Matt
@gfmt.bsky.social
Reporting from the Electric City for Montana Free Press.
The incident was reported back in October. But it wasn't publicly known until now that the blood contamination came from someone who was hep-C positive and that three inmates tested positive for the first time after being served the food.
The case, filed by 27 inmates, claims that employees of the jail's food service vendor told kitchen staff not to dispose of the contaminated food and that inmates could "scoop around" the blood, according to court documents.
Cascade County inmates positive for hepatitis C after being served blood-contaminated food, lawsuit contends
Filed by 27 inmates, the lawsuit alleges that employees of the food service contractor ordered that the contaminated food be served.
montanafreepress.org
December 15, 2025 at 8:29 PM
The incident was reported back in October. But it wasn't publicly known until now that the blood contamination came from someone who was hep-C positive and that three inmates tested positive for the first time after being served the food.
Here's an update on an interesting ICE removal case being argued in federal court in Great Falls.
While the focus is on the court argument, there is some discussion of how a man with no resident status worked at a senior living home for eight years.
montanafreepress.org/2025/12/11/b...
While the focus is on the court argument, there is some discussion of how a man with no resident status worked at a senior living home for eight years.
montanafreepress.org/2025/12/11/b...
Court hears arguments for British man who arrived in U.S. as a teen, faces deportation as an adult
Before federal authorities detained him, Dakota Wheeler worked for years at a Great Falls senior living home without legal resident status.
montanafreepress.org
December 11, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Here's an update on an interesting ICE removal case being argued in federal court in Great Falls.
While the focus is on the court argument, there is some discussion of how a man with no resident status worked at a senior living home for eight years.
montanafreepress.org/2025/12/11/b...
While the focus is on the court argument, there is some discussion of how a man with no resident status worked at a senior living home for eight years.
montanafreepress.org/2025/12/11/b...
11 years ago, I got to cover the one-of-a-kind Frank Gehry guest house in Owatonna, Minnesota. RIP, Frank.
www.southernminn.com/owatonna_peo...
www.southernminn.com/owatonna_peo...
Gehry house in limbo: University to decide its fate after sale of Gainey Center in Steele County
OWATONNA — People who followed a local event listing for an open house at Frank Gehry’s Winton Guest House Saturday arrived to see that nobody was home.
www.southernminn.com
December 8, 2025 at 9:19 PM
11 years ago, I got to cover the one-of-a-kind Frank Gehry guest house in Owatonna, Minnesota. RIP, Frank.
www.southernminn.com/owatonna_peo...
www.southernminn.com/owatonna_peo...
Happy eight-year anniversary to my favorite local election story:
December 4, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Happy eight-year anniversary to my favorite local election story:
Plot of The Chair Company playing out in federal court in Great Falls.
December 3, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Plot of The Chair Company playing out in federal court in Great Falls.
Expect to see changes to Great Falls' parking fines, fees and processes.
montanafreepress.org/2025/11/25/g...
montanafreepress.org/2025/11/25/g...
Increased rates and fines possible as Great Falls looks to stabilize ailing parking budget
'Unpopular choices' ahead with city’s parking fund losing money each month.
montanafreepress.org
November 25, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Expect to see changes to Great Falls' parking fines, fees and processes.
montanafreepress.org/2025/11/25/g...
montanafreepress.org/2025/11/25/g...
Great photo-heavy story about a Billings (and Montana) institution:
montanafreepress.org/2025/11/21/a...
montanafreepress.org/2025/11/21/a...
A morning at one of the state’s busiest cattle auctions
We visited the Billing Livestock Commission to try to understand what a $4/pound cow looks like as beef prices in the U.S. reached record highs.
montanafreepress.org
November 21, 2025 at 9:36 PM
Great photo-heavy story about a Billings (and Montana) institution:
montanafreepress.org/2025/11/21/a...
montanafreepress.org/2025/11/21/a...
