Montana

Out and About: Ringing in the new year in Western Montana

Published

1 year ago

December 29, 2023

Out and About: Ringing in the new year in Western Montana

MISSOULA — This week’s Out and About events are all about celebrating the end of 2023 and the beginning of the new year.

Arts Missoula presents “Missoula on Main and Beyond” from Noon until Midnight on Sunday. There will be over 30 events around Missoula for youngsters and elders. There are free and ticketed activities. Visit https://missoulaonmain.org/ for details.

Head on over to the YMCA’s free New Year’s Eve Bash on Sunday! The Missoula Y will be open from 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. and you can enjoy a special lineup of your favorite group fitness classes, prizes, raffles, local goodies, and more. The Y will also be offering a $0 enrollment fee for all new members. You don’t need to be a member to enjoy the New Year’s Eve bash.

If you are looking for a refreshing start to the New Year head on to the Polar Plunge at The Raven in Bigfork. The doors open at 11 a.m. and the plunge happens at 2 p.m. Come participate or just watch the fun.

Council Grove State Park near Missoula will host a First Day Hike on New Year’s Day. The three-mile roundtrip hike will start at 11 a.m. on January 1, 2024, and end at approximately 1 p.m. Hikers should meet at Council Gove State Park, which is located at 11249 Mullan Road, just before 11 a.m.

New Year’s Day is all about resolutions and Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks has organized a day full of events to help you get started. This year, FWP Region One in the Flathead is trading out its annual Battle of the Boots for a new First Day Expedition and Hike. The First Day Hike takes place on January 1, 2024, from sunup to sundown.

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Montana

Montana Becomes First State to Close the Law Enforcement Data Broker Loophole

Published

16 hours ago

May 14, 2025

Press Room

Montana Becomes First State to Close the Law Enforcement Data Broker Loophole

Montana has done something that many states and the United States Congress have debated but failed to do: it has just enacted the first attempt to close the dreaded, invasive, unconstitutional, but easily fixed “data broker loophole.” This is a very good step in the right direction because right now, across the country, law enforcement routinely purchases information on individuals it would otherwise need a warrant to obtain.

What does that mean? In every state other than Montana, if police want to know where you have been, rather than presenting evidence and sending a warrant signed by a judge to a company like Verizon or Google to get your geolocation data for a particular set of time, they only need to buy that same data from data brokers. In other words, all the location data apps on your phone collect —sometimes recording your exact location every few minutes—is just sitting for sale on the open market. And police routinely take that as an opportunity to skirt your Fourth Amendment rights.

Now, with SB 282, Montana has become the first state to close the data broker loophole. This means the government may not use money to get access to information about electronic communications (presumably metadata), the contents of electronic communications, contents of communications sent by a tracking devices, digital information on electronic funds transfers, pseudonymous information, or “sensitive data”, which is defined in Montana as information about a person’s private life, personal associations, religious affiliation, health status, citizen status, biometric data, and precise geolocation. This does not mean information is now fully off limits to police. There are other ways for law enforcement in Montana to gain access to sensitive information: they can get a warrant signed by a judge, they can get consent of the owner to search a digital device, they can get an “investigative subpoena” which unfortunately requires far less justification than an actual warrant.

Despite the state’s insistence on honoring lower-threshold subpoena usage, SB 282 is not the first time Montana has been ahead of the curve when it comes to passing privacy-protecting legislation. For the better part of a decade, the Big Sky State has seriously limited the use of face recognition, passed consumer privacy protections, added an amendment to their constitution recognizing digital data as something protected from unwarranted searches and seizures, and passed a landmark law protecting against the disclosure or collection of genetic information and DNA.

SB 282 is similar in approach to H.R.4639, a federal bill the EFF has endorsed, introduced by Senator Ron Wyden, called the Fourth Amendment is Not for Sale Act. H.R.4639 passed through the House in April 2024 but has not been taken up by the Senate.

Absent the United States Congress being able to pass important privacy protections into law, states, cities, and towns have taken it upon themselves to pass legislation their residents sorely need in order to protect their civil liberties. Montana, with a population of just over one million people, is showing other states how it’s done. EFF applauds Montana for being the first state to close the data broker loophole and show the country that the Fourth Amendment is not for sale.

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Montana

Montana Lottery Mega Millions, Lucky For Life results for May 13, 2025

Published

1 day ago

May 14, 2025

Press Room

The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at May 13, 2025, results for each game:

Winning Mega Millions numbers from May 13 drawing

06-29-33-47-68, Mega Ball: 20

Check Mega Millions payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from May 13 drawing

04-14-17-43-44, Lucky Ball: 12

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from May 13 drawing

08-15-19-22, Bonus: 04

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.

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