Archive: July 2024

New Businesses – May 2024

11 July 2024
Press Room
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Windshield Hero, 300 S 24th St W, (701) 390-6086, Chalifoux, Barry – Windshield Hero, Service, Billings

Archie Cochrane Motors Inc, 1313 12th St W, (406) 656-1100, Cichosz (Manager), Scott – Archie Cochrane Motors Inc, Auto Business, Billings

Initial Bee, 1280 Pumori Circle, (406) 850-8756, Blankenship, Laura – Initial Bee, Service, Billings 

Solid Ground Solutions LLC, 915 2nd Ave, (406) 633-3052, Gray, Levi – Solid Ground Solutions LLC, Service, Laurel  Mt

Global Mountain Solutions USA, 1239 Jackpine Ave Ste 110, (778) 897-2078, Santos (Manager), Poliana – Global Mountain Solutions USA,  General Contractors, Redmond, Or,

Pour To Ridge, 205 4th St Sw, (406) 647-4694, Spainhower, Josh – Pour To Ridge,  General Contractors, Park City   Mt, 59063

Specialty Distribution Group LLC, 7015 Trade Center Ave, (386) 304-2222, Specialty Distribution Group LLC,  – Specialty Distribution Group LLC, Distributors, Billings

Behavioral Health Solutions LLC,      1415 Yellowstone River Rd, (833) 719-0886, Kovacs, Kristina – Behavioral Health Solutions LLC, Service, Billings

City Of Billings Streets/Traffic, 4848 Midland Rd, (406) 657-8264, Ness, Steve – City Of Billings Streets/Traffic, Electrical Contractors, Billings 

Lace Property LLC, 3118 Forsythia Blvd, (925) 214-2569, Pierce, Lacey D – Lace Property LLC, Service, Billings

Keep’n It Neat, 224 S 36th St, (406) 598-8291, Stephanie, Abrahams – Keep’n It Neat, Service, Billings

Green Energy Champions, 1734 Avenue D, (406) 200-2972, Doran, Patrick N – Green Energy Champions, Service, Billings 

Lisa Joy Cleaning Service, 86 W Antelope Trail Unit 2, (406) 855-1473, Watterud, Lisa – Lisa Joy Cleaning Service, Service, Billings

Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc, 1560 Coulson Rd, (781) 792-5000, Dowsett, Brett – Safety-Kleen Systems, Inc, Retail Sales, Billings

First North Consulting LLC, 3950 Bitterroot Dr, (406) 860-8741, Morrell, Daniel – First North Consulting LLC, Service, Billings

Bodfe, 27 Monroe St, (406) 794-9736, Akred, Maegan – Bodfe, Retail Sales, Billings

406 Trading Empire LLC, 4453 Loma Vista Dr, (406) 860-1362, Smith, Dakota – 406 Trading Empire LLC, General Contractors, Billings

Brice From Maintenance, 424 S 34th St, (406) 696-9436, Lagreca, Brice – Brice From Maintenance, Service, Billings     

Charter Real Estate Company, 1148 16th St W Ste  16, (406) 698-8203, Charter, Boyd – Charter Real Estate Company, Real Estate Rental, Billings

Transcendence Behavior Health, 201 N Broadway Ste 110c, (813) 279-1082, Tran, Johnny – Transcendence Behavior Health, Service, Billings

Helios Counseling Of Montana Inc, 2680 Overland Ave, Palmer, Russell & Cynthia – Helios Counseling Of Montana Inc, Service, Billings

Big Sky Asphalt Repair, 1526 W Laura Lee Ln, (406) 606-8886, Reno, Chris – Big Sky Asphalt Repair, Service, Laurel 

Vilavong Keutla, 20 Washington St, (206) 909-1455, Keutla, Vilavong – Vilavong Keutla, General Contractors, Billings

Falcon Construction LLC, 2 Cold Springs Ct, (307) 622-8297, Molina, Stephanie – Falcon Construction LLC, General Contractors, Gillette WY

Kob Service Center, 4105 Corbin Dr, (406) 259-0524, Deese, Robert – Kob Service Center, Service, Billings

Triple J Construction, 1225 Lake Elmo Dr 306c, (406) 591-6365, Johnson, Alexander – Triple J Construction, General Contractors, Billings

406 Baker, LLC, 1407 Tillamack St, (406) 672-7711, Baker, Matthew – 406 Baker LLC, General Contractors, Billings

Fritos Handyman Services, 8241 Hofferber Rd, (702) 210-6893, Moran, Oscar – Fritos Handyman Services, Service, Shepherd

Kumgould Services, 445 Lordwith Dr, (406) 679-0378, Gould, Kumba – Kamgould Services,    Service, Billings

Gwc, LLC, 4143 Palisades Park Dr, (406) 697-4257, Mckittrick, Terrance – Gwc, LLC, Roofing Contractors, Billings

