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State Dept.: Taking Action Against Caravan Organizers Facilitating Illegal Immigration to the U.S.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following news release:
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Taking Action Against Caravan Organizers Facilitating Illegal Immigration to the United States
Press Statement
Thomas "Tommy" Pigott, Spokesman
Office of the Spokesman
October 29, 2026
The Trump Administration will not tolerate actions that undermine the national security or immigration laws of the United States and is resolute in protecting the integrity of U.S. borders, disrupting smuggling networks, and promoting accountability for those who seek to profit from illegal immigration. That is why the
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following news release:
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Taking Action Against Caravan Organizers Facilitating Illegal Immigration to the United States
Press Statement
Thomas "Tommy" Pigott, Spokesman
Office of the Spokesman
October 29, 2026
The Trump Administration will not tolerate actions that undermine the national security or immigration laws of the United States and is resolute in protecting the integrity of U.S. borders, disrupting smuggling networks, and promoting accountability for those who seek to profit from illegal immigration. That is why theDepartment of State previously announced a policy to restrict visas to foreign government officials and others who are believed to be responsible for knowingly facilitating illegal immigration to our nation. The Department stands ready to use this policy to take action against individuals who knowingly organize, promote, support, or finance caravans that facilitate illegal immigration to the United States. Any of these individuals or any caravan participants who apply for a U.S. visa or attempt to travel to our nation will face additional scrutiny, and the Department will take appropriate action, which may include refusing or revoking their visas.
Investigations indicate individuals have recruited, coordinated, and directed large groups of immigrants traveling through Central America and Mexico toward the U.S. southern border. In the past week, the Department took steps to impose visa restrictions on more than 15 individuals involved in organizing, facilitating, or promoting recent migrant caravans.
Crossing the U.S. southern border without authorization violates the law and can lead to arrest, detention, deportation, and a future ban on entry to the United States. Those individuals involved in facilitating or participating in such illegal activity will be considered for visa restrictions.
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Original text here: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesman/2026/10/taking-action-against-caravan-organizers-facilitating-illegal-immigration-to-the-united-states/
State Dept.: Joint Statement From the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes Region
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following news release:
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Joint Statement from the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes Region (ICG)
Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
October 30, 2026
The United States, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, as members of the International Contact Group (ICG) for the Great Lakes region, chaired by France, issue the following statement on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo:
The International Contact Group for
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following news release:
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Joint Statement from the International Contact Group for the Great Lakes Region (ICG)
Media Note
Office of the Spokesman
October 30, 2026
The United States, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, the European Union, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom, as members of the International Contact Group (ICG) for the Great Lakes region, chaired by France, issue the following statement on the situation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo:
The International Contact Group forthe Great Lakes region (ICG) encourages all parties to the Washington Accords and Doha Framework to remain committed and engage in good faith to find a lasting and peaceful resolution of the conflict and to fulfil their obligations without delay. The ICG supports the efforts of the mediators, including those of the African Union, led by the President of the Council of the Togolese Republic, welcomes the co-facilitators' recent visit to the region and reaffirms the importance of regional leadership.
In light of recent political and security-related developments in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), the ICG welcomes the statement issued on 19 October by the President of the African Union Commission calling on all parties to exercise restraint. The ICG categorically rejects the pursuit of political objectives through the use of violence, as advocated by the recently created Front for the Refoundation of the Nation (FRN).
It underscores the need for all parties to respect the rule of law and the Constitution of the DRC and reiterates its commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of the DRC. It recalls the importance of a peaceful and inclusive inter-Congolese dialogue involving all key Congolese stakeholders as an essential prerequisite for lasting peace in the DRC. Political differences and grievances cannot be resolved by military means. Guaranteeing rule of law and protection of fundamental rights is crucial to ensure that all political parties and civil society organizations can freely exercise their role.
The ICG reiterates its deep concern over the continued fighting in eastern DRC and deplores the suffering inflicted on civilian populations. It urges all parties to honor their commitments made in Doha on 19 July 2025 to observe a ceasefire. The escalating use of drones has grave consequences for civilians and humanitarian workers.
The ICG reminds the parties to implement UN Security Council Resolution 2773, which calls for the Rwanda Defence Forces to cease support to the M23 and immediately withdraw from DRC territory without preconditions, the dismantling of illegitimate parallel administrations in the DRC territory, and the neutralization of the FDLR. On this last point, recalling the ICG statement of August 14 taking good note of the plan put forward by the DRC government, the ICG encourages the Congolese authorities to present an action plan and timeline aimed at swiftly implementing the disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration protocol for the FDLR groups.