Reposted by Matt
University of Providence administrators are asking their board to approve a declaration of financial exigency, which acknowledges a budget crisis and allows officials to take drastic measures to restructure programs, reduce staff and launch new enrollment and revenue campaigns.
Facing a multimillion-dollar shortfall, University of Providence in Great Falls confronts a 'hard reset'
As small colleges across the country see market challenges, the university will also lose a major funding source. Now, leaders are strategizing a top-to-bottom restructuring in hopes of saving the sch...
montanafreepress.org
November 12, 2025 at 3:56 PM
University of Providence administrators are asking their board to approve a declaration of financial exigency, which acknowledges a budget crisis and allows officials to take drastic measures to restructure programs, reduce staff and launch new enrollment and revenue campaigns.
Reposted by Matt
A heavy music festival in Blackfeet Nation this summer was abut more than just music – it was a protective ceremony to shelter Indigenous youth from suicidal distress.
buff.ly/aQQC7EX
buff.ly/aQQC7EX
Heavy metal is healing teens on the Blackfeet Nation - High Country News
In response to youth suicides, teachers show students the power of headbanging at Fire in the Mountains festival.
www.hcn.org
November 7, 2025 at 2:00 PM
A heavy music festival in Blackfeet Nation this summer was abut more than just music – it was a protective ceremony to shelter Indigenous youth from suicidal distress.
buff.ly/aQQC7EX
buff.ly/aQQC7EX
Fireworks restrictions pass, Mayor Cory Reeves re-elected.
Final muni election results just came in:
montanafreepress.org/2025/11/05/g...
Final muni election results just came in:
montanafreepress.org/2025/11/05/g...
Great Falls voters approve new fireworks restrictions
Mayor Cory Reeves also won a decisive re-election in Tuesday's municipal election.
montanafreepress.org
November 5, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Fireworks restrictions pass, Mayor Cory Reeves re-elected.
Final muni election results just came in:
montanafreepress.org/2025/11/05/g...
Final muni election results just came in:
montanafreepress.org/2025/11/05/g...
Good article as Great Falls may end up in the same debate at some point.
Missoula leaders praise its TIF program for helping to revitalize the city; others maintain taxpayers are paying more than their fair share.
Missoula’s quandary: where do the tax dollars go?
Missoula leaders praise its TIF program for helping to revitalize the city; others maintain taxpayers are paying more than their fair share.
montanafreepress.org
October 30, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Good article as Great Falls may end up in the same debate at some point.
Months in the making, this story profiles a no-cost child care center that fills a crucial need for parents in Great Falls.
Toby’s House in Great Falls is set to expand and continue providing an option for parents that goes beyond typical child supervision.
Great Falls nonprofit provides free child care for families in need
The organization is set to expand and continue providing an option for parents that goes beyond typical child supervision.
montanafreepress.org
October 27, 2025 at 2:37 PM
Months in the making, this story profiles a no-cost child care center that fills a crucial need for parents in Great Falls.
Leading the Great Falls Tribune today is an article written by three academics at a separate online publication nearly six weeks ago.
October 20, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Leading the Great Falls Tribune today is an article written by three academics at a separate online publication nearly six weeks ago.
Leading the @montanafreepress.org website right now are three Great Falls pieces. As our local newspaper has waned with coverage, I'm happy that a statewide outlet has prioritized local news in my hometown.
October 15, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Leading the @montanafreepress.org website right now are three Great Falls pieces. As our local newspaper has waned with coverage, I'm happy that a statewide outlet has prioritized local news in my hometown.
This just in:
This is an all-mail municipal election that features races for Great Falls mayor and two city commissioner positions. The ballot will also allow voters to choose whether fireworks will be banned within city limits — even on the July 4 holiday.
A guide to the 2025 Great Falls ballot
Voters will weigh in on the next mayor, two city commissioners and whether fireworks should be banned.
montanafreepress.org
October 15, 2025 at 7:29 PM
This just in:
Another excellent installment from my colleague Nora on Indigenous housing challenges and successes. This story features a unique home loan org with roots in northcentral MT.
montanafreepress.org/2025/10/03/h...
montanafreepress.org/2025/10/03/h...
