Whether to join a new state self-insured healthcare program has been a question for Great Falls Public Schools this board. Bridged Health Alliance was established by the 2023 Montana Legislature as a health and wellness benefits trust for public school systems. Bridged Health Alliance is the formal name of the trust that was established by the Montana Schools Insurance Alliance.
Read more
Many of the stories of 2025 were tough: crime, death or injury, destruction, tax increases, or otherwise not particularly cheerful. So to round out the year, we decided to make a top 10 of the stories that brought us some joy or fun this year. –Mural festival connecting art, community –“Theater has always been there to push those bubbles and
Read more
The Great Falls Public Schools board voted during a special Dec. 29 meeting to approve a new four-year power contract that goes into effect Jan. 1. The district has had agreements since June 2011 to purchase one megawatt for each of the 24-hours in a day. The bulk purchase allowed GFPS to secure a lower rate and minimize exposure to
Read more
Y’all also read a lot of public safety related stories this year, so we broke them out separately, again, in descending order of web traffic. –Two boys, ages 12 and 13, charged in Nov. 3 shooting –Man charged with negligent homicide in Sunday morning shooting –Andrade charged in early morning shooting death –Man charged in police pursuit, trafficking drugs –Man
Read more
Y’all love the business bites. Here’s the top 10 roundups for 2025, in descending order of web hits. –Business Bites: Chik-fil-A files traffic study, Winco, Panera, Ocean Star Seafood, local wins Emmy Award, United Way surpasses fundraising goal, Christian bookstore opens in the mall [January] –Business Bites: Elevation closing; Panera files for building permit; Safety Town registration open; Clearwater planning
Read more
County Commissioners voted unanimously during their Dec. 23 meeting to set the compensation rate for reserve deputies that Sheriff Jesse Slaughter is proposing to augment school safety. The 2025 Legislature enacted a law, effective Oct. 1, allowing county governments to compensate reserve deputies with a rate set by commissioners. Reserve deputies were previously authorized under state law, but were unpaid
Read more
Merry Christmas Great Falls and Happy New Year! KFF Health News: Criminally ill: Systemic failures turn state mental hospitals into prisons Associated Press: Deepfake AI cyberbullying: How parents, schools can respond The New York Times: Hospitals cater to ‘transplant tourists’ as U.S. patients wait for organs Colorado Public Radio: FEMA denies Colorado disaster declaration requests Associated Press: Police combat training drills leave trail of
Read more
By Emma Nelson, community engagement and marketing coordinator at NeighborWorks Great Falls, beer aficionado, outdoor enthusiast and all around super cool gal. As someone who craves sunlight and struggles to embrace “couch rot” culture, I’ve never understood how people survive Montana winters without finding reasons to get out of the house. My husband and I both work full-time “big kid”
Read more
Did you know that live Christmas trees are recyclable? “With Christmas just around the corner, it’s important to remember that you don’t have to throw your live Christmas tree in the trash once the holiday is over. Live Christmas trees are biodegradable, meaning they can be reused or recycled for various purposes,” according to the city public works department. Great
Read more
Do you know the difference between pictographs and petroglyphs? If you want a chance to learn the answer while getting a first-hand look at both ancient art forms, join First Peoples Buffalo Jump State Park for one of their guided rock art hikes on Dec. 26, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. A First Peoples Buffalo Jump ranger will lead
Read more
You must be logged in to post a comment.