MISSOULA — The Montana Department of Corrections this week said it’s working on plans to move inmates out of county jails to the state prison and is looking for long-term solutions to overcrowding and capacity issues.

Missoula County this month launched a disputewith the state agency, saying that it’s using local jails to house its own inmates and not funding the full cost of doing so. It also claims that state inmates aren’t getting treated for addiction or mental health issues while held in county jails.

Carolynn Stocker, the communications director for the Department of Corrections, said the agency is doing what it can to address those concerns, which are held by a number of counties.

“We’re trying to move people out of those jails as quickly as we possibly can,” Stocker said. “Every single facility we have is overcrowded right now.”

As of Thursday, the Department of Corrections listed 473 jail holds, including 41 in the Missoula County Detention Facility. Of those, 178 are currently pending transport to prison.

However, the Montana State Prison’s current population stands at 1,588 while its operational capacity is 1,526. The Montana Women’s Prison listed its population at 247 while its operational capacity is 240.

“We have nowhere to put the people,” Stocker said.

Missoula County sent notice to the statethat it plans to revoke its consent to hold state offenders at the local jail without prior permission unless the Department of Corrections pays the full cost of housing that inmate.

According to the county, the running cost of housing a single inmate for one day at the local jail stands at $125. But the Department of Corrections reimburses the county just $82 for holding one of its inmates.

County officials said that leaves local taxpayers to cover the remainder of the cost.

“They’re not paying the actual cost currently set by the county at $125, therefore shifting that difference to Missoula County taxpayers for individuals we’re not responsible for,” said jail commander Sheryl Ziegler. “We’re trying to avoid that continued financial burden we’re placing on county taxpayers.”

The payment issue has lingered for years, but Stocker said it’s one the Department of Corrections can’t control.

“Those rates are set by the Legislature,” she said. “We are where we are for now.”

The county also accused the state of failing to address capacity issues and mental health. Among other things, it said state inmates held at the county jail “stay with us until they reach eligibility for parole and they’re released and never get treatment.”

Stocker said the Department of Corrections would need specific examples before commenting on the issue.

“I would need specific examples of people put in jail. There is generally treatment programming requirements from the judge,” she said. “But we know that local detention centers aren’t set up for that type of programming.”

This week, the state’s Select Committee on Corrections Facility Capacity and System Development moved closer to finalizing a reporton how to expand Montana’s prison capacity.

Among other things, it considers adding more beds to the Montana State Prison and building a new women’s prison, nearly doubling the capacity there to 500 beds.

It may also consider moving Montana inmates to contracted prisons in other states like it did recently when it shipped 120 inmates to Arizona. The proposal also looks to “fund additional contracted capacity in lieu of facility construction.”

In all, according to the committee’s draft report, Montana’s offender population has grown by nearly 65% over the last 24 years – more than twice the rate of the state’s resident population.

“At some point, we have to recommend something,” said Rep. John Fitzpatrick. “We’ve studied this thing about five times in the last 20 years and haven’t done anything. The first step in doing something is to have someone recommend you do it.”

A number of college athletes in Montana have been offered money in exchange for endorsement videos for Democratic Senator Jon Tester as he runs for re-election in 2024, according to emails.

According to University of Montana athletic director Kent Haslam, a group called ‘Montana Together’ recently sourced student-athletes at the university offering payments in exchange for the endorsement of Tester. The group’s initial contact with the athletes came in July through a representative of Opendorse.com, a platform used by student-athletes to land Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals.

According to emails obtained by Fox News, ‘Montana Together’ was offering student-athletes $400 for two scripted videos, $800 for two unscripted videos, and $2,400 for four unscripted videos endorsing Tester.

“We have an NIL opportunity for Montana student-athletes, and I could use your help getting the information below to any individuals who you recommend applying for this campaign. Montana Together is using Opendorse to source athletes for an NIL deal,” the email reads. “Who are they looking for?: Athletes who attend college in Montana and are interested in spreading the word about Senator Jon Tester and causes you care about.”

Fox News was told by Tester’s campaign that they had no knowledge of the actions and are not in communication with ‘Montana Together.’