Against the backdrop of increasing humanitarian needs and the Ebola epidemic, the ICG urges all parties and armed groups to respect international humanitarian law and to ensure that humanitarian actors have full, safe and unimpeded access to populations in need.
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Original text here: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesman/2026/10/joint-statement-from-the-international-contact-group-for-the-great-lakes-region-icg/
State Department Issues Public Schedule for Oct. 31, 2026
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- The U.S. Department of State issued the daily public schedule for Oct. 31, 2026:
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SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO
Secretary Rubio is on travel to Atlanta, Georgia from October 30-31, 2026.
9:00 a.m. Secretary Rubio meets with Indo-Pacific Quad Foreign Ministers in Atlanta, Georgia.
(POOLED CAMERA SPRAY AT TOP)
10:00 a.m. Secretary Rubio participates in the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting Session III: Supply Chains and Closing Remarks in Atlanta, Georgia.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)
12:30 p.m. Secretary Rubio holds a press availability on the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting in
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- The U.S. Department of State issued the daily public schedule for Oct. 31, 2026:
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SECRETARY MARCO RUBIO
Secretary Rubio is on travel to Atlanta, Georgia from October 30-31, 2026.
9:00 a.m. Secretary Rubio meets with Indo-Pacific Quad Foreign Ministers in Atlanta, Georgia.
(POOLED CAMERA SPRAY AT TOP)
10:00 a.m. Secretary Rubio participates in the G20 Foreign Ministers' Meeting Session III: Supply Chains and Closing Remarks in Atlanta, Georgia.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)
12:30 p.m. Secretary Rubio holds a press availability on the G20 Foreign Ministers Meeting inAtlanta, Georgia.
(OPEN TO PRE-REGISTERED PRESS)
3:30 p.m. Secretary Rubio attends the Florida Gators versus Georgia Bulldogs football game in Atlanta, Georgia.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)
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Original text here: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesman/2026/10/public-schedule-october-31-2026/
Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a Plenary Session on Geopolitical Issues
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following news release:
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a Plenary Session on Geopolitical Issues
Remarks
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
Atlanta, Georgia
October 30, 2026
SECRETARY RUBIO: Thank you all for being here. I want to welcome all of you to the city of Atlanta here in Georgia, and this - what I hope will be a productive meeting today as we are - a critical moment. I would call it a moment of choosing, and I would say not just for my country, the United States of America, but frankly for the world.
We are facing
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following news release:
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a Plenary Session on Geopolitical Issues
Remarks
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
Atlanta, Georgia
October 30, 2026
SECRETARY RUBIO: Thank you all for being here. I want to welcome all of you to the city of Atlanta here in Georgia, and this - what I hope will be a productive meeting today as we are - a critical moment. I would call it a moment of choosing, and I would say not just for my country, the United States of America, but frankly for the world.
We are facinga series of interconnected economic and geopolitical crises, many of which pose severe threats - severe threats to essential foundations of the global economic order. New disruptions and strains to global energy and food supplies - and food markets - to the global supply chain, trade, to freedom of navigation itself. And the G20 must work together to confront these threats, to strengthen our economic resilience, to safeguard our markets and the economies that they sustain.
The challenge we have - the challenges we have addressed during the presidency of President Trump are multifaceted and interconnected, and the solutions must be, too. Here we can help set the context for expanded geopolitical stability and the broader economic prosperity agenda that our leaders will tackle. As diplomats, as political leaders, we have a vital role. We are tasked, on behalf of the nations that we serve, to work together with one another to coordinate responses to emerging crises and to protect our shared interests. By translating our shared interest into practical cooperation and real action, we can reinforce global stability - and more importantly, we can deliver meaningful results for our citizens.
We have a lot to cover over the next two days. Briefly, in terms of the modality - the modalities, we're going to cover two issues in this plenary session: freedom of navigation and food security. I'll introduce the topic and turn to the next speaker. We'll go around the table; we'll do it in alphabetical order. I would ask if you can - I know these are complex and nuanced topics, but if we could limit it to three minutes or so for each intervention, because if we don't then we'll be here for a long period of time. And then I'll wrap up at the end of each topic as we move on to the next topic.
