Montana

Surviving Montana Winters: Must-Have Emergency Kit For Your Car

Published

2 years ago

January 10, 2024

Surviving Montana Winters: Must-Have Emergency Kit For Your Car

Like it or not, winter is finally here and that can be a problem when it comes to traveling across the state.

With thousands of miles of roads, highways, and interstates, Montana can be a difficult place to navigate, especially in winter conditions. At least once or twice a year, there is a weather event that leaves many Montanans stranded on our roads for a long period, and if that happens, you certainly want to make sure that you are prepared.

For those who are new to Montana, one of the best things you can do in winter is to make sure you have a winter emergency kit in your vehicle.

While opinions may vary on what is needed in a winter emergency kit, our friends over at The Zebra have come out with a list of essential items that every Montanan should have in their vehicles during the winter months.

Credit: Irina Igumnova

The list includes the following:

Flashlight
Bag of Cat Litter
Snow Shovel
First Aid Kit
Ice Scraper
Jumper Cables
Water
Blankets
Cell Phone Charger
Reflective Triangles
Non-Perishable Food Items
Matches
Toolkit

Of course, there are always additional items that you can add as well. Things such as tire chains, winter boots, extra winter clothing, and an empty gas can certainly be helpful in a situation that leaves you stranded on the side of a Montana road in winter.

Credit: milanws

There are several different options when it comes to buying an emergency winter kit for your vehicle. Some kits are already prepared and come in a convenient backpack, or if you’re looking to save some money you can always build your own.

Is there something that didn’t make the list that should be added for a Montana winter weather emergency kit? Let us know by sending us a message on our radio station app.

10 Early Signs of a Nasty, and Brutally Harsh Winter in Montana

Here are a few early warning signs of a harsh winter in Montana, according to weather folklore.

Gallery Credit: Jesse James

These are the Top 8 Cheapest Towns To Live In, In Montana

Have you been contemplating moving to Montana? Maybe you already live here and the town has gotten so expensive you are having to relocate by no fault of your own. The good news, you can stay in Montana by moving to one of the cheapest towns in Montana.

Gallery Credit: megan shaul

Here’s 8 States That Have Longer And Harsher Winters Than Montana

Winter can be brutal here in Montana with lots of wind, snow, and temperatures well below zero. In fact, that alone should be a word of warning for those thinking of moving here from warmer climates.

A lot goes into being prepared to live in a state with rough winters and if you’ve never done it before, you certainly need to make sure that you are prepared. You need to make sure you have the right tires, vehicle, and winter clothing. Plus, I would highly suggest you learn how to drive in winter conditions before moving to a state that celebrates winter 6 months out of the year.

And while winters can be very rough here in Montana, we don’t even crack the Top 5 for States With The Most Brutal Winters.

Gallery Credit: Derek Wolf

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Montana

California woman sentenced for smuggling attempt at border in Montana

Published

10 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

California woman sentenced for smuggling attempt at border in Montana

MISSOULA, Mont. — A California woman who tried to smuggle her husband into the United States through northwest Montana has been sentenced to six months of probation, according to U.S. Attorney Kurt Alme.

Tracy Routh Lautenslager, 54, pleaded guilty in August 2025 to conspiracy to bring an alien into the United States at a location other than a designated port of entry. U.S. District Judge Dana L. Christensen presided over the case.

Court documents allege Lautenslager entered the U.S. through the Roosville Port of Entry on April 1, 2025, then drove to the Swisher Lake area near Lake Koocanusa. Border Patrol agents later learned a man had crossed the border on foot nearby. Canadian authorities eventually apprehended the man, identified as Lautenslager’s husband, a citizen of Great Britain with no legal status in the U.S.

Investigators say Lautenslager admitted the couple planned to avoid the port of entry by having her husband cross illegally while she drove into the U.S. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katy Stack and investigated by the U.S. Border Patrol as part of Operation Take Back America.

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Montana

Miley Cyrus teases Hannah Montana 20th anniversary: ‘You see the bangs’

Published

22 hours ago

January 7, 2026

Press Room

Miley Cyrus teases Hannah Montana 20th anniversary: ‘You see the bangs’

Move over Miley Cyrus, Hannah Montana is coming.

The “Flowers” singer is revisiting her Disney Channel roots, donning the signature blonde look of the fictional popstar ahead of the sitcom’s 20th anniversary in March.

At the Annual Palm Springs International Film Festival on Jan. 3, Cyrus confirmed she is involved with plans for the milestone date.

“Absolutely. We’re working hard on them,” she told Variety.

While she said she couldn’t say more about what’s in store for fans, Cyrus pointed to her blonde hairstyle, adding, “You see the bangs.”

Cyrus starred in the series alongside Emily Osment, Mitchel Musso and father Billy Ray Cyrus, between March 2006 and January 2011, and starred in the 2009 feature film “Hannah Montana: The Movie.” Under the Hannah Montana persona, she also released multiple platinum-selling soundtracks and headlined the Best of Both Worlds Tour, which grossed over $54 million.

What’s happening for the Hannah Montana 20th anniversary?

The Grammy-winning musician first teased plans for the anniversary in a July 22 interview on SiriusXM.

“I want to design something really, really special for it because it really was the beginning of all of this,” she said. “Without Hannah, there wouldn’t really be this me.”

“It’s crazy to think that I started as a character that I thought was going to be impossible to shed, and now that’s something that when I walk into a space, it’s looked at as this sense of kind of, like, nostalgia or something that you have from your childhood,” she added. “So, that’s exciting to get to celebrate that.”

Will there be a Hannah Montana tour in 2026?

Cyrus has not announced plans to tour as “Hannah Montana” for the show’s 20th anniversary.

While exact anniversary plans remain under wraps, a tour seems unlikely, as Cyrus has previously expressed a lack of interest in touring.

During a May 2023 interview with British Vogue, the “Something Beautiful” singer added that while she enjoys performing for her friends, noting that “singing for hundreds of thousands of people isn’t really the thing that I love.”

Contributing: Edward Segarra, USA TODAY

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Montana

Montana State’s Taylee Chirrick earns second straight Big Sky Conference weekly honor

Published

1 day ago

January 6, 2026

Press Room

Montana State’s Taylee Chirrick earns second straight Big Sky Conference weekly honor

BOZEMAN — For the second consecutive week, Montana State sophomore guard Taylee Chirrick has been named Big Sky Conference player of the week, the league office announced Tuesday.

The 5-foot-11 product of Roberts scored the game-winning basket with 1.7 seconds remaining to lift the Bobcats to a 71-70 upset of Big 12 member Colorado on Sunday afternoon at the CU Events Center. Chirrick finished the contest with 21 points, which included a 7-for-7 effort at the free throw line.

Chirrick once again stuffed the stat sheet, pulling down a team-best six rebounds, while adding four steals, three assists and a pair of 3-pointers in the victory.

Chirrick is currently ranked third in the nation averaging 4.5 steals per game, and her 27 total steals rank 14th overall. Her 19.8 points per game rank second in the Big Sky and 28th in the nation.

Montana State opens the Big Sky Conference/Summit League Challenge on Wednesday at North Dakota State in Fargo. Tip is slated for 6 p.m. (MT) in the Scheels Center. The game will air live on the CBS Sports Network.

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