I Am Angelic Nicole LLC, 1065 Hemingway Ave, (406) 389-4468, Williams, Angelic – I Am Angelic Nicole LLC, Service, Billings

Golden Ferrule Painting, 819 7th Street West, (406) 200-4905, Peltier, James – Golden Ferrule Painting, Service, Billings

Montana Coin And Collectibles LLC, 1747 Cheryl St, (406) 647-1463, Bradley, Shawn – Montana Coin And Collectibles LLC, Retail Sales,      Billings

Brians Construction, 7508 Central Ave, (304) 240-0422, Summerlin, Brian – Brians Construction, Service, Billings

Aero Brush Duct Cleaning, 4020 Corbin Dr, (406) 970-5355, La Ve, Pierre – Aero Brush Duct Cleaning, Service, Billings

Songdog Construction Services LLC, 1264 Calamity Jane Blvd, (406) 694-5857, Grass, Benjamin – Songdog Construction Services LLC, General Contractors, Billings

Robin’s Rental, 2200 Alamo Dr, Stauffer, Robin – Robin’s Rental, Real Estate Rental, Billings

Sparkling Clean, 752 Yellowstone Ave, (406) 601-2152, Kinn, Robin – My Cleaning, Service, Billings

Bloomwell Counseling LLC, 2048 Overland Ave Ste 102a, (406) 839-6154, Wagner, Chelsie – Bloomwell Counseling LLC, Service, Billings

Robinson & Sons Enterprises LLC, 416 N 11th Ave, (406) 690-7671, Robinson, Alexander – Robinson & Sons Enterprises LLC, General Contractors, Bozeman

Blue Sky Empire Inc, 1302 24th St W Suite 267, (406) 598-3390, Evans, Chris – Blue Sky Empire Inc, General Contractors, Billings

Southside Towing, 414 S 25th St,      (406) 831-8003, Nava Jr/Nava Sr, Victor/Timothy – Southside Towing, Service. Billings

Tomorrow’s Cleaning, 921 Lake Elmo Dr, (406) 671-6557, Lamere, Tomorrow – Tomorrow’s Cleaning, Service, Billings

Yellowstone Valley Hauling & Junk Removal, 939 Dixon St, (406) 861-2430, Blomeyer/Harr, Zach/Travis – Yellowstone Valley Hauling & Junk Removal,  Service, Billings

Day 2 Day Construction, 8215 Beas Place, (406) 661-9036, Day, Dustin – Day 2 Day Construction, General Contractors, Shepherd

Montana Dog Training LLC Dba Sit Means Sit, 1215 Monad Rd, (406) 282-3647, Shepherd, Darin Charle – Montana Dog Training LLC Dba Sit Means Sit, Service, Billings

Integrative Health Solutions, 1611 Alderson Ave, (406) 694-8323, Pertuit/Adkins, Kira/Skelly – Integrative Health Solutions, Office Only, Billings

Rimrock Used Auto, 2951 King Ave W, (406) 655-8600, Latiff, Shahzad – Rimrock Used Auto, Auto Business, Billings    

Ebar Construction, 2134 Central Ave, (406) 698-0710, Lamb, Robert – Ebar Construction, General Contractors, Billings

Bandit Construction, 2326 Miles Ave, (406) 670-9659, Wickham, Chandler – Bandit Construction, General Contractors, Billings

Coolprint Collective LLC, 2230 Rosebud Dr, (406) 794-5275, Polak, Dustin – Coolprint Collective LLC, Service, Billings

Ace Prep Mt, 6342 HiLLCrest Rd, (406) 850-6481, Eisele, Ashley – Ace Prep Mt, Service, Billings

Zents Snow Removal LLC, 2901 Monad Rd Apt 126, (406) 371-3810, Zent, Bret – Zents Snow Removal, Service, Billings

Lashonda & Waylon Rentals, 34 Jubilee St, (406) 839-0257, Boehmy, Lashonda – Lashonda & Waylon Rentals, Real Estate Rental, Billings

Vintage Finds, 2222 Azalea Ln, (406) 697-7869, Maristuen, Monica – Vintage Finds, Retail Sales, Billings

Elegance Nails & Spa, 2695 King Ave W Suite B/C, (406) 534-1145, Do, Kacey – Elegance Nails & Spa, Service, Billings

Cold Smoke/Boogie’s Bodega, 1802 1st Ave N, (406) 252-0470, McMichael, Owen – Cold Smoke/Boogie’s Bodega, Retail Sales, Billings    

Revitali LLC, 1024 Toole Cir, (406) 598-5943, Harr, Cassandra – Revitali LLC, Service, Billings

Pucker Up Lemon Shaker, 2220 Tree Ln, (406) 670-3058, Lafountain, John – Pucker Up Lemon Shaker, Restaurants, Billings

Mi Casa Es Su Casa, 1403 Avenue C, (575) 618-0739, Dominguez, Consuelo & Oscar – Mi Casa Es Su Casa, Real Estate Rental, Billings

