Daily Montanan
![BNSF to take over Montana Rail Link after leasing agreement terminated](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2021/03/Railroad-3.jpg?w=980&q=75)
BNSF to take over Montana Rail Link after leasing agreement terminated
BNSF Rail plans to take ownership of Montana Rail Link, the freight railroad company that has leased long stretches of BNSF lines in Montana since the 1980s, MRL President Derek Ollmann told employees in a letter this week.
![Alden sues Lee Enterprises over purchase bid](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2018/08/Newspapers.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Alden sues Lee Enterprises over purchase bid
Alden Global Capital has sued Lee Enterprises, which owns the majority of daily newspapers in Montana, according to a story Wednesday from the Poynter Institute.
![Owner of Montana newspapers rejects takeover bid from hedge fund](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2018/08/Newspapers.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Owner of Montana newspapers rejects takeover bid from hedge fund
Board members of Lee Enterprises, the newspaper chain that owns many of Montana’s largest dailies, has rejected an unsolicited offer from a hedge fund known for making drastic cost-cutting moves.
![State seeks information on broadband mapping platforms](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2017/05/2280875-fibre-broadband-strands-image.jpg?w=980&q=75)
State seeks information on broadband mapping platforms
The state announced on Thursday that it is seeking a third-party contractor to create a map that identifies areas in the state where broadband needs are not being adequately met.
![Wildfire responders urge Congress to improve aid process for at-risk communities](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2019/06/Broadwater-Co-Fire-1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Wildfire responders urge Congress to improve aid process for at-risk communities
The federal government should re-examine its emergency response systems to better assist communities at risk from the growing threats of wildfire, state and local wildfire responders told members of Congress Tuesday.
![Deb Haaland signs Confederated Salish and Kootenai-Montana Compact](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2021/02/debra-haaland-confirmation-hearing.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Deb Haaland signs Confederated Salish and Kootenai-Montana Compact
Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland signed the Confederated Salish and Kootenai-Montana Compact on Friday, formally executing the Montana Water Rights Protection Act enacted by Congress on Dec. 21, 2020, the U.S. Department of Interior announced in a news release Friday.
![Congressional delegation, Gianforte comment on Afghan refugees heading to Missoula](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2016/03/Refugees1-1.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Congressional delegation, Gianforte comment on Afghan refugees heading to Missoula
U.S. Rep. Matt Rosendale, one of 16 representatives to vote against increasing the number of visas granted to Afghans, criticized the relocation efforts and said they should be settled in countries around Afghanistan “that share their values and culture.”
![Glacier National Park sees drop in visitors with ticketed entry system](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2020/08/Glacier-Kintla.jpg?w=980&q=75)
Glacier National Park sees drop in visitors with ticketed entry system
After implementing a new ticketed entry system this year, Glacier National Park saw a 12 percent decrease in vehicles on Going-to-the-Sun Road from Memorial Day weekend through the end of August compared to 2019, according to a news release Thursday from the park.
![President Biden in Boise: U.S. can’t ignore drastic consequences of climate change](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2021/08/Finley-Fire.jpg?w=980&q=75)
President Biden in Boise: U.S. can’t ignore drastic consequences of climate change
President Joe Biden on Monday said the drastic consequences of climate change have created a need for additional investments in disaster relief and support for wildland firefighters and programs.
![Native historians compiling history of boarding schools](http://townsquare.media/site/1098/files/2021/08/Native-Americans.jpeg?w=980&q=75)
Native historians compiling history of boarding schools
The boarding school era, which ran from roughly 1879 to the 1930s — or longer depending on whom you ask — is a piece of history unknown or forgotten by many in the United States, though Native communities know it well.