Montana

Montana lawmakers select leaders for 2023 legislative session

Published

2 years ago

November 17, 2022

Montana lawmakers select leaders for 2023 legislative session

HELENA — The beginning of the 2023 Montana legislative session is only a month and a half away, and we now know who the highest legislative leaders might be.

On Wednesday, the newly elected members of the 68^th Montana Legislature gathered on the State Capitol to elect Republican and Democratic leaders for the upcoming session.

Counties accomplished their unofficial vote counts from final week’s election on Monday. Although the outcomes aren’t last till canvassing subsequent week, they offer us a clearer image of what the brand new Legislature will seem like.

Within the Senate, Republicans received two seats held by Democrats in Cascade County, in addition to one other in southwest Montana, in a particular election to fill the seat of Sen. Mark Sweeney, D-Philipsburg, who died earlier this yr. That gave the GOP a 34-seat majority, their largest within the Senate since 1997.

MTN Information

Within the Home, it seems Republicans flipped three seats from Democrats, whereas Democrats received two again from the GOP. After Election Night time, Republican candidate Ralph Foster additionally led by 10 votes in Home District 15, which incorporates components of the CSKT and Blackfeet reservations. Nevertheless, after the counting of provisional ballots was accomplished Monday, incumbent Rep. Marvin Weatherwax Jr., D-Browning, pulled forward by 26 votes.

That left Republicans with 68 seats within the Home, a internet improve of 1 from final session and their largest majority within the chamber since 2011.

General, the GOP has 102 lawmakers, giving them a two-thirds supermajority that may allow them to suggest constitutional amendments on a party-line vote.

“Most of you most likely don’t perceive what a blessing it’s for me to open this assembly,” stated Sen. John Esp, R-Massive Timber, who presided over the Senate Republican caucus as dean – the member who had served the longest within the Legislature. “I’ve been at conferences the place we didn’t want an enormous room like this – we’d slot in lower than that half. So it’s great to see all of you right here – and a few over there.”

On Wednesday, Senate Republicans chosen Sen. Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, to function president. He defeated Sen. Keith Regier, R-Kalispell.

Ellsworth/Bogner — Senate President-elect Jason Ellsworth, R-Hamilton, and president professional tem-elect Ken Bogner, R-Miles Metropolis, shake fingers throughout a Senate Republican caucus, Nov. 16, 2022.

Ellsworth instructed MTN he desires to see “success” for lawmakers from each events, and he believes they will discover widespread floor on points like bettering entry to housing. In his speech to the caucus earlier than their vote for president, he acknowledged Republicans’ potential to place constitutional amendments earlier than voters – although he stated he doesn’t know of any particular proposals for amendments but.

“I believe it’s working with the caucus, discovering out what totally different ideas and concepts, and what our constituents need,” Ellsworth stated. “That’s our job, is to make it possible for we ship what the constituents need for the state.”

The Senate GOP caucus additionally chosen Sen. Steve Fitzpatrick, R-Nice Falls, as majority chief and Sen. Ken Bogner, R-Miles Metropolis, as president professional tem.

On the Home facet, Republicans selected Rep. Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, to function speaker, over Rep. Casey Knudsen, R-Malta. Regier beforehand ran for speaker in 2020, in opposition to the eventual winner, Rep. Wylie Galt, R-Martinsdale.

Regier instructed MTN his first precedence now could be balancing the various priorities of his caucus members. He stated after Republicans’ victories within the latest elections, GOP lawmakers “have gotten to ship,” and that he believes he can preserve the big caucus on the identical web page.

“I believe you stick with the problems,” Regier stated. “All people’s obtained a unique taste – I imply, all of us do, despite the fact that we’re in the identical caucus. You simply talk, I believe that resolves plenty of the problems shifting ahead.”

Home Republicans reelected Rep. Sue Vinton, R-Billings, as majority chief, they usually selected Rep. Rhonda Knudsen, R-Culbertson, as speaker professional tem.

Democrats within the Senate chosen Sen. Pat Flowers, D-Bozeman, as their minority chief, whereas Home Democrats selected Rep. Kim Abbott, D-Helena as minority chief for the second session in a row.

Democratic management held a information convention Wednesday afternoon, the place they laid out their priorities. They referred to as for utilizing the state’s roughly $2 billion surplus on initiatives to assist working Montanans. Additionally they vowed to face up for points like the proper to privateness, and to defend the state’s judiciary – which drew robust criticism from Republicans final session.