Guiding Light Treatment Solutions, 607 26th St W, (406) 698-8578, Lehman, Megan – Guiding Light Treatment Solutions, Service, Billings

Montana Jezebelles, 3220 Hwy 87 S, (406) 647-8381, Murrill, Pamela – Montana Jezebelles, Retail Sales, Roundup

The Patch Guys LLC, 928 Broadwater Ave, (406) 794-5256, Jeffers, Koby – The Patch Guys LLC, General Contractors, Billings

BWB Ventures LLC (Mobile), 113 E Park Ave, (386) 365-9081, Willems, Laura – BWB Ventures LLC (Mobile), Restaurants, Anaconda

Rimrock Flooring Installation, 512 E 1st St, (406) 690-6778, Anderson, Todd M – Rimrock Flooring Installation, Service, Laurel

Gold Buckle Homes LLC, 610 S 44th St W #6101, (406) 598-4424, Minkoff, Cree/Scott – Gold Buckle Homes, General Contractors, Billings

SDBrady Properties, 311 Lewis Ave, (406) 670-1282, Brady, Sean – SDBrady Properties, Real Estate Rental, Billings

Lais Development Inc, 3307 Grand Ave Ste 103a, (406) 672-6151, Hawkins, Barbara – Lais Development Inc, General Contractors, Billings

Barrett Services, 302 Calhoun Ln, n/a, Barrett, Clint – Barrett Services, General Contractors, Billings

6g Holdings, LLC, 3769 Heritage Dr, n/a, Guardipee, Tim – 6g Holdings, LLC, Real Estate Rental, Billings

My Plant Guy, 2 Stanford Ct, (406) 670-6484, Schmitz, Nathan – My Plant Guy, Retail Sales    Billings

Central Wellness, 1420 S 24th St W, (406) 869-1066, Griffin, Jeanine – Central Wellness, Service, Billings

Hongkong BBQ, 15 Shiloh Rd #10   (406) 281-8017, Sun, Xiaojia – Hongkong BBQ, Restaurants, Billings

Koat Development LLC (Koat Services), 3311 Horton Smith Ln, (406) 581-6495, Leonard, Kyle – Koat Development LLC (Koat Services), General Contractors, Billings

R & K Handyman Services, 3649 Rosebud Dr, (406) 208-6729, Reed, Rob – R & K Handyman Services, Service, Billings

Bomba Y Plena, 3015 Chapman Ln, (406) 696-4865, Brown, Ricco – Bomba Y Plena, Restaurants, Billings

Copper Creek Table Company LLC, 608 Avenue F, (406) 876-5046, Paluch/Robison, Joseph/Lara – Copper Creek Table Company LLC, Retail Sales, Billings

Tip Top Tidy 406, 3139 Gregory Dr, (406) 690-9423, Kirchhevel, Jennifer – Tip Top Tidy 406, Service, Billings

Olvera Construction LLC, 1547 Windrow Dr Apt 10, (406) 600-5434, Matamoros (Manager), Jennifer – Olvera Construction LLC, General Contractors, Bozeman

Sheldon Construction, 4945 King Ave W, (406) 690-3920, Sheldon, Matthew – Sheldon Construction, General Contractors, Billings

JBD Trades LLC, 209 Golf Course Rd, (406) 672-9294, Dempster, Jay – JBD Trades LLC, General Contractors, Laurel

Tag Marketing And Consulting, Inc., 214 Pueblo Dr, (406) 671-5729, Joseph, Gradney – Tag Marketing And Consulting, Inc., Service, Billings

JJM Performance, LLC., 1420 Minnesota Ave, Mcgraw, Janelle – JJM Performance, s., Retail Sales, Billings

Flickering Light Counseling, 1721 Clubhouse Way, (406) 647-4247, Ingram-Hegenbart, Richard – Flickering Light Counseling, Service, Billings

Integrated Construction Service, 13900 State Ave, (913) 702-2436, Brown, Tom – Integrated Construction Service, General Contractors     Bonner Springs, KS                                         

Montana Opioid Epidemic Not Slowing Down

11 July 2024
Press Room
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By Chris Woodward, The Center Square

Fentanyl has been a problem in Montana for years, and 2024 appears to be no different.

Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (RMHIDTA) task forces seized 163,184 dosage units of fentanyl in Montana during the first quarter of this year. That is compared to 65,142 during the same period last year, an increase of 150 percent.

Because of this, Attorney General Austin Knudsen said Montana is “on pace to far surpass last year’s record-shattering number of fentanyl seizures.”

An estimated 398,000 fentanyl dosage units were seized last year in Montana. That was up from 188,823 in 2022 and 60,557 dosage units in 2021.

“While I’m glad anti-drug task forces are successfully taking fentanyl off the street, it means more of this poison is making its way across the southern border and into Montana where it’s killing men, women, and children,” said Attorney General Austin Knudsen in a news release.

