MISSOULA — Here's a look at Western Montana's top news stories for Tuesday, January 20, 2026:
Governor Greg Gianforte presented Superior Elementary School's administrative assistant with the Spirit of Montana Award for her work bettering both the school and wider community. Dawn Bauer has accomplished a lot in Superior from starting a school daycare to rebuilding the school greenhouses to creating a community food bank. Read the full story here.
The first, but possibly not the last, independent candidate has entered Montana's 2026 elections. Mike Eisenhauer is a cardiologist from Great Falls, He says he wants to serve that constituency in the middle by running as an independent candidate for U.S. House in the 2nd Congressional District, which covers most of central and eastern Montana. Read the full story here.
State officials are moving forward with plans for a new forensic mental health facility in Laurel, but local leaders say they're being kept in the dark about the project's progress. The current draft plans, which were shown to legislators at a December meeting, mark the first time anyone in Yellowstone County or the city of Laurel has seen them. Read the full story here.
