WESTERN MONTANA — Here are today's top stories out of Western Montana.
Former Montana U.S. Representative Pat Williams has passed away at the age of 87, his family announced Wednesday evening. Williams, a Democrat, served 18 years in Congress and was Montana’s longest consecutive-serving U.S. House of Representatives member. “He believed government could be a force for good, and that culture, wilderness, and education were not luxuries—but rights. He never gave up on the American experiment, nor on the rugged promise of his home state,” said Williams’ family in a statement. (Read the full story)
Bobby's Law was officially signed into law by Governor Greg Gianforte Wednesday in Kalispell. The law creates a new criminal offense: aggravated vehicular homicide while under the influence. The law is named after Bobby Dewbre, who was hit and killed by a drunk driver in 2023 on his 21st birthday. Bobby's mother, Beth McBride, worked tirelessly to bring harsher penalties for DUI's that result in death, and says that the most important thing about the law being signed, is that conversations are happening. (Read the full story)
As federal cuts continue to ripple across the science world, residents in Bitterroot are making their voices heard about impacts to Hamilton's Rocky Mountain Labs. A crowd rallied outside of the labs Wednesday, showing support for the scientists inside. The lab is run by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and focuses on biomedical research. The group timed their rally with a site visit from a National Institute of Health official. (Read the full story)
