One Big Beautiful Bill Act improves sugar loan rates

Low prices and excess sugar volume on the U.S. market could have caused sugar for the crop year that ended this past September to be forfeited. Thankfully, at the end of September, USDA showed that no sugar had been forfeited. With the new crop...

Northern Lights in the USA: 12 Places Most Likely to Glow This Winter

The dance of the aurora borealis across American skies is about to reach spectacular heights. With solar maximum bringing heightened solar activity, promising dazzling displays, this winter presents an extraordinary opportunity for Americans to...

My sister’s confidence boosted my self-assurance

I would not make the trip by myself, but I also would not pass up the opportunity. I texted my sister Erica, who lives on the West Coast, “How do you feel about Montana?” Let me back up. When I started writing about conservationists protecting our...

Dinosaurs were thriving before asteroid strike — new fossil evidence challenges extinction theories

Dinosaurs were thriving before asteroid strike — new fossil evidence challenges extinction theories New research from New Mexico's San Juan Basin reveals dinosaurs were diverse and robust up until the asteroid impact 66 million years ago,...

New York and California are taking on the NIMBYs

New York — New York City voters are currently deciding on one of the most polarizing issues in decades. But it has nothing to do with 34-year-old democratic socialist mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani. Instead, it will determine who has the power...

Comment | America’s public lands are the common ground where we come together

I drove more than 7000 miles this summer, from North Carolina to Montana and back, through vast swathes of rural America, tent camping most nights in state or national parks. This is what I learned: Americans from every zipcode, walk of life, and...

Northern Lights Forecast: 12 States May See Aurora Tuesday Night

The northern lights fill the sky with green ribbons of electrical charged particles over the barn and pastures at Greaney's Turkey Farm in Mercer, Maine on May 11, 2024. (Photo by Michael Seamans/Getty Images) Getty Images The Northern Lights may...

Controversial Eastview Village development flooded Greenleaf neighborhood

SNOHOMISH — Mike Putt was flying back from a vacation in Montana when he got a text on Oct. 12 from his neighbor saying their street was flooding. The first real rains of fall had hit the area that weekend, but the muddy water cascading down 79th...

Big Hole River section 1 closure lifted, fishing reopens

WISDOM, Mont. — The fishing closure on Section 1 of the Big Hole River has been lifted. This section, from Saginaw Bridge on Skinner Meadows Road to the confluence with the North Fork of the Big Hole River, had been closed since July 19. Spawning...

Residents outraged by harmful impacts of billionaires' behavior: 'This is a nationwide problem'

"Depressing." by Misty LayneOctober 26, 2025 An influx of tourists seems like a good way to boost a town's economy, but that's not always the case, as A More Perfect Union (@moreperfectunion) explained in its YouTube video on housing inequality in...

City of East Helena approves Rose Hills mixed-income neighborhood

EAST HELENA — The City of East Helena has unanimously approved the Rose Hills mixed-income neighborhood plan, which has been in the works for more than seven years. City of East Helena approves Rose Hills mixed-income neighborhood East Helena...

Nick Haney: Surprise District 1 Newsletter — October 2025

Surprise District 1 City Councilman Nick Haney City of Surprise By Nick Haney As many of you know I spend quite a bit of time on these newsletters to make sure you are as informed as possible. In addition to getting out information, these...

‘The Rushmore story is hard to tell’: how an Indigenous park leader revealed the monument’s dark side

Despite suffering heart attacks, strokes and the effects of diabetes, Gerard Baker can still easily lift an 80-lb bag of feed for the cows he raises on his south-east Montana ranch. On the sprawling 640-acre property of pine and cottonwoods,...

Governor, federal delegation send letter to Interior targeting American Prairie

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, as well as all four members of the state’s federal delegation signed on to a letter last month claiming American Prairie’s bison restoration project is at odds with the state’s economy. The five men sent the letter to...

Duluth to study future reuse of Lester Golf Course property again, as city seeks direction

DULUTH — After years of debate since the Lester Park Golf Course closed in 2020, city officials aim to hatch a plan for its future within nine months. The Duluth City Council unanimously voted Monday night to authorize a land-use study for the...

Trump administration tells Colorado to stop importing gray wolves from Canada

Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our...

'JV was ready tonight': Hometown return of Michael Wortham helped UM quiet noise

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In what was a wild week leading up to Montana's game against Sacramento State, the Grizzlies quieted all of the noise with a 49-35 victory over the Hornets to improve to 8-0. "So we played well in all three phases," UM head...

'JV was ready tonight': Hometown return of Michael Wortham helped UM quiet noise

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — In what was a wild week leading up to Montana's game against Sacramento State, the Grizzlies quieted all of the noise with a 49-35 victory over the Hornets to improve to 8-0. "So we played well in all three phases," UM head...

Chinook Pool Update

HomeLocal NewsChinook Pool Update (Chinook) – Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks recently announced that they have awarded a one million ninety-seven thousand dollar grant to the City of Chinook for the Sweet Memorial Park Pool and Park project....

Prevost Name MFU Executive Director

Montana Farmers Union is pleased to announce Rachel Prevost has been named its Executive Director. “Rachel has become an integral part of the Farmers Union family,” MFU President Walter Schweitzer said. “Her dedication and creativity have been...