RMHIDTA includes the Montana Department of Justice’s narcotics bureau as well as the Montana Highway Patrol, which Knudsen credits for making more traffic stops leading to drug arrests. Regardless, Knudsen said this week that the federal government needs to be more involved.

“I will continue to do everything in my power to fight this battle in Montana and urge President Biden to secure the border.”

Earlier this year, Knudsen testified before a House committee seeking to impeach Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over border issues and drug problems. Knudsen has also called on President Joe Biden to consider drug cartels terrorist organizations and label fentanyl a weapon of mass destruction.

“Mexican drug cartels are pushing it across the border, flooding it into our state at an unprecedented rate,

and killing  Montanans,”  said Knudsen in 2022.

Knudsen recommends Montanans talk to their loved ones about the dangers of fentanyl. He also advises citizens to “never take a drug that is not prescribed to you.”

Montana’s State Crime Lab has reported 22 fentanyl-related overdose deaths. There were 80 in all of 2023. 

Montana Highlights July 1 2024

9 July 2024
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Lake County commissioners sent a letter to President Biden recently to make compensation for “depredations” by the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes, pertaining to the low water level in Flathead Lake last summer. The letter references the Blackfeet Treaty, signed in 1855 by the leaders of the Flathead and Kootenai, and refers specifically to Article 8, which states in part “that the navigation of all lakes and streams shall be forever free to citizens of the United States.”

Hot beeswax and watercolor artist Leisa Lewis has moved into a new studio in downtown Hamilton called “Leisa Lewis, connecting with feel good art.” The studio is open by appointment.

The Northwest Montana Association of Realtors has named Brenda Miller the 2024 Realtor of the Year. Awards also included Realtor Rookie of the Year Sarah Meehan.

The new Kyiyo Bakery and Mercantile has opened in Kiowa Junction. The business has been opened by owner Will Hammerquist, who has also run the Polebridge Mercantile with his wife Katerina for nearly 10 years. He didn’t have plans to expand the business, but when the opportunity arose to build something at the Kiowa Junction, he decided to go for it. Kiowa Junction is the area where Montana 49 meets U.S. 89 west of Browning. The land was on the market for several years before Hammerquist purchased it. There was a year of demo work, tearing down the dilapidated buildings that used to be a pit stop at the junction. Currently, Hammerquist and his team are building cabin rentals across from the mercantile.

A major power transmission project linking Montana to energy markets in the Midwest picked up a commitment recently from Colstrip Power Plant shareholder Portland General Electric. The $3.2 billion North Plains Connector would bridge the Eastern and Western energy grids by running 415 miles of high voltage, direct current line between Colstrip substation and Center, North Dakota. North Plains is being developed by Texas-based Grid United.

U.S. Bank has been at the corner of Main Street and Black Avenue in downtown Bozeman for 27 years. A renovation project uncovered the historic, Fred Willson-designed building underneath the façade. Work is continuing on the fourth and fifth floors of the building, but the U.S. Bank branch is open on the ground floor.

Glendive Chief of Police Jeremy Swisher has been charged with three felony offenses alleged by the Montana Attorney General’s office. The police chief is on track for a jury trial by December. Assistant Montana AG Michael Gee filed with the 7th Judicial District Court last week. According to court documents, the State of Montana alleges Swisher committed unlawful possession, shipping or transportation of game animal on or between Jan. 30, 2023 and July 20, 2023, a felony.

At a presentation before the North Dakota Public Service Commission, representatives for a gas conversion plant spoke about the impacts and benefits of the proposed facility to be located southwest of Williston.

North Dakota Attorney General Drew H. Wrigley and West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, along with 21 other states have filed a petition for review in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, challenging the Biden EPA’s unconstitutional overreach aimed at killing North Dakota’s coal fired energy production. The recent Federal rule would require certain air toxin emission levels from coal-fired plants to be reduced drastically, with no corresponding health benefits and with great costs to the States and their industries.

The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes recently received an Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grant through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The $7.7 million grant will fund a 3,000-square-foot plant in Ronan designed to process up to 25 animals a week. The three-acre building site, located along Mink Lane, was part of a 31-acre parcel of tribal land annexed by the city of Ronan last summer. CSKT Management predicts the facility will take between 18 and 24 months to complete.

Whitefish-based Averill Hospitality is planning to develop a hotel on property in Sandpoint, Idaho. Once plans are approved work on a new hotel where the Edgewater Resort now sits could begin by this fall. The hotel is on Lake Pend Oreille. The project would be a $70 million, 150-room full-service resort.

The Scheels Aim High Big Sky Aquatic and Recreation Center is planning to open for business on June 29. It is located at 900 29th Street South in Lions Park just off of 10th Ave South in Great Falls. The rec center features a full-court gymnasium, eight-lane pool, sauna, cardio and weight machines, elevated walking track, a splash pad, group fitness, and a large water slide.

