HELENA — President Donald Trump has announced he’ll appoint the director of the Montana Department of Corrections as the state’s U.S. Marshal.

Brian Gootkin will now need to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.

Gov. Greg Gianforte named Gootkin as Corrections director in 2021. In that role, he’s overseen the Montana State Prison and other state correctional facilities.

Gootkin previously spent 21 years with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Office, including serving as sheriff from 2012 to 2021.
In statements, Montana’s two U.S. senators praised Gootkin’s nomination.

“Brian Gootkin is an exceptional choice by President Trump to serve as Montana’s U.S. Marshal,” said Sen. Steve Daines. “As Director of Montana’s Department of Corrections and Sheriff of Gallatin County, Brian demonstrates a sincere commitment to public safety and the rule of law, and his leadership in our state leaves no doubt that he will continue to serve the people of Montana with excellence. I look forward to his confirmation by the U.S. Senate.”

“Brian Gootkin has served Montana proudly for years, and I’m glad to hear he’s been nominated by President Trump to continue to serve and keep our streets safe as Montana’s U.S. Marshal,” said Sen. Tim Sheehy. “Senate Republicans have overcome historic obstruction to get President Trump’s picks in place, and we are eager to add Brian to list of fantastic nominees that have been confirmed.”

Gianforte released a statement, thanking Gootkin for his work at Corrections.

“Under his direction, we’ve made historic investments to protect and promote a public safety system that supports inmates, corrections officers, and all Montana families,” he said. “From securing overdue improvements to aging infrastructure, expanding capacity at our jails, and increasing collaboration with local partners, Gootkin has been at the helm of our work. I know he will continue to serve our state with dignity in his new role having already exemplified his commitment to Montana communities. I wish him success and a swift confirmation.”

The U.S. Marshals Service is a law enforcement agency that serves the federal judicial system. They are responsible for providing security in federal court, transporting federal prisoners and apprehending fugitives. The president nominates a U.S. Marshal for each federal judicial district to supervise the agency’s activities there. The entire state of Montana is a single district.

Last season at this time Montana State head coach Tricia Binford said the Bobcats would be fast, long, and athletic. Binford also knew her team wasn’t polished, but if they maximized their depth and effort, good things would come.
 
By March, her words came to fruition as the Bobcats recorded a school record 30-4 slate, won the Big Sky Conference regular season and tournament titles, and made the program’s fourth NCAA Championship appearance.
 
Fast forward 365 days, and Binford has the 2025-26 edition of Montana State women’s basketball headed the same direction.
 
“I think every coach would like to progress a little faster than we are, but the effort’s been great,” said Binford, who enters her 21^st season with the Blue and Gold. “Each week we have gotten better. We are moving in the right direction. We’ve started to build some chemistry, and we see areas that are going to be strong. This team is amazingly fast and we’re working on getting that fine balance of being fast without being rushed.”
 
Binford gets her first glimpse of the Bobcats’ in-game as they face their men’s scout team in the annual Blue-Gold Scrimmage, Wednesday at 7 p.m., in Worthington Arena. The scrimmage is free and open to the public.
 
“The big thing we want out of Blue-Gold is to get our transition defense established,” she said. “The last few years our identity has been defense. Last year’s team took this tremendous leap of what we were capable of doing in the backcourt. A lot of that impact was maximizing our depth. I believe we are even faster this year, and we want to be able to do what we love to do on the defensive end.”
 
Offensively, the Bobcats must fill the shoes of Big Sky Conference MVP Esmeralda Morales, who poured in 15.4 points per game and connected on 79 three-pointers, along with all-conference forward Marah Dykstra.
 
According to Binford, scoring will come from different areas.
 
“We need to get at least a percentage of our offense from defense,” Binford said. “That’s where it has to start. But I do feel our scoring will be as balanced as ever. We’ll take the non-conference to see which rotations work best and tweak things as needed. I do feel like it could be different kids scoring each night.”
 
MSU returns seven letterwinners, including Taylee Chirrick the Big Sky Conference Defensive Player of the Year, along with six newcomers. The Bobcats play two exhibition games (Oct. 27 & 30) before opening the season against Carroll College, Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse.
 

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Oct. 21, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from Oct. 21 drawing

02-18-27-34-59, Mega Ball: 18

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Oct. 21 drawing

08-09-15-31-32, Lucky Ball: 12

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from Oct. 21 drawing

17-18-19-27, Bonus: 01

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.

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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