As of Tuesday, December 7, 2021, Montana reports 193,005 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 423 new cases of coronavirus infection reported since yesterday: 94 new cases in Yellowstone County, 71 new cases in Gallatin County, 31 new cases in Cascade County, 27 new cases in Flathead County, 24 new cases in Missoula County, 21 new cases in Lewis & Clark County, and more new cases in 35 more Montana counties. The number of active coronavirus cases in Montana is 3,266. Currently, 184 people are being treated in Montana hospitals for COVID-19. 2,777 people have died in Montana of COVID-19. Nine more people’s death have been reported since yesterday. Nationwide, more than 788,000 Americans have died of COVID-19. There have been 49,200,000 cases of coronavirus in the US, and counting.

From multinational banks to corner grocery stores, all private employers in New York City will have to require their workers to get vaccinated against COVID-19, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announced Monday. To date, it’s the most sweeping vaccine mandate of any state or big city in the U.S.

The Republican majority in the Montana Legislature has appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court a Montana supreme court ruling that found lawmakers overstepped their authority when they subpoenaed judicial branch records without a legislative purpose. Republicans announced the appeal Tuesday, the latest development in a months-long dispute between GOP lawmakers and the state’s Supreme Court.

Newspaper publisher Lee Enterprises last week sued the Montana Public Service Commission alleging the agency set excessive costs and hurdles for public records requests that violated the state’s open records laws. The petition raises three instances in which Lee Enterprises’ reporters sought PSC records and were met with upfront costs, in one case $31,000, and legal reviews before the documents would be disclosed.