Residents of the Swan Valley are investigating how to form their own central government in Condon, which would be the first new town in Montana since the 1990’s. Members of the Swan Valley Community Council met last week with a local government expert from MSU and the Missoula County commissioners for more information on making the idea a reality. Condon sits at the edge of Missoula County and is unincorporated. Some residents are interested in incorporating so they can refocus their taxes toward local issues. The process of creating a town has rarely been used since the turn of the last century, with Colstrip as the last town to incorporate in 1994.

The new Dollar General location in Victor is open. The business is located at 2438 Railroad Ave., just off U.S. Highway 93. The Victor location will be one of around 5,400 to carry fresh produce along with health and beauty products, housewares, stationery and seasonal products. Dollar General operates four other locations in Montana including Columbia Falls, Eureka, Libby and Thompson Falls.

The Montana Department of Commerce recently announced that 67 film creations will share more than $2.6 million in grant funding to film on-location productions across the state. Film Office promotes Montana as a business destination for film production companies to expand production in our state.

Missoula is the 15th best-run city in America, according to personal-finance website WalletHub. The rankings compared the operating efficiency of the 148 largest U.S. cities. WalletHub used 36 metrics regarding education, the economy and the environment for the assessment. Nampa, Idaho, secured first place in the study, while San Francisco scored the worst. Billings, Montana, made the list at 16th place. Data from the website showed Missoula ranks 59th in the country for quality of city services, but 15th in its total budget per capita.

ND Malting and Hops, Inc. began production near Williston on Thursday, May 23, 2024. The new plant is locally owned by two farmers , David Anfinson and Paul Weyrauch. The grains processed in the facility will be used for the 2 row malting process and then shipped to meet the demand for micro brewing facilities.“

Kiplinger Personal Finance named Great Falls as one of the 25 Cheapest Places to Live: U.S. Cities Edition. Great Falls ranked 16th in the survey.

A huge controversy is broiling near Gallatin Gateway regarding a proposed gravel mine. On a farm that has been in the Black family for generations, a 130-acre gravel mine is being proposed to build roads and highways for the burgeoning development in the Gallatin Valley. Third generation owner of the farm, Bayard Black says that the multi –million deal with Belgrade-based TMC Inc., is essential for the continued operation of the farm. Neighbors, many of whom are transplants to the valley, who have built “dream” homes with views of Spanish Peaks and the Bridger Mountains, and who are the reason for the need for the roads and highways, are trying to halt permitting for the gravel pit through the courts.

New water restrictions in Idaho are having  a “profound effect” on local farmers. They are leading to “decreased crop yields, financial strain, and the potential long-term consequences for our farming community and the entire state.”

Cerilon Gas-to-Liquids facility in Williams County, ND, is being developed to turn natural gas into specialty products. With a cost of $3.2 billion, phase one of the facility will turn 240 million standard cubic feet of natural gas per day into products like diesel. Located near Trenton, the project is still undergoing permitting, but construction is expected to start in 2026, with the first phase operational by 2029.

Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis – Since January 2020, employers across the United States have filled the job hole created by the pandemic, plus another 5 million jobs. That ability to hire suggests there is an expanding labor pool. The growing foreign-born1 population is a contributing factor. In 2010, North Dakota had the smallest foreign-born population in the region. By 2023, this population had grown by 176 percent, helping the state leapfrog Montana and South Dakota. Michigan saw the smallest growth rate among Ninth District states, at 16 percent. 

Letters to the Editor Deming and Butcher

9 July 2024
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To the Editor,

In the press recently there appeared criticism of HB 527, the Defend the Guard bill. One article was by Senator Wendy McKamey titled, “It’s Time We End the War on Law Enforcement and the National Guard”. There was also a critical article by Roger Hagan titled, “Show Ponies Must Own Their Votes”. As principal sponsor of HB 527, let me help you to understand my enthusiastic sponsorship of HB 527.

For your information, the bill’s intent is to forbid the Governor from releasing the Montana Guard into combat overseas absent a US Congressional declaration of war.

You should read the two articles above. You will notice the intentional lack of Constitutional references to make their case. The reason is that there aren’t any. In fact, HB 527 is defended by the Constitution itself. Article I, Section 8, Clause 11 (The Congress shall have the power) To declare war. Article II, Section 2, Clause 1; The President shall be the commander in chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several States, when called into the actual service of the United States. Article 1, Section 8, Clause 15; (The Congress shall have the power) to provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections and repel invasions.

Reread Article 1, Section 8, Clause 15. Congress, not the President, calls forth the Militia to do three things only; execute the laws of the Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions. Sending the National Guard into combat overseas in places like Iraq or Afghanistan without a declaration of war is flatly unconstitutional. Title 10 of the U.S. Code 12406 reinforces my contention.

