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government & politics

Everyone agrees Montana needs more state psychiatric beds, no one in Laurel wants them there

LAUREL — To understand the controversy surrounding locating a psychiatric hospital in Laurel, city officials have heard hours and hours of testimony objecting to the concept — even though nothing formal has been proposed and it’s nearly impossible to find a single public official willing to offer opinions on the record.

Judge dismisses part of claim against Ravalli County; case continues

MISSOULA — A federal judge dismissed Wednesday a claim Ravalli County was falsely imprisoning people who enrolled in a jail diversion program — one part of a lawsuit being heard this week in U.S. District Court in Montana. But witness testimony continued in the class-action case, and a justice of

Different Dems? At Butte debate, candidates make pitch to challenge GOP

BUTTE — Montana Democrats gathered in the Motherlode Theater in Butte on Tuesday night for the first debate among the party’s four primary contenders for the state’s western district congressional seat. More than 100 people attended Tuesday’s debate, which came on the heels of a Monday event in

Controversial Trump nominee from Bozeman withdraws after lack of GOP support in U.S. Senate

Jeremy Carl, the Bozeman man who was nominated by President Donald Trump to become a high-ranking State Department official, withdrew his name from consideration Tuesday after it became apparent that he could not rally enough Republican support from U.S. Senators, especially after a confirmation hearing in which he

Ravalli County ‘preying upon a segment of society,’ witness says

After Heidi Hutchison was arrested for driving under the influence, the single mom and deli manager had to pay $593 a month in pretrial supervision fees in Ravalli County — nearly double her rent. To make the pretrial payments, the Hamilton woman and her two boys skipped bowling and their Sunday

Western House district Democrats begin making case to voters

It’s a packed week for Democrat-aligned candidates and potential voters in Western Montana as campaign events have begun to ramp up. While all of Montana’s Democratic candidates for statewide and federal office took to the stage at the annual Mansfield Metcalf Dinner in Helena on Saturday to

Court OKs allowing insurance companies to set rates based on marital status

The Montana Auditor and Commissioner of Securities and Insurance James Brown is cheering a recent court ruling by Lewis and Clark County District Court Judge Mike Menahan which determined legislation passed in 2021 doesn’t violate the state’s Constitution by allowing insurance companies to figure marital status when setting