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National Weather Service Great Falls graphic titled “Arctic Cold Returns,” issued Feb. 17 at 3 p.m. MST. The notice warns of bitterly cold temperatures now through Friday, coldest in northern areas, with wind chills as low as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Potential impacts listed include frostbite and hypothermia, hazardous outdoor conditions for animals and livestock, and freezing of poorly insulated water lines. Additional information notes Arctic air will slowly ease this weekend. The graphic includes safety tips for people (dress in layers, cover exposed skin, limit outdoor time, check on family), vehicles (keep gas tank at least half full, add blankets, maintain tire pressure, carry a safety kit, notify family if traveling, use caution if car is left running), and pets (limit outdoor time, bring pets inside, check paws, ensure water and food, provide shelter).
U.S. National Weather Service, Great Falls, MT.
Blackfeet tribal officials declared a state of emergency due to extreme winter temperatures impacting the region. The National Weather Service is forecasting a high of 6 below zero in Browning Wednesday morning, and a low of negative 13 on Wednesday night. Wind gusts may also reach up to 50 mph.
Line chart titled “District General Fund BASE Budget: Nominal and Real (2008) Dollars.” The horizontal axis shows fiscal years 2008 through 2027. The vertical axis shows budget amounts from $0 to $1.4 billion.

Two lines track funding over time: a green line for nominal budget and a gold line for real budget in 2008 dollars. A dashed blue horizontal line marks the 2008 constant-dollar baseline of about $756 million. The 2008 base budget is labeled $756,498,779.

Nominal funding rises steadily from about $756 million in 2008 to roughly $1.2 billion by 2027. Real funding remains near the 2008 level through the mid-2010s, then declines during a period of high inflation around 2021–23, before partially rebounding. A red arrow marks SB 175 in 2013. Another note indicates enrollment increased until peaking in fiscal 2023, then began to decline. Additional annotations note a period of high inflation and a 2025 STARS Act adjustment. The 2026 real budget is labeled about $711 million, and the estimated 2027 real budget about $765 million in 2008 dollars. Logos for the Fiscal Division and Legislative Services Division appear at the bottom.
Legislative Fiscal Division and Legislative Services Division
Stacked bar chart titled “U.S. H-2A (temporary agricultural employment of foreign workers) positions certified by State, fiscal years 2005–24.” The vertical axis shows seasonal positions certified in thousands, ranging from 0 to 400. The horizontal axis shows fiscal years from 2005 to 2024. The chart shows a steady overall increase in certified H-2A positions, rising from roughly 50,000 in the mid-2000s to nearly 380,000 in 2024. Growth accelerates after about 2014, with totals increasing each year through 2024. A note explains that state-level data are not available for fiscal years 2005–06 and that about 80% of job certifications result in visas being issued. Source: USDA Economic Research Service using U.S. Department of Labor data.
USDA Economic Research Service using U.S. Department of Labor data.
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