicles and the necessary infrastructure needed in a state the size and population of Montana.

“It’s the same way that when you go out on the road now,” he said. “You know there’s going be a gas station when you need it. We’ve got to make sure we get to the same place when it comes to EV (Electric Vehicle) charging. We’re not just urging states to do that; we’re funding states to do that. Every state has submitted a plan, making sure you’d never go more than 50 miles without coming to a charger. It’s going to take a few years to put those up, and this is pretty new for us as a country, but we got to make sure we get that done.”

READ MORE: Dangerous U.S. 93 Gets Big Dollar Fix North of Missoula

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Buttigieg said Eastern Montana Can Look Forward to More Electric Vehicles

Secretary Buttigieg gave his view on how people in lightly populated eastern Montana might be able to look forward to having more electric vehicles.

“People here are more likely to live in single-family homes which means you already have some kind of charging infrastructure in the form of a plug in the wall,” he said. “That’s what we do at our house in Michigan. But also, the more you drive, the longer distances you cover, and the more of your money you’re spending on gas and diesel; you’ll find it’s cheaper to fill up a car with electricity than it is with gas and diesel. Provided we can make sure that the chargers are there when you need them, which is a big project for us, and also keep fighting to get the sticker price of those EVs down. I think there are a lot of people in these less dense areas who are going to find it’s the right answer.”

LOOKING BACK: Photos of Missoula and How It’s Changed

Check out these photos of how Missoula has changed over the past decade.

Gallery Credit: Ashley Warren





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Montana Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life results for Feb. 16, 2026

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

Here’s a look at Feb. 16, 2026, results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Feb. 16 drawing

16-18-19-56-58, Powerball: 06, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Feb. 16 drawing

06-29-36-43-46, Lucky Ball: 17

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lotto America numbers from Feb. 16 drawing

01-07-18-36-40, Star Ball: 03, ASB: 02

Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from Feb. 16 drawing

01-16-17-19, Bonus: 08

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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.

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

Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

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Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. GAMBLING PROBLEM? CALL 1-800-GAMBLER, Call 877-8-HOPENY/text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 18+ (19+ in NE, 21+ in AZ). Physically present where Jackpocket operates. Jackpocket is not affiliated with any State Lottery. Eligibility Restrictions apply. Void where prohibited. Terms: jackpocket.com/tos.

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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Montana governor launches sanctuary crackdown, probes capital city over ICE limits

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Montana governor launches sanctuary crackdown, probes capital city over ICE limits


NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

A western state’s governor and attorney general are launching an investigation into potential violations of a statewide ban on sanctuary cities and sanctuary-jurisdictional policies, pledging zero tolerance for failure to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte told Fox News Digital that he and Attorney General Austin Knudsen, both Republicans, will investigate the capital city of Helena under SB 200, which permits civil legal action and enforcement of fines against jurisdictions found in violation.

“In Montana, we don’t tolerate defiance and we support our law enforcement officers,” Gianforte told Fox News Digital.

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DEM GOVERNOR IN DEEP-RED STATE CALLS FOR ICE PULLOUT, TRIGGERING CLASH OVER ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY

Montana Republican Governor Greg Gianforte speaks at the ceremony to honor the four airmen killed in a 1962 B-47 crash at 8,500 feet on Emigrant Peak, on July 24, 2021 in Emigrant, Montana. (William Campbell/Getty Images)

“While the attorney general’s initial investigation will focus on the city of Helena, we’re really sending a message to all local governments across the state: If you are found to be in violation of state law, there will be penalties.”

In response to Helena City Commissioners’ vote to prevent local coordination with federal immigration enforcement, Gianforte and Knudsen announced the decision will be investigated as a potential violation of the sanctuary city ban originally authored by state Rep. Kenneth Holmlund, R-Miles City.

Gianforte said he has “serious concerns” about the resolution’s compliance with state law and said that under the sanctuary city ban, no state or local agency may refuse to cooperate with DHS.

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THIS IS HOW TRUMP CAN BREAK DEFIANT SANCTUARY CITIES

In a letter to Knudsen formally requesting his office’s cooperation, Gianforte laid out how “securing the border has been a top priority of President Donald J. Trump after the previous administration let nearly 11 million illegal immigrants enter freely into the United States under their watch.”