Based on the emails, Sen. Tester and his campaign come across as incredibly desperate. Given his stance on transgender athletes competing in women’s sports – something voters in the historically red state of Montana are likely very passionate about – his desperation makes sense.

Sen. Tester was one of 51 Democrats who voted against a Republican-led amendment to prevent biological men from competing in women’s sports.

Lily Meskers, a track athlete at the University of Montana who first made the offer to athletes public, remembered the senator’s stance on that specific matter.

“When I first received the NIL deal offer, I immediately felt frustration. I had to ask myself, ‘Why would someone seek my endorsement when their values directly negatively impact me?’ Tester’s vote against the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act is against everything I’ve worked toward as a female athlete,” Meskers explained.

“This vote is a gateway to biological men taking away scholarships, medals and roster spots from female athletes. Many female athletes on my team shared this frustration.”

Tester was first elected to the United States Senate in 2006 and has won re-election in each of the last two cycles. He is running against Republican Tim Sheehy, a former Navy Seal Officer, this election cycle.

U.S. Senate candidate Tim Sheehy recently said he parachuted into Glacier National Park as part of his military training in Montana — an activity a national park spokesperson said is not permitted.

Sheehy, a Republican and a former U.S. Navy SEAL, made the comment at a campaign event last month, according to a video posted on Facebook and shared multiple times. He used the story to tell the group about how he grew up in Minnesota, but got to know the Treasure State. 

Sheehy did not respond to questions sent this week to two campaign staff members asking for details about the claim.

However, a Glacier National Park official said parachuting, hang gliding and base jumping are not allowed in the park.

Public Information Officer Gina Icenoggle said the park does not grant special permission for the U.S. military, and if the activity is taking place, it is illegal.

“There is no way to get permission,” Icenoggle said.

Sheehy is a decorated veteran. His awards include a Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and other commendations.

He was commissioned into the military in 2008 and was on active duty until September 2014, according to records from the U.S. Navy. He was in the reserves until 2019.

The businessman based in Bozeman is campaigning to unseat incumbent Democrat and U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, a farmer seeking his fourth term in office.

Tester is the only Democrat elected to statewide office in Montana.

Republicans have put a target on his back, and Democrats are pouring money into the race to keep him in office. Political control of the U.S. Senate could hinge on the outcome of the race in Montana.

The Daily Montanan requested information from, the U.S. Navy about any parachute training it conducted in Glacier National Park. A Naval Special Warfare spokesperson said it trains in Montana but did not have any record of parachute training in the park.

In the video of Sheehy’s recent campaign stop, he talked about first coming to Montana after growing up in Minnesota and entering the military. He said he trained in the Limestone Hills.

Fort Harrison provides military training facilities at different sites in Montana including the Limestone Hills southeast of Helena. All branches of the military have access to the facilities overseen by the Montana National Guard.

Master Sgt. Michael Touchette said he is not aware of any arrangements with Glacier. However, he said the Guard does not have much visibility on the training Special Forces soldiers undertake.

“They’ll travel 20 miles through the mountains in the winter in the middle of the snow,” Touchette said.

A Naval Special Warfare spokesperson said its Special Forces conduct cold weather training in many states, including Montana. He said the following in response to the Daily Montanan’s questions about any parachute training in Glacier National Park or in any other parks:

Sheehy earlier said he lied about a different Glacier National Park incident, according to reporting this spring from The Washington Post.

In 2015, Sheehy received a citation for illegally discharging a weapon in the park, and he paid a $525 fine for it, according to records from The Washington Post; the Daily Montanan cited the Post’s reporting in an earlier story.

However, Sheehy told The Post he had lied about the illegal discharge.

He said he fell while on a hike; feared the injury had dislodged an old, unreported bullet in his arm; and manufactured the story about the illegal discharge to dissuade any investigation into whether he had been shot by friendly fire while on duty overseas.

Sheehy did not release medical records from the incident.

Sheehy and Tester are running a close race. It is listed as a toss-up by the Cook Political Report.

Tester, however, has far outraised Sheehy. In the most recent reporting period, Tester pulled in $6.4 million, and Sheehy raised $3.1 million, including a $400,000 loan he gave his campaign.