We are led to believe by Senator McKamey, Roger Hagan, and Adjutant General Hronek that we should give up the lives of our citizen-soldiers in conflicts not authorized by the Constitution for $197 million dollars. They want us to trade the lives of our National Guard for money. It is as simple as that.

This is not an academic exercise. Before introducing HB 527 I asked a legislative staffer to find out how many members of Montana’s National Guard had been injured in the Global War on Terror. He reported that 36 members of our Montana Guard had been killed in that conflict.

The Montana National Guard deserves a thorough debate by the U.S. Congress and an affirmative vote before being sent overseas. Do we want the Montana National Guard fighting in Yemen, the Ukraine, or Gaza? Make the case in the U.S. Congress. Our citizen-soldiers deserve that.

Do we want the Montana National Guard to help secure both borders, provide relief during natural disasters and/or deal with the threat of domestic insurrection? It will be hard to do if they are deployed to Syria.

HB 527 was and is rock solid constitutionally, legally, and morally. I hope you value the lives of Montana National Guard members as beyond price. I do.

                             Representative Lee Deming HD 55

Lies Defeat incumbent  – Republican Legislators

Politics is increasingly a “contact sport!”  However, this primary election has gone from twisting facts and statements to outright lies about candidates.  We have become used to the Soros funded Democrat political PAC Tactics they have perfected, but during this Montana primary a well-funded left-leaning Republican faction attacked conservative incumbent legislators (opponents were endorsed by Republican governor Greg Gianforte) and carried out by the “Republican” Llew Jones led “Solutions Caucus” (the “Democrat wing” of the Republican legislature).

An example was incumbent Rep. James Bergstrom (HD 78—Hobson) who was attacked by a last minute mailer accusing him of “defunding the Montana National Guard” by his vote for HB 527 which resulted in his defeat by a handful of votes.  Jim Bergstrom has been a conscientious hard working legislator who earnestly represented his voters while generally voting with the conservative Republican House majority. 

Here are the facts:  HB 527 (had an unusually high 26 co-sponsors) “An Act requiring official U.S. Congressional declaration or action to release the Montana National Guard  to active combat duty….”   In other words it instructed the Governor to maintain control over the State National Guard until Congress voted to give the President permission to call up the Guard for combat beyond the state of Montana (This follows the U.S. Constitution).

The bill was defeated 60 to 40 with the Llew Jones led RINOs (plus 2), with the support of Governor Gianforte, joining all the Democrats but one in defeating HB 527.  The facts about this last minute “leftist political hit piece” against Bergstrom and a number of  other incumbent Republican bill supporters— did not “defund the Guard,” did not interfere with fighting fires, did not block Guardsmen’s salaries, and did not “…put our nation and state at risk…” as charged by this left wing PAC mailer. It simply stated that Montana soldiers could not be sent to die at the whim of a President!

These types of lies spread against a legislator resulting in his defeat are not fair to unsuspecting voters who support our soldiers and veterans as does Representative Bergstrom—a good and decent man.

                                                  Sen. Ed Butcher

Sen. Ed Butcher (Ret) is a Central Montana rancher/businessman and former college political history professor who previously served for 10 years in the Montana legislature and has been currently appointed to represent Legislative HD 29.

The Immigrant Population of The Ninth District Has Grown

9 July 2024
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By Erick Garcia Luna

Since January 2020, employers across the United States have filled the job hole created by the pandemic, plus another 5 million jobs. That ability to hire suggests there is an expanding labor pool. The growing foreign-born1 population is a contributing factor.

In the Minneapolis Fed’s Ninth District, foreign-born growth rates have been robust, and the share of the labor force comprised of foreign-born workers has increased. Still, compared with the national average, the concentration of foreign-born workers remains relatively low in district states. (Foreign born means they were not born in the US, and pertains to both citizens and non-citizens.)

After declining early in the pandemic, the U.S. foreign-born population bounced back strongly. According to the Current Population Survey, from 2010 to 2023, the foreign-born population grew by 30 percent, more than three times faster than the native-born population.

There are other differences among groups. Foreign-born men tend to participate in the labor force at higher rates than native-born men and women, regardless of nativity. Among women, rates tend to be slightly higher among native-born workers.

But the gap seems to be closing, and quickly in some cases. In Minnesota, labor force participation among foreign-born women has been higher than that of native-born women since 2021.

The foreign-born labor force is also relatively younger. Across the country, about 70 percent were between the ages of 25 and 54—what economists call the “prime” labor force—compared with 62 percent of the native-born labor force. That younger share is even higher in some Ninth District states, like North Dakota, at 82 percent.

Fast growth among the foreign-born workers means their slice of the labor force is also growing.

Nationwide, 18.6 percent of the total labor force in 2023 was foreign-born, up from 15.8 percent in 2010. Despite high growth rates among district states, their labor force shares still lag far behind that national average. At the top, Minnesota’s labor force share of foreign-born workers was 10 percent in 2023. At the bottom, Montana’s share is just 3 percent despite having seen 55 percent growth in foreign-born workers since 2010.

