March 18, 2015 Independent Record Editorial Throughout the nation, members of the public are being denied access to information they rightfully own. But the problem is hitting Montana especially hard. Our state consistently ranks among the worst in the nation for government transparency, which involves both open records and open meetings. It placed 45th out […]

A Small Town Sheriff’s Log and a Big City Crime Report March 13, 2015 By Jack Limpert From a blog by Jack Limpert – Editor of the Washingtonian for more than 40 years The Silver State Post in the Montana town of Deer Lodge (population 3,111) publishes a weekly Sheriff’s Log. A few years ago, […]

The University of Montana School of Journalism has named two accomplished journalists as T. Anthony Pollner Distinguished Professors for the 2015-16 academic year. Kevin Van Valkenburg, a senior writer for ESPN The Magazine, will be the fall Pollner professor. Sally Stapleton, a former executive photo editor at the Associated Press who is now managing editor […]

BILLINGS (AP) – Attorneys for two journalists have filed a lawsuit seeking the disclosure of hundreds of racist and inappropriate emails from Montana’s former Chief U.S. District Judge. The California Civil Rights Law Group filed the lawsuit Thursday in U.S. District Court in California, where federal court officials have been holding the emails from Judge […]

Students in Jeremy Lurgio’s Advanced Multimedia class last fall set out to tell the stories of 100-year-old Montanans through portraits. Their project, “A Century of Stories”, will be on display at the upcoming First Friday Art Walk, Feb. 6. The 12 portraits will be exhibited at the Repertoire Art and Design gallery, 113 W. Broadway […]

Billings Gazette District Court Judge Michael G. Moses has ruled that Billings city officials must turn over to The Billings Gazette most of the documents detailing alleged mishandling, misappropriation or misuse of public funds by landfill workers. After Gazette Editor Darrell Ehrlick requested the documents last June, the city sued The Gazette, arguing that the […]

 Judge dismisses media complaint against GOP caucus The Associated Press 10:23 p.m. MST January 28, 2015 State judge dismisses effort to hold House GOP accountable for breaking open-meeting law   HELENA (AP) – A state judge has dismissed an effort by media groups that sought to have the House Republican Caucus held in contempt of […]

  By Lisa Baumann The Associated Press HELENA (AP) – Montana government agencies would be barred from going after a reporter’s sources or information through companies like Google under legislation proposed in a House committee Thursday. Republican Rep. Daniel Zolnikov of Billings introduced the measure in the House Judiciary Committee. He said while Montana has […]

  January 21, 2015 Billings Gazette Montana’s Public Service Commission has a proposal to reduce its public responsibility. The commission has proposed to be allowed to approve utility rate increases without giving the public notice of the rate increase and without holding a public hearing. The PSC proposal is House Bill 42, which would change […]

January 12, 2015 12:45 pm • By Mike Ferguson On Monday, District Court Judge Michael Moses heard arguments about a lawsuit brought by the city of Billings against Billings Gazette Communications. The newspaper seeks documents on alleged mishandling, misappropriation or misuse of public funds or property by employees at the city-owned landfill. Following the newspaper’s […]