This story is excerpted from the MT Lowdown, a weekly newsletter digest containing original reporting and analysis published every Friday. In early December 2023, the Federal Railroad Administration announced that it awarded a $500,000 grant to the Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority to explore the feasibility of restoring passenger rail service along the North Coast Hiawatha route, which passed through many of Montana’s largest cities along its Chicago-to-Seattle route before the service was scrapped four decades ago. The planning grant will allow the authority, which formed in 2020 under an obscure, century-old piece of Montana law, to catalog what needs to happen to get passenger t...
RONAN — The Ronan town council met for their last meeting of 2023 on Dec. 27 with new members sworn in. Ellen Kaphammer was sworn in as the council president. She accepted and thanked everyone. “Ellen, you are a veteran council member now,” Mayor Chris Adler said. Lawrence Ra...
ST IGNATIUS — Wishing all a Happy New Year. May 2024 be kind to you and yours and hope the New Year started off gently for each of you. We invite anyone to come and enjoy one of our meals or call for a take-out meal. Call 406-745-4462 by 10 a.m. on Tuesday and Friday and by 2 p.m. on Wednesday. Meal...
RONAN — The Mission Valley Senior Center is located across from St. Luke’s Hospital. We are open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for lunch and other activities. Our menu is: Wednesday, Jan. 3: taco bar, salad, dessert Friday. Jan. 5: stew, cinnamon rolls, salad Monday, Jan. 8: ham-bea...
POLSON — It was good to see lots of smiles being shared in this joyous time of year. I’ll try to keep that Christmas spirit alive throughout the year. I have made another resolution to not make resolutions. That is the one I can keep. Off we go into the New Year! The days are getting lon...
POLSON — One local business collected four truckloads of toys and $900 for the Lake County Toys for Tots program on Wednesday, Dec. 20, just in time to provide Christmas gifts for children in need. Lake View Dining and Spirits, otherwise known as The Shoe, put together the fundraiser. Scott Biggs...
HELENA — Government transparency is getting another watchdog in Montana with the creation and launch of the Montana Transparency Project (MTP), a non-profit, nonpartisan initiative dedicated to helping organizations and individuals prepare and keep track of public information requests, educating local ...
BOZEMAN — With a new $26.7 million grant from the U.S. Air Force, Montana State University will establish a facility with the mission of moving advanced quantum technology applications in cybersecurity, communications technology and national defense from concept and testing to market. The 20-month g...
News from MSU BOZEMAN — Montana State University is recruiting elementary school teachers for a summer program that offers hands-on research experiences and ideas for bringing science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, into their classrooms. Teachers will also gain skills in developing cu...
RONAN — The Mission Valley Senior Center is located across from St. Luke’s Hospital. We are open Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for lunch and other activities. Our menu: — Wednesday, Dec. 27: pork chops, stuffing, salad, dessert — Friday, Dec...