In North Dakota, a much higher growth rate among the foreign-born population has pushed its labor force share from about 3 percent in 2010 to almost 7 percent in 2023.

Over the years, North Dakota has worked particularly hard to integrate people from around the world into the labor force.

“We want new arrivals to have the same opportunities as everyone else,” said Janna Pastir, deputy director of the North Dakota Department of Commerce Workforce Development Division. “Coordinated language, adult education, and digital skills programming help integrate immigrants to meet the needs of our economy.”

Hurd Inducted into WyoTech Hall of Fame

9 July 2024
Evelyn Pyburn
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One of Billings’ most outstanding business people, John Hurd, was recently inducted into the Wyoming Technical Institute’s Hall of Fame. Hurd is store manager for RDO Equipment Co, in Billings, the largest John Deere Ag and Construction dealership group in the country.

John Hurd has become a favorite at Yellowstone County News and recognized as an outstanding community volunteer because of his hard work and dedicated efforts for Dig It Days, a fund raiser for youth entering the construction industry and in other support efforts to launch other people onto life’s road.

Wyoming Technical Institute (WyoTech) introduces Hurd on their website saying that he came to the school as a Laramie High School graduate in 1983.  

Hurd started his career in the construction business, then moved on to gain experience in the logging industry. Because of his love of cars, as well as with some influence from his brother, John enrolled in the Wyoming Technical Institute, where he graduated from the Collision Refinishing w/ Upholstery program in 1989 and 1990.

At the time, Hurd had little idea how important his nine months at WyoTech would be in his future, nor could he have imagined the career journey and the amazing industry experiences in store for him.

 After graduation, Hurd continued work in construction, spending evenings and weekends working on cars.  He opened “Creative Customs”, an auto body paint & upholstery business in Laramie, with his dad in 1991.

Hurd’s trade education career started in 1992, teaching Custom Paint at WyoTech in the evenings with his former instructor, Kim Helgeson. In 1993, when another former instructor, Carl Miller, called with an opportunity to teach Trim & Upholstery, a 25-year career with WyoTech and trade education was launched.

Hurd described the opportunity to work with students in the classroom by delivering a lesson and sharing a skill as a “career highlight” that drove him to learn more and become the best he could be.  He was promoted to Assistant Coordinator of the Collision Department at WyoTech in 1996, and, over the next five years, he and Carl Miller helped to grow the department to nearly 400 students.  

In 2001, through the encouragement of Jim Mathis, Hurd became Operations Coordinator, working with the Campus Housing and Physical Plant teams. A highlight of this experience was working closely with Dave Kuhn and his team on the various campus projects, which gave Hurd a new appreciation for those who manage student housing.

In 2003, after the acquisition by Corinthian Colleges, Hurd and a small group from WyoTech went to Pelham, Alabama, for a new school start up- Virginia College Technical (VC Tech). The experience expanded Hurd’s program and curriculum development skills, adding state/national program accreditation and school operations experiences. After the acquisition of VC Tech, a call from mentor and friend Andy Vignone in late 2006, sent Hurd to California as president of WyoTech’s Sacramento campus. The next five years provided leadership experiences and continued growth in his industry network.

In 2012, Hurd transitioned into an Industry Relations role for all of WyoTech, representing the brand at industry trade events across the country. A highlight of this experience was the development and startup of the Mack & Volvo Truck DATE program at the Blairsville, Pennsylvania, and Laramie, Wyoming campuses. In November 2017, after another acquisition, a decision was made to shut down all remaining WyoTech campuses, but by early 2018, Hurd worked alongside Jim Mathis and team, assisted on a business plan to save WyoTech, which has ultimately been a huge success.

In 2019, his career shifted out of the trades education back to construction as store manager in Billings for RDO Equipment Co, the largest John Deere Ag and Construction dealership group in the country.

Hurd’s WyoTech experiences continue to be used daily in operations, team leadership, curriculum and program development. In 2021, he led a team of construction industry partners creating Build Montana, a high school internship program introducing students to career opportunities in construction. He maintains his connection with WyoTech, recruiting for RDO at career fairs and serving as a board member for the LoveTrades Foundation. He also serves on the boards for the Montana Contractors Association Education Foundation, Montana Equipment Dealers Association and Montana Skills USA.

Alongside Hurd in this journey has been an unwavering faith in God, his wife, Mindy, son, Jacob, and daughter, Jaylin. 

When asked about what advice he would give to someone who is just starting their journey in the trades, Hurd said, “Be patient, listen and learn from others in the trade. Keep learning and growing in your trade, excellence isn’t a race, it’s a journey. Don’t be the one to say no…say yes…let someone else tell you no.”

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Most of the information for this article came from the WyoTech website, including the picture of John Hurd.

