Proposed budget cuts could make the overcrowding at Montana’s jails and prisons worse. Groups supporting local law enforcement warned lawmakers of potential consequences of the coming cuts during the Law and Justice Interim Committee this afternoon.

A legal settlement reached Friday could have a big impact on the future of Colstrip – both to the coal-fired power plant there, and the town itself.

Some renewable energy advocates say the settlement means the Colstrip plant could shut down sooner than had been anticipated – maybe as early as 2027, instead of sometime in the 2040s. But that depends on a lot of variables, and Colstrip’s backers say it could stay open for decades.

The University of Montana has narrowed its search for president down to four candidates. The finalists are on campus this week and Monday, visiting with faculty and students and sharing their vision for the institution, which is facing enrollment challenges.

Mirta Martin was the first prospective president to participate in an open forum held at the UC Theater Monday afternoon.

A public hearing on a proposed water bottling plant in the Flathead Valley starts Tuesday morning in Kalispell. Montana’s Department of Natural Resources is holding the hearing to determine whether to grant a water right to the Montana Artesian Water Company.

Karla Theilen the director of the Montana Book Festival preview's the upcoming festival in Missoula. Theilen says the festival has, "kept true to some of the traditions ... in celebrating Montana's celebrated literary figures, and ... moved to another level and introduced a little bit more diverse programming, not just in the types of authors, but also in the types of events we're putting on."

Listen in to learn more about the festival's 2017 offerings from Karla Theilen and "The Write Question" host Sarah Aronson.

Wet, cool weather over the weekend has helped calm fire behavior in western Montana, and some evacuation orders and warnings have been canceled this morning.

According to the Sanders County Sheriff's Office, all evacuation notices for the Highway 200 Complex fires have been lifted. All areas in the evacuation and pre-evacuation area are all now considered under pre-evacuation notice until otherwise notified by the sheriff's office.