Montana Democrat Presser — Home Minority Chief Kim Abbott, D-Helena, speaks at a Democratic management information convention, Nov. 16, 2022.

Democrats stated how this session goes will rely lots on the bulk Republicans.

“We have now the sources, we have now the imaginative and prescient to make Montana a spot the place on a regular basis of us can reside and thrive – now we simply want the political will,” Flowers stated. “That can exists on our facet of the aisle, and we hope it exists on the opposite facet of the aisle as effectively.”

“We have now to point out up day-after-day and combat for our constituents, combat for our communities, combat for our shared values, and we’d like Republicans to hitch us on that,” stated Abbott. “If we’re going to ship for our communities, we’d like them to come back and assist us out.”

The 2023 legislative session might be getting underway on Jan. 2. MTN can have full protection main as much as it and all through the 90 legislative days.

John Riley contributed to this story.

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Montana

Montana State football beats Northern Colorado 55-17, sending Bears to 18th straight loss

Published

2 hours ago

October 6, 2024

Press Room

Montana State football beats Northern Colorado 55-17, sending Bears to 18th straight loss

Nationally ranked Montana State defeated Northern Colorado for the 11th-straight game with a 55-17 win Saturday in a Big Sky Conference football game at Bobcat Stadium in Bozeman.

Sophomore wide receiver Taco Dowler had 207 all-purpose yards for the 6-0 Bobcats, who came into the homecoming game ranked third in the Stats Perform FCS Top 25 poll from Sept. 30.

Northern Colorado lost for the sixth time in six games this season, and the program losing streak extended to 18 games dating to November 2022.

UNC’s last win was a 21-20 victory Nov. 12, 2022 over Big Sky opponent Northern Arizona at Nottingham Field in Greeley. The program’s current losing streak began the following week with a 45-21 loss to Eastern Washington in Cheney, Washington.

Northern Colorado’s last win over Montana State was 17 years ago, a 16-13 victory Oct. 27, 2007 in Greeley.

Montana State led 27-0 at halftime on three touchdowns from Bobcats’ quarterback Tommy Mellott and a 34-yard touchdown pass from wide receiver Ty McCullouch to Dowler. Mellott threw two touchdown passes in the first half and ran for another.

Dowler and Mellott connected for a 72-yard touchdown late in the third quarter. Dowler added 102 yards on punt returns. McCullouch caught a 50-yard touchdown pass from Mellott midway through the third quarter to give the Bobcats a 34-0 lead.

Mellott was 8 of 12 for 225 yards passing. He accounted for five touchdowns against the Bears with four passing touchdowns. Mellott has 12 passing touchdowns this season and five rushing touchdowns. He has not thrown an interception.

Montana State totaled 510 yards of offense, averaging eight yards per play in scoring a season-high in points. Running back Scottre Humphrey ran for 81 yards on 10 carries with a touchdown.

“We didn’t play very disciplined on defense,” UNC coach Ed Lamb said in a text message. “It cost us dearly. MSU had too many big plays for us to overcome. Particularly with the poor field position caused by a slow start on offense and poor punt coverage.”

Montana State hosts fellow Big Sky undefeated Idaho (2-0, 4-2) Oct. 12 at Bobcat Stadium. The Vandals, ranked 10th in FCS last week, beat No. 25 Northern Arizona 23-17 at home Saturday in Moscow.

UNC got on the scoreboard late in the third quarter on a 14-yard pass from running back Caden Meis to Carver Cheeks, a defensive back-turned wide receiver. Meis also has two rushing touchdowns this season.

Sophomore wide receiver Brayden Munroe scored on a 28-yard reception from Kia’i Keone with 2-minutes, 7 seconds left in third, and Hunter Green kicked a 29-yard field goal early in the fourth for the Bears.

Green punted seven times for 321 yards with a long of 60 yards and an average of 45.9 yards per punt.

Munroe caught five passes for 84 yards. He is the Bears’ leading receiver this season with 20 catches for 267 yards.

Tight end Cash Cheeks, Carver’s brother, had four catches for 71 yards. Carver Cheeks finished with three catches for 46 yards.

UNC’s offense was statistically more productive than in any other game this season. The Bears’ 356 yards of total offense was four yards short of its season-best of 360 in the first game at University of Incarnate Word.

