Home 01

National

Walmart to Pay $50 Million in Opioid Settlement

Walmart Inc. has agreed to pay $50 million to resolve federal allegations that its pharmacies illegally filled thousands of invalid prescriptions for opioids and other controlled substances, the Justice Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration announced. "Today's settlement proves this Department is committed to putting Americans' flourishing first," said Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward. "Congress enacted laws to promote responsibility and accountability for companies who dispense controlled substances to protect Americans. This Department will never shy away from vigorously enforcing […]

todaySeptember 2, 2026 3

Montana

DEQ Issues Final Environmental Review for North Plains Connecto

Final EIS moves 525-kilovolt line linking Western and Eastern power grids closer to construction approval The Montana Department of Environmental Quality has issued a Final Environmental Impact Statement for the North Plains Connector Project, a major transmission line proposed to link the Western and Eastern U.S. electrical grids, clearing a key hurdle in the state's permitting process. The review, conducted by DEQ with the U.S. Department of Energy as a co-lead agency, was completed in compliance with the Montana Environmental […]

todaySeptember 2, 2026 4

Montana

UM Welcomes Inaugural Class of Physician Associates

Named after the state she always dreamed of living in, Montanna Zajac was thrilled to be admitted to the University of Montana’s new physician associate program. Zajac, from Wausau, Wisconsin, studied psychology as an undergraduate but discovered a passion for medicine while working various jobs as an EMT, firefighter and medic for an outdoor wilderness therapy team. All the while, Zajac was interested in becoming a physician associate, an attractive option for healthcare workers to provide primary care and earn […]

todaySeptember 1, 2026 2

National

Nigerian National Sentenced to Nearly Eight Years for Laundering $3.1 Million in Scam Proceeds

A Nigerian national was sentenced to nearly eight years in federal prison for leading a money-laundering operation that moved more than $3.1 million in proceeds from schemes targeting Americans, including business-email compromise, romance and unemployment-insurance fraud. Oluwasegun Baiyewu, 40, of Houston, was sentenced to 95 months in prison after a federal jury convicted him last year of conspiracy to commit money laundering, according to the Justice Department. Prosecutors said Baiyewu and at least six co-conspirators in the U.S. and Nigeria […]

todaySeptember 1, 2026 3

Regional

AG Labrador Secures Up to $127.7 Million for Idaho in Meta Settlement

Idaho will receive at least $89.2 million and could collect as much as $127.7 million under a sweeping $17.1 billion multistate settlement with Meta Platforms over allegations that Facebook and Instagram were deliberately designed to encourage addictive use among children. The agreement, announced by Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador, resolves claims brought by states and U.S. territories alleging Meta knowingly exposed young users to potential mental-health harms while misleading parents and the public about the safety of its platforms. The […]

todaySeptember 1, 2026 2

Featured

Court Clears Montana Forest Management Project to Proceed

A federal court has cleared the way for a major forest-management project in western Montana that calls for thousands of acres of timber harvesting and other treatments aimed at reducing wildfire risks near communities. The U.S. District Court for the District of Montana allowed the Forest Service's Gold Butterfly Project on the Bitterroot National Forest to proceed. The project is located east of Corvallis in Ravalli County. The plan authorizes nearly 5,300 acres of commercial timber harvest and about 2,100 […]

todaySeptember 1, 2026 4

Montana

Montana’s High-Tech Economy Expands as Data Centers Emerge

Montana's technology sector is continuing to broaden its footprint across the state, while a new wave of potential data-center investment could add another major component to the state's changing economy. The University of Montana's Bureau of Business and Economic Research highlighted high-tech businesses, artificial intelligence and data centers as part of its 2026 Midyear Economic Update, examining how the digital economy could reshape employment and investment in Montana. Technology employment is also spreading beyond the state's traditional tech centers. BBER […]

todayAugust 31, 2026 4

National

Guard Program Links Global Partnership to DOW Priorities

Senior leaders and security cooperation personnel from across the War Department gathered for the 2026 National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program conference in Atlanta, Aug. 13. The goal of the annual conference was to align activities and engagements with National Defense Strategy Lines of Effort, administration arms transfer reform objectives and rigorous data-driven evaluation to prove return on investment for the American taxpayer. In addition to DOW, the event included speakers from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, Defense Security Cooperation […]

todayAugust 31, 2026 4

Regional

South Dakota Awards $3.5 Million for 40 Bridge Projects

South Dakota transportation officials have approved roughly $3.5 million for 40 local bridge projects across the state, directing state and federal transportation funding toward bridge design, engineering surveys and hydraulic studies. The South Dakota Transportation Commission selected the projects from 108 applications submitted by local governments. The awards are split between federally funded bridge-design projects and preliminary engineering work supported through the state's Bridge Improvement Grant program. “Safe and efficient access to destinations such as schools, hospitals, farms, and ranchlands […]

todayAugust 31, 2026 2