Researchers continue to find PFAS, or 'forever chemicals,' in Montana’s waterways. The latest samples come from Flathead Lake. Advocates are calling for more attention and funding to research these substances.

Some Montana nonprofits that rely on federal grants say they’re not getting the funds they’ve already been awarded. The problem extends far beyond the Treasure State.

The Public Service Commission, which regulates Montana utilities, is closing public comment on NorthWestern Energy’s controversial 20-year plan on July 28. The proposal has drawn criticism from private citizens and environmental advocacy organizations.

Forecasters say a high-pressure system will continue to send smoke from wildfires in Oregon and Washington for the foreseeable future. Montana's mule deer population is on an upswing, according to survey results released by Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks.

A major settlement between states, the Federal Trade Commission and John Deere marks a step forward for farmers' “right to repair.” The Columbia Falls Aluminum Company will pay $57 million to clean up its former aluminum smelter in the Flathead Valley. The site is contaminated with arsenic, cyanide and other toxins from the smelting process.

Plaintiffs in the Lighthiser v. Trump climate lawsuit are asking the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to reconsider their case after it was dismissed last month.

A district court judge has thrown out a state senator’s guilty verdict less than 24 hours after it was spoken. Sen. Jason Ellsworth was found guilty of using his access to Senate funds to privately award $170,000 in government contracts to a longtime friend, using a loophole to avoid a public bid. A retrial is scheduled for December.

The Sheep Creek Mine in Ravalli County is on the federal list of fast-tracked projects. That could mean faster permitting, along with scaled-down public input and environmental review. As one company looks for rare earth minerals, local residents, county commissioners and federal representatives remain opposed to the project, citing concerns over impacts to the watershed.

After more than a year of investigations and a six-day trial, Republican Sen. Jason Ellsworth has been found guilty of abusing his power to award a close friend $170,000 in government contracts.

The Fort Shaw Indian School Girls Basketball Team navigated boarding school and forced assimilation while becoming a team of skilled athletes, artists and 1904 world champions. Now, more than 120 years later, the team is inspiring new generations and helping people connect with their families and their own cultural identities. Learn more about the team's legacy and why it resonates so strongly, on this episode of The Big Why.