“We can build on some of the fight and effort displayed by the offense,” Lamb said.

Keone was 17 of 29 for 247 yards with a touchdown and an interception. In his first start at UNC, Keone’s 247 passing yards were the most by a Bears quarterback this season.

A graduate student transfer from Pacific Palisades, Hawaii, Keone was the fifth starting quarterback for UNC this season because of injuries.

Peter Costelli, who was selected as the starter before the season, injured his knee late against Colorado State in the second game of the year.

The Bears then worked in Jonah Chong, Hank Gibbs and Kaiden Box as starters with Keone, though, seeing significant playing time through the first five games.

The Bears had 95 yards rushing, which was their second lowest total of the season. UNC rushed for 87 yards last week against Cal Poly.

UNC’s next game is Oct. 12 at Weber State. Weber State (2-0 Big Sky, 3-3 overall), beat defending conference champion Montana 55-48 in overtime Saturday in Missoula. Montana (1-1, 4-2) came into the game ranked eighth nationally last week.

Originally Published: October 5, 2024 at 7:43 p.m.

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Montana

Search underway for horseback rider in the McMaster Hills Recreation Area

Published

10 hours ago

October 5, 2024

Press Room

Search underway for horseback rider in the McMaster Hills Recreation Area

The Lewis & Clark County Sheriff’s Office is searching for an adult female horseback rider in the McMaster Hills Recreation Area several miles northeast of Helena.

Search & Rescue units from Lewis & Clark County and Jefferson County are on the ground.

Drones from several law enforcement agencies are searching by air.

A helicopter from Great Falls has also been called in to assist.

Officials will be active in the recreation area throughout the majority of the day.

If you have information or would like to offer assistance, please call 406-219-7380.

No other details have been released at this point, including the name of the missing woman.

We will update you if we get more information.

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Montana

Browning family's home burns in electrical fire

Published

18 hours ago

October 5, 2024

Press Room

John and Carol Murray left their home in Two Medicine earlier this week for the Blackfoot Confederacy Conference in Wyoming. Once they arrived, they received a call from their grandson telling them their home and everything in it had been lost in a devastating fire.

Browning family’s home burns in electrical fire

Married for 51 years, the two have spent decades working to preserve tribal culture. John serves as a Blackfeet Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, and was awarded the Governor’s Humanities Award in 2017, and was inducted into the Montana Outdoor Hall of Fame in 2023.

Carol previously served as the President of Blackfeet Community College, and was awarded an honorary Doctorate from the University of Montana for her commitment to preserving Native American heritage through education.

Five days after the fire, John and Carol are now traveling back to Two Medicine from their trip to Wyoming, not having seen what remains of their family home.

John and Carol’s grandson Myles also lives in the home with his girlfriend and their young daughter. They were home when the house caught on fire the night of September 30th.

They managed to escape with their lives, barreling through the toxic smoke, but could save nothing in the process.

John Murray says, “Myles called and said smoke was coming out from under the house. He tried to fight the fire, you know, with the hose, and it was just too much. We realized that material things can be replaced, and we just will be forever grateful that they didn’t get trapped in there”.

The fire is suspected to have been an electrical fire, and volunteer fire departments and law enforcement from Heart Butte, Browning, and Glacier County worked to subdue the fire.

Angela HeavyRunner

John and Carol Murray’s home in Two Medicine

John and Carol’s daughter, and Myle’s mother, Angela HeavyRunner lived close by, and was on the scene as the home burned.

She explains, “The smoke was so thick. And we’ve been trying to understand what the feelings are that we felt…and the helplessness, the helplessness and and still being hopeful at the same time was what we were initially feeling”.

John and Carol are nervously anticipating their return to the site of their home, to assess the damage, and figure out what to do next.

Carol says, “I’m kind of anxious to get home, so that it’s real. I’ve been involved in ceremony for many, many years. And one of the things that was taught to me was to be calm, and to be patient, and to let the creator know what I’m afraid of, and that things will all work out for us.”

John and Carol’s friends and family members set up a GoFundMe fundraiser to collect donations that go toward clothing, blankets, and basic necessities to help with their traumatic loss.

Carol says, “People who anonymously are donating, we don’t even know who they are, but we just really appreciate it, because we have to build a new house. I want to express my appreciation for people that are very concerned and helping”.

Click here if you would like to make a donation.