Federal government shutdown affects local communities

The third government shutdown of 2018 has completed its first week and many agencies statewide are feeling the effects, including in north-central Montana.

Fort Belknap Indian Reservation said that, without new federal funding, it will have to put a contingency plan into effect next week that will include cutting services.

“We have essential government services that we need to provide,” Community Council President Andrew Werk Jr. said in a press release. “The government needs to come to an agreement and get a budget passed so that we can continue to provide these services to our community at f...