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Original text here: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesman/2026/10/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-at-a-plenary-session-on-geopolitical-issues/
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud at an Expo 2030 Riyadh Participation Contract Signing Ceremony
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following news release:
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al Saud at an Expo 2030 Riyadh Participation Contract Signing Ceremony
Readout
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
Prince Faisal bin Farhan al Saud, Saudi Foreign Minister
Loews Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
October 30, 2026
SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, we're - thank you all for covering this. We're excited to sign this contract that announces the United States formal commitment to Expo 2030, which will be held in Riyadh. It's still
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 -- The U.S. State Department issued the following news release:
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan al Saud at an Expo 2030 Riyadh Participation Contract Signing Ceremony
Readout
Marco Rubio, Secretary of State
Prince Faisal bin Farhan al Saud, Saudi Foreign Minister
Loews Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia
October 30, 2026
SECRETARY RUBIO: Well, we're - thank you all for covering this. We're excited to sign this contract that announces the United States formal commitment to Expo 2030, which will be held in Riyadh. It's stilla few years away, but this is an important first step to prepare for a world-leading USA Pavilion in Riyadh, which we're very excited about. This is an opportunity to strengthen our bilateral relationship with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and to showcase America on the global stage and expand commercial opportunities for U.S. businesses. So thank you for covering it and thank you for allowing us to be a part of it.
And with that, we'll sign this. Do you want to say a few words?
FOREIGN MINISTER AL SAUD: Well, thank you, Marco, and thank you for your engagement and your support for Expo 2030, and we look forward to seeing the U.S. Pavilion and everything you have to offer.
Thank you.
SECRETARY RUBIO: Thank you.
(The contract was signed.)
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Original text here: https://www.state.gov/releases/office-of-the-spokesman/2026/10/secretary-of-state-marco-rubio-and-saudi-foreign-minister-prince-faisal-bin-farhan-al-saud-at-an-expo-2030-riyadh-participation-contract-signing-ceremony/
SEC Charges Investment Adviser for Alleged Breaches of Fiduciary Duty in Connection With Unsuitable Investments in Leveraged and Inverse ETFs
WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 (TNSdock) -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following litigation release:
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Securities and Exchange Commission v. Cary Edward Urich, 6:26-cv-05267-JDA (D.S.C. filed Oct. 29, 2026)
On October 29, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Greenville, South Carolina-based investment adviser Cary Urich for alleged breaches of fiduciary duty in connection with his use of leveraged and/or inverse exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in discretionary client accounts while Urich was an investment adviser representative at United Planners' Financial Services
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WASHINGTON, Oct. 31 (TNSdock) -- The Securities and Exchange Commission issued the following litigation release:
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Securities and Exchange Commission v. Cary Edward Urich, 6:26-cv-05267-JDA (D.S.C. filed Oct. 29, 2026)
On October 29, 2026, the Securities and Exchange Commission charged Greenville, South Carolina-based investment adviser Cary Urich for alleged breaches of fiduciary duty in connection with his use of leveraged and/or inverse exchange-traded funds (ETFs) in discretionary client accounts while Urich was an investment adviser representative at United Planners' Financial Servicesof America A LP ("United Planners").
According to the SEC's complaint, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of South Carolina, from April 2020 to November 2023, Urich used his discretionary authority over the accounts of 54 investment advisory clients--most of whom were elderly--to put large concentrations of those clients' savings and retirement funds into complex leveraged and/or inverse ETFs that did not suit the clients' investment profiles, objectives, or risk tolerances. The complaint alleges that the prospectuses for the leveraged and/or inverse ETFs and relevant regulatory notices and alerts, which Urich reviewed before investing his clients' funds in the ETFs, cautioned against investing in the funds for longer than one day due to the heightened risks involved. According to the complaint, despite these warnings, Urich held the products in client accounts for an average of 798 days. The complaint further alleges that Urich failed to disclose to the impacted clients that he held these positions in a manner that was inconsistent with the short-term holding period recommended in the leveraged and inverse ETFs' prospectuses and in the regulatory guidance, and also failed to disclose the negative historical returns associated with these investments. According to the complaint, as a result of this conduct, the 54 impacted clients lost approximately 70% of their investments in the products.
Without admitting the allegations, Urich consented to the entry of a final judgment, subject to court approval, that would permanently enjoin him from violating the antifraud provisions of Sections 206(1) and 206(2) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940; enjoin him from acting as or associating with an investment adviser for two years; and imposing a civil money penalty of $100,000.
In a related administrative proceeding, the Commission instituted settled proceedings against United Planners arising out of the same conduct.
The SEC previously issued an Investor Bulletin educating investors about leveraged and inverse ETFs and the risks associated with them.
The SEC's investigation was conducted by staff in its Los Angeles Regional Office, including Robert Stillwell and Daniel Lim, and supervised by Sarah Nilson and Brent Wilner. The investigative team appreciates the assistance of Artur Minkin and Ignacio Franceschelli of the Division of Economic and Risk Analysis. The SEC's examination that led to the investigation was conducted by Christopher Wacker and supervised by Dara Campbell.
