Northwestern Energy

• Northwestern Energy Uses 95 Weather Stations to Prevent Wildfires in Montana

  Northwestern Energy’s Fire Mitigation Program employs weather stations, smoke cameras, and vegetation management to reduce wildfire risks along 18,000 miles of power lines. This comprehensive approach helps protect Montana’s communities and landscapes from catastrophic fires.

Great Falls Development Alliance

• GFDA Top Ten for 8/2/26

  Touro University will launch its new Montana law school with the first class in Great Falls in the fall of 2027. The unique law school is designed for students working full time.

Montana Business

• Eight States Divert Rural Health Funds to Tech Startups

  The Rural Tech Catalyst Fund reallocates 10% of rural health funds to support healthcare technology startups, sparking debate over the balance between innovation and traditional services. Montana may face similar challenges in integrating tech solutions while preserving essential local care.

• Big Trucks in the U.S. Could Start Battery Swapping to Cut Diesel Consumption Drastically

  Revoy’s retrofit battery swapping system promises up to 90% diesel savings and 85% emissions reduction for heavy freight trucks. This innovation could transform Montana’s diesel-reliant freight industry amid rising fuel costs.

• Chinese AI firm DeepSeek releases new coding model that’s 99% cheaper than Claude’s Opus 4.8

  Chinese AI firm DeepSeek releases new coding model that costs a fraction of leading frontier systems; 1 million output tokens cost 28 cents, 99% cheaper than Claude’s Opus 4.8

• There’s a word for how we treat working moms—and you probably haven’t heard it

  Read on to understand what the U.S. could learn from the way Japan treats working mothers—and how we could actually help women stay in the workforce after they have children.

• What Would A Montana Data Center Cost? 10% of a data center’s total cost would go toward Montana jobs and goods.

  The University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research estimates a $20 billion data center would support 750 jobs and generate $33 million in local property taxes. However, concerns about water use and rising utility costs have sparked opposition in several communities.

• Which Montana County has a state-licensed gambling machine for every 24 residents?

  Approximately 16,500 state-licensed machines operated statewide in Montana. Are we gambling away our future?

• California Hits 51 Percent Solar Power for Entire Month

  In May, solar panels generated over half of California’s electricity, marking a major shift in energy production. This milestone was enabled by a dramatic increase in battery storage capacity that allows solar power use even after sunset.

• Judge Certifies Price-Fixing Lawsuit Against Major Meatpackers

  A federal judge approved a class-action suit accusing four meatpackers of manipulating cattle and beef prices from 2015 to 2020. Montana ranchers and policymakers are watching closely as the case could impact the state’s beef market and industry consolidation.

• The DoorDash Drones are Coming

  Sending deliveries by drone is hard. DoorDash’s secret sauce may be its software.

Visit Montana

• Flathead County’s Short-term Rentals Generated $207 Million in Revenue Last Year

  Experts at the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research estimate visitors spent $755 million statewide on lodging, goods and services in 2025, three-quarters of which was spent in regions outside of Glacier and Yellowstone national parks

• National park ranger quits, tours visitor centers to fight Trump censorship

  She’s committed to fighting censorship across the National Park Service by talking about what the Donald Trump administration has omitted.

• National Parks Traveler Shuts Down After 21 Years of Coverage Due to Trump Pressures and Media Struggles

  If properly appreciated, National parks, he said, “are so important in helping people reconnect with themselves, with forgetting about checking their email, checking their texts.” And that’s only the beginning of their value. With high burnout and low morale, he believes the park service is in danger of lasting. And because the agency has drastically scaled back communications, trying to report on it is very frustrating. It got so bad that Traveler reporters couldn’t even secure interviews on stories of park service successes, he said.

Funding and Building your Montana Business

• Gen Z women are having an entrepreneurship boom

  More young women are starting businesses than those in older generations, data shows.

Regional Economic Development

• Public Rally Supports Hamilton, Montana’s Rocky Mountain Lab Scientists Laid Off Because of Federal Budget Cuts

  On June 26, community members rallied to support employees affected by federal funding reductions.
  Community members rallied in support of Rocky Mountain Lab scientists laid off due to federal budget cuts that have impacted the lab. In early May, 41 employees were let go or had their contracts canceled and research budgets were cut.

YOUR MONTANA CAREER

• Are Older Americans Hoarding the Future By Staying In Power Too Long?

  What if the real threat to American democracy is the tyranny of the elderly?

• “Our Youth in the Age of AI” Code Girls United – Aug. 27 – Whitefish, Montana

  Code Girls United (CGU) is proud to announce its upcoming event, “Our Youth in the Age of AI”, an interactive reception and panel discussion scheduled for Thursday, August 27, 2026, at the O’Shaughnessy Cultural Arts Center in Whitefish, at 5 p.m.

• 406 Transfusion: Injecting youth into the care continuum

  This dynamic two-day event brings together key partners to strengthen the Montana healthcare talent pipeline through creative solutions and career-connected learning.

• Flathead Valley Food Banks Face Rising Demand Because of SNAP Cuts

  Food banks in Flathead, North Valley, and Bigfork report increased visits as SNAP recipients are kicked off the roles due to new work requirements and paperwork. Rising food and gas prices, along with funding losses, are adding to the challenges these organizations face.

Montana’s 21st Century Education Initiative – “You Should Care…”

• The Administration is now going after Head Start – doing so would help end the “radical indoctrination of our children.”

  In June, the Heritage Foundation issued a report calling on the administration to “sunset Head Start and deregulate the program until officials end it.”

2025 Montana Legislature and Politics

• Medicare Part D subsidy program: Why Trump is ending it and what it could mean for prescription drug costs

  A Biden-era program meant to help seniors save money on prescription premiums is ending in 2027. Here’s what we know.

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