He referenced Trump’s mass deportation efforts and said that it is unfortunate to see “recent events” elsewhere in the U.S. that have put immigration agents in danger.

In that regard, he described a recent Helena City Council vote as ordering local officers not to get involved in actions to assist other agencies nor to detain or stop a person based on suspicion of immigration law or status infractions.

JD VANCE, ICE FLIP SCRIPT ON SANCTUARY CITY LEADERS AS ‘CHAOS’ ERUPTS ACROSS MN: ‘THIS IS DANGEROUS’

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ICE agents, left; Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and President Donald Trump, right. (John Moore/Getty Images; William Campbell/Getty Images)

“This resolution is clearly designed to obstruct federal law enforcement operations,” Gianforte said.

Knudsen told the Flathead Beacon that Helena appears to be “thumbing its nose to the Montana Legislature” and must understand it does not make state law.

“I encourage [the city] to retain counsel [and] get a lobbyist…” he said in part.

A spokeswoman for the city of Helena told Fox News Digital it had not received any formal communication on the matter from Gianforte, and added that “as a general practice, the City does not provide comment on pending or potential litigation matters.”

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“[Helena’s] resolution was drafted with careful consideration of applicable local, state, and federal law, and the City believes the resolution is consistent with those legal requirements,” she said.

“The City remains committed to upholding all applicable federal and state laws.

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Knudsen’s office signaled it is only officially looking at Helena, but local reports also pointed to concerns about Missoula — the state’s second-largest behind Billings.

A spokesperson for Missoula told the Montana Free Press it has never been and is not currently a sanctuary city, while adding that its police officers do not inquire about immigration status in public interactions.

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Montana State swept Montana, but postseason positioning looms large in Big Sky

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Montana State swept Montana, but postseason positioning looms large in Big Sky


MISSOULA — It’s officially less than three weeks until Starch Madness in Boise, Idaho, and Saturday’s Brawl of the Wild matchup between Montana State and Montana had huge implications in the standings for all four programs.

The doubleheader began with the women’s matchup, with Montana State setting the tone with a big lead early on the way to a 72-55 victory.

Montana State’s Tricia Binford said whether you get a great start or not, as a coach you want your team to play a complete game for four quarters. This was especially important in Saturday’s game.

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Montana State completes regular season sweep in doubleheader against Montana

“For us, we were just making sure we were rotating, keeping some fresh legs. We were able to get Brooke (Fatupaito) some early minutes back (in) her first game back,” Binford said. “So that gave us another experienced kid into the rotation, I think that really helped.”

With the win, the Bobcats remain in second in the Big Sky women’s basketball standings behind Idaho.

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Montana State’s men’s program had a back and forth game before pulling away in the final few minutes for an 82-71 win.

Senior guard Jed Miller knew the impact the crowd would have on the game, and what the Bobcats had to do to control the tempo.

“We knew it was going to be a hostile environment, like every rivalry game is,” Miller said. “So we had to calm down a little bit after the beginning.”

Miller gave credit to Montana for its hot start.

“They came out the gates firing and shot the ball really well,” Miller said. “We had to just settle in and do what we do best.”

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Montana State now maintains sole possession of the second spot in the Big Sky men’s basketball standings behind Portland State.

Montana’s men’s program fell to third place with the loss, but Griz coach Travis DeCuire believes the team had takeaways from this game that can be implemented moving forward.

“It’s a game of adjustments, but you’re always going to take positives from games and believe that if you do the things that you see worked consistently within that game you win,” DeCuire said. “That’s how we’ll feel the next time going in, I’ll find those things, and then we’ll try to execute them for 40 minutes.”

As for the Lady Griz, they dropped to eighth in the standings, coach Nate Harris is still focused on continuing to play their way into a better position as the conference tournament approaches.

“It’s all really important,” Harris said. “Every game is the biggest game of the year, but there is a week in March where you have to be really good. And so we’ve just got to keep building towards that.”

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Harris thought his team had positives to draw on from the final two and a half quarters of the game.

“We (had) some really positive things that we can lean on and really get better at them,” Harris said. “Where do we go (from here)? We go to practice on Monday, to try and get better, and then turn around and play five more conference games, and try to win every single one of them, so that we can put ourselves in the best situation possible to win games in Boise.”





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