Montana
Snowboarder dies after falling from ski chairlift at Red Lodge Mountain in Montana
A snowboarder at a southern Montana ski resort was killed Monday after falling from a chair lift, according to a social media post from the ski resort where it happened.
“Yesterday was an unfortunate day at Red Lodge Mountain as a guest was injured as the result of a chair lift incident,” the resort shared on Facebook Tuesday morning, adding that the guest was on the Triple Chair. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the guest and his friends and family, and all guests and employees impacted by this incident.”
Loved ones and Carbon County Sheriff Josh McQuillan identified the man as 37-year-old Jeffrey Zinne.
He died after a fall from the Triple Chair at Red Lodge Mountain, Sheriff McQuillan said Friday, adding that the accident remains under investigation.
He was life-flighted to a hospital in Billings, where he died on Wednesday, according to Esther Jensen, a GoFundMe organizer raising funds for his family.
He was pronounced dead early Wednesday morning, KTVQ reported. According to KTVQ, the coroner’s office said his cause of death was accidental blunt force injury.
The coroner did not immediately responded to USA TODAY’s requests for comment Friday morning.
In an updated statement Friday afternoon, Red Lodge Mountain said the company is “deeply saddened” by Zinne’s death.
“Our most heartfelt condolences go out to Mr. Zinne’s family and friends,” the company said, adding that safety is a top priority at the facility. “We are working in cooperation with the Carbon County Sheriff’s Office and Iron Mountain Engineering, an independent professional lift inspector, to understand how this tragedy occurred. Until more is known, the Triple Chair will remain closed.”
Meteorologist says there were strong winds in the area the day man died
USA TODAY spoke with Peter Matos, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Billings Friday morning.
While the National Weather Service doesn’t have a weather observation site at Red Lodge Mountain, there are some close by, Matos said. One site is the Timbercrest site, Matos said. Around 11:15 a.m. on Monday, the Timbercrest site recorded wind gusts up to 50 miles-per-hour, coming in from the west. At 12:15 p.m. that day, the site recorded wind gusts around 52 miles-per-hour. Citing local reports, Matos said Zinne fell around noon.
“Those winds, they can make it over onto the other side of the mountain,” Matos said to USA TODAY on Friday. “Red Lodge is known for having strong downslope winds out of the southwest. We know that it was pretty windy across the entire area that day.”
A sweep of Red Lodge Mountain’s Facebook page shows that facility managers have previously shut down lifts due to strong winds and maintenance. For example, a January 2021 post reads in part: “Due to winds of 49+MPH at the top of Triple Chair, all lifts are currently on hold.”
‘Love you, Dada guy’: Remembering Jeffrey Zinne
In the GoFundMe description, organizers said Zinne’s death was a “tragic accident.”
“This unexpected loss has left his family, friends, and all who knew him heartbroken and in disbelief,” Jensen, the organizer, wrote. “Jeff was a devoted husband to his loving wife, Meghan, and a caring father to his 2-year-old son. His passion for life, infectious laughter, and kind-hearted nature touched everyone around him.”
According to Jensen, he put others before himself and was president of Montana Air Cartage. The company offers local shipping services and has been in business since the late 1980s, according to their website.
Jensen shared in the fundraiser description that Zinne’s widow and the couple’s son are grieving while also facing mounting financial burdens.
“Your contribution will make a significant difference in providing financial stability for Jeff’s family,” Jensen wrote. “All funds raised will go directly to his wife and son to help with funeral costs and medical expenses.”
The fundraiser ended with a note from the couple’s toddler son: “Love you, Dada Guy”.
This story has been updated with new information.
This story has been updated to add new information.
Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s NOW team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia – the 757. Email her at sdmartin@usatoday.com.
Montana
Montana Lottery Powerball, Lotto America results for March 4, 2026
The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at March 4, 2026, results for each game:
Winning Powerball numbers from March 4 drawing
07-14-42-47-56, Powerball: 06, Power Play: 4
Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Lotto America numbers from March 4 drawing
33-38-39-47-51, Star Ball: 07, ASB: 02
Check Lotto America payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Big Sky Bonus numbers from March 4 drawing
01-07-08-27, Bonus: 12
Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 4 drawing
05-10-26-53-59, Powerball: 06
Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Montana Cash numbers from March 4 drawing
03-04-06-08-10
Check Montana Cash payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 4 drawing
12-13-36-39-58, Bonus: 03
Check Millionaire for Life 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.
- Millionaire for Life: 9:15 p.m. MT daily.
Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers.
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.
Montana
University of Montana president job draws high interest • Daily Montanan
The search for a new University of Montana president has drawn more than 60 applicants, according to a spokesperson for the Office of the Commissioner of Higher Education.
“We do not have an exact count at this time, as several applications are still being completed and additional submissions are expected,” said spokesperson and Deputy Commissioner Galen Hollenbaugh in an email earlier this week.
