As of Thursday, April 29, 2021, Montana reports 108,663 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 179 new cases reported in the last day: 47 in Gallatin County, 33 in Cascade County, 23 in Yellowstone County, 20 in Flathead County, and more new cases in 20 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 1,015. Currently, 54 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. The most active cases are in Gallatin, Yellowstone, Flathead, and Cascade Counties. 1,570 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Three more deaths have been reported in the last day. Nationwide, more than 574,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 32,300,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

The Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday it will begin the process of banning menthol tobacco cigarettes, as well as all flavored cigars — a move heralded as one expected to improve the health of groups most likely to smoke menthol products, including children and Black Americans.

Republican Montana legislators on Wednesday passed a heavily amended elections bill that now establishes broad conflict-of-interest guidelines for judges in Montana, while prohibiting some political activities in dorms and other areas on public college campuses. The requirement for judicial recusals was added Tuesday as an amendment to a largely unrelated bill, and comes as Republican lawmakers have been escalating a fight with the judicial branch.

Coal is back on the menu at the Montana Senate where Republicans voted to make it easier for Colstrip Power Plant to cut ties with neighboring Rosebud Mine, or alter the power plant’s coal supply. A pivot by Colstrip Power Plant owners to a different coal mine would likely be the end of Rosebud, which sells nearly all of its coal to Colstrip. The mine employs more than 300 people.