The spring-like weather that’s gripped Montana since before Christmas shows almost no signs of going away.

There’s good and bad news to report from Montana’s labor market last year, according to economists with the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

A Montana couple is donating their multimillion dollar cattle ranch to preserve its conservation legacy and keep the land in the hands of locals. It's the largest ranchland donation in the history of Montana. The land sits among some of the state's best remaining habitat for threatened grassland birds.

The deadline to decide on whether grizzly bears will remain under federal protection has been pushed back by a year. The U.S.. Fish and Wildlife Service was originally court-ordered to make a decision by the end of January, but last Friday, a federal judge extended that deadline to the end of the year.

More than 100 people gathered Friday at a Missoula hospital to honor Alex Pretti, a Veterans Affairs nurse killed last week by ICE agents in Minneapolis

Montana’s largest utility is planning how it’s going to generate power and meet rising demand in the era of data centers. The company is now soliciting public feedback on that draft plan. MTPR’s Ellis Juhlin attended a recent meeting in Missoula and reports.

Businesses around Montana closed their doors or altered their operations Friday to protest immigration enforcement actions. The closures are part of a national movement.

A long-time auto mechanic in the town of Froid, Montana has been swept up in President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown. Border Patrol recently arrested Roberto Orozco-Ramirez. Orozco-Ramirez is the community’s mechanic and volunteers as a youth baseball coach. Montana Free Press’ Nora Mabie has been reporting on the community’s reaction to his arrest. She sat down with MTPR’s Elinor Smith to go over the details.

Montanans charged or convicted of crimes in the state often face barriers finding a job and housing, long after their cases have closed. And the internet creates a permanent record. The state is looking at ways to change that.

The University of Montana hopes to hire its next president by spring. The university system’s top leader concedes it’s an ambitious timeline, but is confident all building blocks are in place to make it possible.