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Resources
* SEC Complaint (https://www.sec.gov/files/litigation/complaints/2026/comp26681.pdf)
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Original text here: https://www.sec.gov/enforcement-litigation/litigation-releases/lr-26681
BLS Mountain-Plains Region Issues Report on Business Employment Dynamics in Montana First Quarter 2026
KANSAS CITY, Missouri, Oct. 31 (TNSLrpt) -- Business Employment Dynamics in Montana First Quarter 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Mountain-Plains Region - Oct. 30, 2026
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From December 2025 to March 2026, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Montana were 33,593, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 30,266, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner James B. Howard, Jr., noted that the difference between the number of gross job gains
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KANSAS CITY, Missouri, Oct. 31 (TNSLrpt) -- Business Employment Dynamics in Montana First Quarter 2026 - A report from U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics Mountain-Plains Region - Oct. 30, 2026
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From December 2025 to March 2026, gross job gains from opening and expanding private-sector establishments in Montana were 33,593, while gross job losses from closing and contracting private-sector establishments were 30,266, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Regional Commissioner James B. Howard, Jr., noted that the difference between the number of gross job gainsand the number of gross job losses yielded a net employment gain of 3,327 in the private sector during the first quarter of 2026. (See table 1.) During the previous quarter, gross job gains exceeded gross job losses by 4,123. (See chart 1.)
The change in the number of jobs over time is the net result of increases and decreases in employment that occur at all private businesses in the economy. Business Employment Dynamics (BED) statistics track these changes in employment at private-sector establishments from the third month of one quarter to the third month of the next. The difference between the number of gross job gains and the number of gross job losses is the net change in employment. (See the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note.)
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Chart 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses in Montana, March 2021-March 2026, seasonally adjusted
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Gross job gains
In the first quarter of 2026, gross job gains represented 7.8 percent of private-sector employment in Montana; nationally, gross job gains accounted for 5.5 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 2.) Gross job gains are the sum of increases in employment due to expansions at existing establishments and the addition of new jobs at opening establishments. In Montana, gross job gains at expanding establishments totaled 25,395 in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 1,953 jobs compared to the previous quarter. Opening establishments accounted for 8,198 jobs gained in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 143 jobs from the previous quarter.
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Chart 2. Private-sector gross job gains as a percent of employment, United States and Montana, March 2021-March 2026, seasonally adjusted
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Gross job losses
In the first quarter of 2026, gross job losses represented 7.0 percent of private-sector employment in Montana; nationally, gross job losses accounted for 5.5 percent of private-sector employment. (See chart 3.) Gross job losses are the result of contractions in employment at existing establishments and the loss of jobs at closing establishments. In Montana, contracting establishments lost 23,614 jobs in the first quarter of 2026, a decrease of 244 jobs from the prior quarter. Closing establishments lost 6,652 jobs, a decrease of 1,056 jobs from the previous quarter.
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Chart 3. Private-sector gross job losses as a percent of employment, United States and Montana, March 2021-March 2026, seasonally adjusted
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Industries
Gross job gains exceeded gross job losses in 5 of the 10 published industry sectors in Montana in the first quarter of 2026. Education and health services had the largest over-the-quarter net job increase, with a gain of 1,295 jobs. This was the result of 4,467 gross job gains and 3,172 gross job losses. The construction industry had a net gain of 1,270 jobs. Transportation and warehousing showed a net loss of 294 jobs, the largest loss of any sector in the state.
For more information
The BED data series include gross job gains and gross job losses by industry subsector, for the 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands, as well as gross job gains and gross job losses at the firm level by employer size class. BED data for the states have been included in table 2 of this release. Additional information is available online at the Business Employment Dynamics homepage (https://www.bls.gov/bdm/) and the Business Employment Dynamics Summary (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cewbd.nr0.htm).
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The Business Employment Dynamics for Second Quarter 2026 are scheduled to be released on Wednesday, January 27, 2027, at 8:00 a.m. (MT).
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Revisions to Business Employment Dynamics (BED) Data
Data in this release contain annual revisions in accordance with standard procedures. These revisions include the previous four quarters of not seasonally adjusted data and five years of seasonally adjusted data.
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Technical Note
The Business Employment Dynamics (BED) data are a product of a federal-state cooperative program known as Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW). The BED data are compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) from existing QCEW records.
More information on formal definitions of the data used in this release, along with coverage, concepts, and methodology, can be found in the Business Employment Dynamics Technical Note (https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cewbd.tn.htm).
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.
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Table 1. Private-sector gross job gains and losses by industry, Montana, seasonally adjusted
Table 2. Private-sector gross job gains and losses as a percent of total employment by state, seasonally adjusted
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View original text plus charts and tables here: https://www.bls.gov/regions/mountain-plains/news-release/2026/businessemploymentdynamics_montana_20261030.htm
