Daines Remains Convinced Iran Action is the Right Move

Senator Steve Daines says the war in Iran is going better than reported in most of the media coverage, and he remains supportive of the efforts launched by the Trump Administration to force regime change.

Daines believes Iran poses a very real threat to not only the Mideast, but the U.S. and its allies, especially with the missile capabilities they've been showing.

"This is one of the greatest threats we have in the world," Daines told me in our latest interview. "We've seen just recently when they launched that ballistic missile, they got all the way to Diego Garcia, which went nearly 4000 kilometers. That's about 2500 miles.

They've got a capability to hit London from Iran. And they were literally just a short period away from breaking out with a nuclear weapon."

"The war is going much better than the media is reporting. Uh, very proud of our military. They're executing very, very well." -Senator Steve Daines

"I know the president wants to bring this to a close as soon as possible. Very aware of what's happening with gas prices and oil prices and those disruptions. But I tell you, history is going to reward President Trump for having the courage to stand up at this moment."

Delay led to even more requests for property tax help

It appears Montanans have a strong interest in ANY thing that can be done to help with rising property taxes, with hundreds of thousands of homes and property owners applying for help under the state's new tax relief programs.

     💰 And extending the application deadline sparked a last-minute burst of applications from owners of rental properties.

Governor Greg Gianforte and the Montana Department of Revenue announced yesterday that owners of over a quarter of a million primary homes and nearly 36,000 long-term rentals are now enrolled in either the Homestead or Long-Term Rental Reduced Rates.

The original March 1st deadline was extended for technical reasons, followed by a nearly 20% increase in applications from owners of rental properties. That total covers more than 70-thousand units across the state.

     Revenue says nearly 80% of homes saw tax cuts last year, with 10% remaining flat. The average savings were more than $500, not including the $400 rebate.

 Montana still near top for suicides

Traci Taylor reports some disturbing new numbers on Montana's suicide rate.

Oregon authorities solve 50-year disappearance of a Billings man

Oregon State Police say persistence and new technology are finally helping them close the disappearance of a young Billings man, who vanished shortly after attending his sister's wedding in Southwestern Oregon.

Mark Smith was last seen in 1974. A logging crew found remains a few years later, but they couldn't be positively identified. In 2020, Oregon investigators submitted the remains for DNA testing at a Texas lab, clarifying that the bones belonged to a man, not a woman. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children joined the investigation, eventually using DNA to close the loop, confirming Smith's identity a few weeks ago.

     Investigators say there's no evidence of foul play.

Charges coming for Missoula standoff

A young male will face charges in Missoula after he attempted to strangle a member of his household, leading to a standoff that lasted for several hours.

Missoula Police were called to the city's Southside Monday afternoon to the report of a disturbance, but say the youth refused to come outside. The Crisis Negotiation Team responded, using drones to keep an eye on the house. Eventually, they obtained a warrant and were able to subdue the suspect and enter the house after deploying chemical agents, forcing the youth outside, where he was arrested. No one was injured during the standoff.

READ MORE: Missoula Police Gives More Details of Monday's Standoff