House and home: When housing works, tribal communities win
Part 3 of The Shelter Gap, a three-part series examining barriers to buying, renting and building homes on reservation land and highlighting the community benefits of secure housing.
montanafreepress.org
October 6, 2025 at 4:43 PM
Another excellent installment from my colleague Nora on Indigenous housing challenges and successes. This story features a unique home loan org with roots in northcentral MT.
montanafreepress.org/2025/10/03/h...
montanafreepress.org/2025/10/03/h...
"According to 2019-2023 census estimates, the Northern Cheyenne, Rocky Boy’s and Fort Belknap reservations in Montana had homeownership vacancy rates of zero, meaning there were no unoccupied homes for sale when the survey was conducted."
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/29/h...
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/29/h...
No roads home: How a chronic housing shortage keeps reservation communities in crisis.
Part 1 of a three-part series examining barriers to buying, renting and building homes on reservation land and highlighting the community benefits of secure housing.
montanafreepress.org
September 29, 2025 at 3:57 PM
"According to 2019-2023 census estimates, the Northern Cheyenne, Rocky Boy’s and Fort Belknap reservations in Montana had homeownership vacancy rates of zero, meaning there were no unoccupied homes for sale when the survey was conducted."
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/29/h...
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/29/h...
Great story from my colleague Eric about living next to the Yellowstone Co Generating Station.
NorthWestern Energy’s 175-megawatt gas plant in Laurel is a lightning rod in Montana’s ongoing debate over the state’s energy future. We asked some of its neighbors what they think about the industrial behemoth in their backyard.
A power plant next door
NorthWestern Energy’s 175-megawatt gas plant in Laurel is a lightning rod in Montana’s ongoing debate over the state’s energy future. Here’s how its neighbors are living with it.
montanafreepress.org
September 25, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Great story from my colleague Eric about living next to the Yellowstone Co Generating Station.
This week's newsletter: A Great Falls team is set to compete in an all-women off-road rally next month, county detention officers face charges, and city officials consider its participation in development talks.
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/08/g...
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/08/g...
Great Falls team preps for off-road rally
County officers arrested.
montanafreepress.org
September 8, 2025 at 8:37 PM
This week's newsletter: A Great Falls team is set to compete in an all-women off-road rally next month, county detention officers face charges, and city officials consider its participation in development talks.
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/08/g...
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/08/g...
SCOOP
Adrian Swensen has a criminal history in multiple states that includes financial crimes like forgery and credit card fraud. Despite his history, the Great Falls Clinic Legacy Foundation hired Swensen last month as its fundraising administrator.
New Great Falls hospital fundraiser has history of forgery, allegations of promoting fake Kamala Harris event
The Great Falls Clinic said that it checks the backgrounds of potential employees but declined to comment specifically on Adrian Swensen's history.
montanafreepress.org
September 8, 2025 at 6:30 PM
SCOOP
This week's newsletter: A closer look at the Montana Renewables wastewater injection proposal, county budget overview, County Attorney Josh Racki switches parties.
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/01/r...
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/01/r...
Refinery wastewater proposal gets new hearing
County to set '26 budget.
montanafreepress.org
September 3, 2025 at 6:20 PM
This week's newsletter: A closer look at the Montana Renewables wastewater injection proposal, county budget overview, County Attorney Josh Racki switches parties.
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/01/r...
montanafreepress.org/2025/09/01/r...
In unusual legal move, all Anaconda shooting case documents are sealed
montanafreepress.org/2025/08/27/c...
montanafreepress.org/2025/08/27/c...
In unusual legal move, all Anaconda shooting case documents are sealed
Experts say the move to fully block a criminal case from public view is highly unusual.
montanafreepress.org
August 28, 2025 at 3:18 PM
In unusual legal move, all Anaconda shooting case documents are sealed
montanafreepress.org/2025/08/27/c...
montanafreepress.org/2025/08/27/c...