Daily Montanan
![Charges against 7 arrested Montana Capitol protesters dismissed](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2023/08/attachment-Protest-capitol.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Charges against 7 arrested Montana Capitol protesters dismissed
The Lewis and Clark County Attorney’s Office dismissed cases against all seven of the protesters who were arrested at the Montana State Capitol in April.
![Group to sue U.S. Forest Service over Mud Creek logging project](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2018/12/bull-trout-UFWS.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Group to sue U.S. Forest Service over Mud Creek logging project
A group intends to sue the federal government for approving a large timber sale in the southern Bitterroot mountain range.
![Committee argues it’s in ‘full compliance’ with Montana laws](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2023/08/attachment-politics-campaign.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Committee argues it’s in ‘full compliance’ with Montana laws
Realtors and a political committee hit with campaign finance complaints argued a poll conducted to vet their mayoral candidate had such little value, they didn’t need to report it.
![Former MT revenue director says property tax system ‘rigged,’ ‘broken’](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2019/03/Housing3.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Former MT revenue director says property tax system ‘rigged,’ ‘broken’
Homeowners and renters in Montana are about to experience the largest property tax increase in history — and it’s by design, said Dan Bucks, former head of the Montana Department of Revenue.
![Judge sides with youth in Montana climate change trial](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2023/06/attachment-climate-change.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Judge sides with youth in Montana climate change trial
The state of Montana’s failure to consider greenhouse gas emissions from energy and mining projects violates the state constitution because it does not protect Montanans’ right to a clean and healthful environment and the state’s natural resources from unreasonable depletion, a judge ruled Monday in a victory for the 16 youth plaintiffs who sued the state.
![State defendants in Montana drag ban lawsuit request jury trial](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2023/07/attachment-Pride.jpg?w=980&q=75)
State defendants in Montana drag ban lawsuit request jury trial
Attorneys for Attorney General Austin Knudsen and Superintendent of Public Instruction Elsie Arntzen are requesting a jury trial in the legal case challenging the constitutionality of the drag ban in Montana.
![State’s expert witnesses in climate trial bill Montana $95K](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2023/06/attachment-climate-trial.jpg?w=980&q=75)
State’s expert witnesses in climate trial bill Montana $95K
The state of Montana was billed nearly $95,000 in total by the three expert witnesses the Attorney General’s Office utilized in the Held v. Montana climate change trial, two of whom the state never called to testify.
![Butte officials say they didn’t violate transgender woman’s rights](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2023/08/attachment-transgender.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Butte officials say they didn’t violate transgender woman’s rights
The Butte-Silver Bow County employee who canceled a transgender woman’s lecture at the library citing the drag ban law said in a court filing this week he gave her opportunities to reschedule and comply with the law, and therefore did not violate her right to free speech.
![Public Service Commission approves rate hike for Montana-Dakota Utilities](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2018/07/ELECTRIC-GRID.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Public Service Commission approves rate hike for Montana-Dakota Utilities
Residential customers of Montana-Dakota Utilities will be paying nearly $100 a year more in electric rates with a 3-2 vote Tuesday by the Public Service Commission.
![PCS president: ‘Exorbitant rates’ ahead if Montana fails to plan for energy](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2019/05/NorthWestern-Energy-scaled.jpg?w=980&q=75)
PCS president: ‘Exorbitant rates’ ahead if Montana fails to plan for energy
Montana is still feeling the effects of energy deregulation — the “worst policy decision in the history of the state” — and it’s at risk of falling behind regional planning efforts when it comes to power.