In January, then-UM-President Seth Bodnar announced his resignation to pursue other public service. Wednesday, the final day of filing, he announced he was running as an independent for the U.S. Senate to try to unseat Republican incumbent Steve Daines.
Commissioner of Higher Education Clayton Christian earlier said that with the advice of AGB Search, a firm that’s helped the Montana University System conduct other executive searches, he would undertake an expedited process to appoint a new president.
Christian has been providing brief updates on a website dedicated to the search. Last week, he said he and AGB Search are reviewing applications, and the pool of candidates was “strong and diverse.”
The commissioner also announced he was convening a small working group to assist in the search, members who “represent a variety of perspectives to assist in vetting and narrowing this field of exceptional candidates.”
In an email this week, Hollenbaugh identified the members of the working group who are assisting Christian with application review as:
- Community member and former Regent Joyce Dombrouski
- Faculty Senate Chairperson Valerie Moody
- Staff Senate President Dominic Beccari
- Administration Representative John DeBoer (Vice President of Academic Affairs)
- ASUM (Associated Students of the University of Montana) President Buddy Wilson
Hollenbaugh declined to comment on the way the rest of the process would unfold or the role the working group members would play.
Christian earlier said he anticipated an appointment within one to three months, or as soon as early this month.
Montana
Montana Supreme Court allows ballot measure on initiative process to move forward
HELENA — The Montana Supreme Court has ruled in favor of a proposed ballot measure intended to simplify the process for introducing ballot measures in the future.
Justices ruled 5-2 that the measure, currently called Ballot Issue #8, did not violate state requirements that a single constitutional amendment can’t make multiple separate changes to the Montana Constitution.
“We’re very grateful to the Montana Supreme Court for agreeing with us that the attorney general’s finding of legal insufficiency for Ballot Issue #8 was incorrect,” said SK Rossi, a spokesperson for Montanans Decide, the group sponsoring the measure.
Montanans Decide argues the Montana Legislature has passed laws making it harder for the public to propose and pass ballot issues. The Montana Constitution already guarantees the people the right to pass laws and amendments through ballot measures, but Ballot Issue #8 would expand that to include a right to “impartial, predictable, transparent, and expeditious processes” for proposing those measures. It would seek to prevent “interference from the government or the use of government resources to support or oppose the ballot issue.”
Attorney General Austin Knudsen’s office argued the measure “implicitly amended” multiple provisions in the state constitution, including by limiting the “power and authority of public officials to speak officially on ballot issues that affect those officials’ public duties” and by putting restrictions on judges and on the Legislature. Montanans Decide, the group sponsoring Ballot Issue #8, disagreed – and the majority of justices sided with them.
“Its provisions operate together to define and protect a single constitutional right—the people’s exercise of initiative and referendum,” wrote Justice Katherine Bidegaray in the majority opinion. “They are closely related components of one constitutional design.”
Bidegaray’s majority opinion was joined by Justices Jim Shea, Laurie McKinnon, Beth Baker and Ingrid Gustafson.
Chief Justice Cory Swanson and Justice Jim Rice each wrote dissenting opinions, saying they would have upheld Knudsen’s decision to disallow Ballot Issue #8. Rice said the language restricting government interference with a ballot issue was not closely related and should have been a separate vote. Swanson agreed with Rice and said the measure’s attempt to fix a timeline for legal cases surrounding ballot measures was also a separate substantial change.
In a statement, Chase Scheuer, a spokesperson for Knudsen’s office, reacted to the decision.
“This decision only further muddies the courts’ jurisprudence on ballot issue questions,” he said. “This initiative would violate the separate vote requirement by amending multiple parts of the Montana Constitution, but the court contradicted its prior rulings. Attorney General Knudsen will continue to neutrally apply the separate vote requirement in his review of ballot initiatives.”
The court’s decision means that Knudsen’s office will now need to approve ballot language for Ballot Issue #8. Once that language is finalized, Montanans Decide could begin gathering signatures to qualify the measure for the November ballot.
However, last year, sponsors of another initiative went to the Supreme Court to argue that the ballot statements Knudsen prepared were misleading. If Montanans Decide object to their ballot statements, that could further delay signature gathering while the case plays out in court.
“Regardless, we’re going to push as hard as we can to get those petitions into the hands of voters and let them sign and support if they so choose,” said Rossi.
Rossi said the legal battle this measure has gone through – and the possibility of more to come – shows why Ballot Issue #8 is needed.
“The state Legislature, and also statewide elected officials, have taken every opportunity to create burdens and hurdles and rigamarole for campaigns to get through in order to just get to the signature gathering phase, and then to get through the signature gathering phase onto the ballot, and then get through the election phase,” said Rossi. “The reason we filed this initiative is just to make sure that the process is simple, that the timeline is clear, and that Montanans can have their will heard when they want to propose and pass laws that they deem worthy.”
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