Knudsen: Why Fentanyl Numbers Are Dropping in Montana

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen says the Department of Justice, and its local law enforcement partners are continuing to make headway fighting illegal narcotics in Montana. And he believes the state is seeing benefits from the agreements he signed with the federal government, allowing DOJ to work along with ICE and Border Patrol to interdict illegal immigrants, especially where drugs are involved.

Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen says the amount of fentanyl trafficking in our state continues to drop, something that he attributes to a strong federal policy on drugs and cartels.

On a recent appearance on "Talkback", Knudsen explained there are some shifts right now in illegal narcotics trafficking.

"After 4 years of just meteoric increases in fentanyl, our fentanyl, seizure numbers, our overdoses, our overdose deaths, it was pretty wild there for a few years," Knudsen notes. "Since President Trump has taken office, those numbers have dropped dramatically here in Montana."

"The bad news. Methamphetamine is back up. I mean, those cartels are not going to stop."- A.G. Austin Knudsen

And he says there's an unexpected development.

"Surprisingly, our cocaine seizure numbers have gone up quite a bit in this in this last year as well. I think that probably has to do with some affluence, some money coming in the state."

More Yellowstone fishing closures

Rising water temperatures and low river flows are forcing Yellowstone National Park officials to expand fishing closures across park waters starting TODAY.

    🌡️  All rivers and streams in Yellowstone will close to fishing daily from 2:00 p.m. until sunrise.

Park biologists say water temperatures have topped 68 degrees, creating conditions that can be fatal to native and wild trout. These new afternoon restrictions add to existing full-day closures already in place on the Madison, Firehole, and lower Gibbon rivers. Lakes—including Yellowstone Lake—remain open under normal hours, but anglers are urged to land fish quickly to prevent stress.

In Yellowstone, it's bison vs car

First, it was "bison vs grandpa". Now it's "bison vs car" in the latest viral video coming out of Yellowstone National Park this summer.

Tonya Names, who shot the video while her husband was driving, captured the moment last week when a big bison bull attacked the SUV in front of them as they were driving through the Hayden Valley.

She told Outside Magazine you could actually hear the car tire pop from the impact.

The bison are in rut now, and the bulls can be especially volatile.

Leaking dam impacts boating on this Montana lake

A leaking dam at Placid Lake is forcing changes for water recreationists in Missoula County this week.

Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks reports that Owl Creek Dam at the lake’s outlet began eroding and leaking water underneath its concrete structure, dropping water levels in Placid Lake.

In response, FWP is removing the six-slip public boat dock at Placid Lake State Park today.

The main launch ramp and dock remain open, but boaters are advised to load their boats daily rather than leaving them tied up. FWP is coordinating with the dam owner on repairs that could start this week, while also evaluating temporary fish barriers to protect the lake’s fishery.

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Bozeman post office future causing concerns

Gallatin County commissioners are pushing back against a potential federal plan to sell or redevelop the downtown Bozeman post office building.

As we reported earlier, the GSA extended an invitation for public comment on the proposed sale or ownership transfer of the downtown facility.

In a letter to the General Services Administration, commissioners warned that losing the federal building would directly harm local residents. They argued it would be nearly impossible to find a suitable replacement location within a block of Main Street in downtown Bozeman.

Commissioners called selling the long paid-off federal asset "shortsighted," cautioning that taxpayers would lose a valuable property that couldn't be replaced without spending millions later.

     If federal officials insist on disposing of the building, commissioners suggest transferring ownership to the City of Bozeman so the Postal Service can lease back its current space.