The newly elected Republican leaders of the Montana Legislature say the upcoming session will be focused on a tightening state budget. County election offices were scheduled to start counting provisional ballots Monday afternoon. About 80 people gathered on the north steps of the capitol today to let Governor Steve Bullock and Attorney General Tim Fox know they don't like Montana police being sent to help with security around the Dakota Access Pipeline protests in North Dakota.

Glacier National Park officials have temporarily closed boating on park lakes as a precautionary response to the discovery of larvae from invasive mussels in Montana waters for the first time. Authorities are taking steps to revoke the probation of Barry Beach, a convicted murderer, who was granted clemency last year then jailed this week for a felony violation. A trio of 13-year-olds made an initial appearance in Youth Court on charges they were involved in a break-in and arson fire that caused

This morning, Governor Steve Bullock won a second term, and secured the Democrats' 12-year hold on the governor's office for another four years by defeating Republican challenger Greg Gianforte. Montana voters may have successfully reversed severe restrictions state lawmakers imposed on medical marijuana, but patients will have to wait nearly eight months before they can step into a dispensary again. The Gallatin County sheriff says he might not take four deputies to North Dakota, as he’d

Governor Steve Bullock and Republican challenger Greg Gianforte are wrapping up a bruising campaign as Bullock tries to keep his seat as one of only 18 Democratic governors in the nation. Incumbent Republican Ryan Zinke is seeking tomorrow to hold off a challenge from Democrat Denise Juneau, and maintain a two-decade Republican lock on Montana's sole U.S. House seat. A Texas man who was convicted of killing a southwestern Montana man and shooting two others a year ago has been sentenced to 100

Attorneys for two death-row inmates are questioning whether Montana Department of Justice officials told a witness to change his testimony in a case to halt lethal injections. Gallatin County voters who haven't returned their absentee ballots will be able to drop them off on Election Day at tents outside the courthouse. A Great Falls man who pleaded guilty to shooting another man at point-blank range while high on methamphetamine has been sentenced to 100 years in prison without the possibility

An organization to elect conservative judges has complied with the Montana commissioner of political practices order to report its contributions and spending in a state Supreme Court election. A new analysis shows that Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte has aired more campaign ads than any other state candidate in the nation. A $4.2 billion U.S. Air Force contract has been awarded to a subsidiary of the tribally owned S&K Technologies.

Montana's Supreme Court has ruled that citizens have a right to trial by jury before the state can take private property in civil forfeiture cases. A federal appeals court has upheld a decision blocking two Montana logging projects to protect the Canada lynx. An organization that has spent $268,000 to influence a Montana Supreme Court election says it doesn't need to register as a political committee with the state.

U.S. officials say a program to return land on American Indian reservations to tribal control likely will run out of money before millions of eligible acres are addressed. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has found that recent mail thefts in Billings have not targeted ballots. The Democratic Governors Association is spending heavily to oppose Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Gianforte and to support Montana Democrats in the final days before the elections.

A man convicted of vandalizing a Kalispell clinic that offered abortions is disputing the $642,000 in restitution he was ordered to pay. Missoula County officials have released the names of three Missoula residents who were killed in a head-on collision near the airport Saturday afternoon. Two men accused of robbing a Missoula convenience store, carjacking a family from Washington state and shooting at police during a pursuit are expected to plead guilty next week.

The Roaring Lion Fire near Hamilton that burned more than 13 square miles of forest and destroyed sixteen homes this summer, was caused by a campfire that wasn’t fully extinguished. The mother of a man killed during a confrontation with law enforcement in a Billings hotel says she does not hold the police responsible for his death. Governor Steve Bullock says he agrees with citizens who are upset that a man was sentenced to 60 days in jail for raping his 12-year-old daughter, but says his office