Jess Sheldahl

The pandemic has made keeping in touch with loved ones difficult for everyone. COVID-19 precautions have halted in person visitation at Montana’s prisons, straining communication between inmates and their families.

The Montana National Guard on Nov. 18 withdrew from Montana State Prison after assisting the facility, strained by an outbreak of COVID-19 among inmates and staff. Eleven soldiers tested positive for the virus prior to and during the roughly three week mission.

The Montana News Guild, which represents staff from the Billings Gazette, finalized its first contract with newspaper owner Lee Enterprises on Nov. 1.

The Montana Department of Corrections confirmed Friday two inmates in state custody died due to COVID-19 last month. The announcement came nearly two weeks after the first inmate’s death.

In Yellowstone County 83 percent of absentee ballots had been returned as of this morning. Voters in Billings reported waiting two to three hours to register to vote and cast their ballots this morning at MetraPark, the main polling station for the most populated city in the state.

A man listed as an inmate in Montana State Prison custody died due to COVID-19 pneumonia in Deer Lodge on Oct. 24, according to his death certificate.

Montana State Prison remains on lockdown after a coronavirus outbreak ballooned since being discovered last week.

Gun regulation can cause heated arguments across the nation and especially in Montana, where over half of the citizenry owns a registered firearm. This election Montana voters will decide whether to restrict local governments’ ability to enact their own gun control measures.

Another round of newsroom reductions has hit newspapers owned by Lee Enterprises. At least seven staff members have recently had their employment end with the publishing company that owns newspapers in major cities across Montana.

A coalition of diverse organizations in Montana working to reform the state’s criminal justice system released their platform on Sept. 9. The Montana Coalition for Public Safety says the current system doesn’t always help vulnerable populations such as people with mental illness or those experiencing poverty.

Violent crime in Montana’s most populated county has been on the rise since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Reports police say a majority of the increase in violent crime is connected to drug use.

Fall school sports, like almost everything in 2020, will look different this year due to COVID-19. The biggest difference: Many schools aren’t allowing spectators. Some parents have pushed back against the restrictions.