The spring-like weather that’s gripped Montana since before Christmas shows almost no signs of going away.

A Montana couple is donating their multimillion dollar cattle ranch to preserve its conservation legacy and keep the land in the hands of locals. It's the largest ranchland donation in the history of Montana. The land sits among some of the state's best remaining habitat for threatened grassland birds.

The deadline to decide on whether grizzly bears will remain under federal protection has been pushed back by a year. The U.S.. Fish and Wildlife Service was originally court-ordered to make a decision by the end of January, but last Friday, a federal judge extended that deadline to the end of the year.

More than 100 people gathered Friday at a Missoula hospital to honor Alex Pretti, a Veterans Affairs nurse killed last week by ICE agents in Minneapolis

Montana’s largest utility is planning how it’s going to generate power and meet rising demand in the era of data centers. The company is now soliciting public feedback on that draft plan. MTPR’s Ellis Juhlin attended a recent meeting in Missoula and reports.

Businesses around Montana closed their doors or altered their operations Friday to protest immigration enforcement actions. The closures are part of a national movement.

Montanans charged or convicted of crimes in the state often face barriers finding a job and housing, long after their cases have closed. And the internet creates a permanent record. The state is looking at ways to change that.

Montanans respond to the Minnesota protester shootings with peaceful protests and policy changes. Democratic congressional candidates denounce the shootings. Sen. Steve Daines calls for an investigation and defends ICE. And the jury is still out on the long-term political impact of the shootings and the government response.

A long-time auto mechanic in the town of Froid, Montana has been swept up in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Border Patrol recently arrested Roberto Orozco-Ramirez. Orozco-Ramirez is the community’s mechanic and volunteers as a youth baseball coach. Montana Free Press’ Nora Mabie has been reporting on the community’s reaction to his arrest. She sat down with MTPR’s Elinor Smith to go over the details.

Elk are a familiar sight in much of Montana now, but that hasn't always been the case. By the early 1900s, unregulated hunting had led to massive declines in wildlife nationwide. But In Yellowstone, elk populations were exploding thanks to protections in place there. The solution to restoring elk outside the park seemed obvious. Less obvious was how to make it happen. This week on the Big Why, we trace the animals' bumpy path from the living laboratory called Yellowstone Park to the Bitterroot Valley and beyond.