Governor, Chamber of Commerce Highlight Business Climate

9 July 2024
Press Room
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Joining the Montana Chamber of Commerce, Governor Greg Gianforte highlighted recent investments to improve Montana’s business climate at the Big Sky, Bright Futures Economic Summit in Bozeman.

“With record business creation and more Montanans working now than ever before, it’s clear Montana’s economy is on the move,” Gov. Gianforte said. “Thanks to our pro-business, pro-jobs policies we’re welcoming investment across all industries. We’ll continue to cut red tape and make Montana an even better place to do business and create new opportunities for Montanans.”

Talking with Montana Chamber President and CEO Todd O’Hair, the governor outlined his priorities to continue lowering taxes, reducing red tape, attracting new businesses, building the workforce, and addressing Montana’s housing shortage.

Last spring, the governor was proud to deliver the largest tax cut in state history, providing income tax cuts for Montanans at every level, as well as immediate and long-term property tax relief.

Since taking office, Gov. Gianforte has prioritized investments to develop a highly-skilled, highly-qualified workforce. In 2023, the governor nearly doubled the Montana Trades Education Credit, offering employers credit for employee education and training and expanded work-based learning opportunities for Montana students.

In addition, the governor has reformed the state’s tax code to promote business investment and job creation, attracting businesses from around the world to Montana.

And to meet the growing demand for housing, the governor last October reconvened his Housing Task Force following a historic legislative session for pro-housing reforms that some have dubbed the “Montana Miracle.”

“This is a pivotal moment for business in Montana,” said O’Hair. “Companies are increasingly drawn to the unique opportunities Montana offers, making our state a prime destination for growth. To sustain this momentum, we must address key challenges like housing and childcare.”

Gov. Gianforte talking with BHE Montana President Nancy Murray at the Big Sky, Bright Futures Economic Summit in Bozeman

Wrapping up the afternoon, the governor also highlighted his focus on Montana’s all-of-the-above energy policy in a fireside chat with BHE Montana President Nancy Murray.

As a subsidiary of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, BHE Montana earlier in the day announced their latest investment in two new renewable energy projects in Montana.

The first, a 100-megawatt solar project on 1,000 acres of land in north central Montana. The installation of 200,000 solar panels is expected to add 100 megawatts to the grid by 2026. And the other, a 75-megawatt battery in Ethridge to store energy from BHE Montana’s wind and solar generation assets by 2025.

“We are incredibly excited to build upon the significant investments we’ve already made to further develop energy resources in Montana,” Murray said. “These new projects reflect our commitment to grow our business in Montana and support the growth of local businesses and communities that rely on a clean and resilient energy grid.”

Gov. Gianforte added, “Montana continues to be on the cutting edge of innovation, including in our energy sector. We will continue to embrace our all-of-the-above policy to address energy affordability and grid reliability and gladly welcome this investment from BHE Montana.”

Creating the best environment for business and more opportunities for Montanans is a top priority of the Gianforte administration.

Federal Judge Issues Injunction Stopping Title IX Rules

9 July 2024
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By Steve Wilson,The Center Square

A federal judge has issued an injunction that put a temporary hold on new Title IX rules issued by the Biden administration.

U.S. District Court Judge Terry Doughty issued the order in a lawsuit brought by the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana and Idaho. The injunction keeps the final rules from going into effect pending a review by the U.S. District Court of the Western District of Louisiana. 

The new rules finalized by the Department of Education and which are supposed to go into effect Aug. 1 expand the definition of sex discrimination to include gender identity and pregnancy, but the agency didn’t issue any rules relating to transgender athletes. Among the changes include a prohibition on single-sex bathroom and locker rooms and requirements that a school use pronouns based on a student’s preferred gender identity.

Doughty said in the order that the new rule violated the free speech and free exercise clauses of the First Amendment along with the spending clause and “is arbitrary and capricious.”

The judge also said in his ruling that for one of these injunctions to be issued, the plaintiffs must show a substantial chance of success on the merits of their case, a threat of irreparable harm that must outweigh any that would result if the injunction weren’t issued and it must be in the public interest. Doughty said the plaintiffs did so successfully. 

Doughty also said that the plaintiffs were able to prove that the harassment standard created by the rule is contrary to Title IX and he said they “made compelling arguments for how it can violate the free speech right of the First Amendment.”

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill, who brought the Title IX lawsuit, praised the ruling. 

“This a victory for women and girls,” Murrill said in a statement. “When Joe Biden forced his illegal and radical gender ideology on America, Louisiana said NO! Along with Idaho, Mississippi, and Montana, states are fighting back in defense of the law, the safety and prosperity of women and girls, and basic American values.”

Title IX prohibits educational institutions that receive federal funds from discriminating on the basis of sex in both educational programs and activities.

Federal courts have already acted against the Biden administration’s rules. 

U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor granted the state’s motion for summary judgement in a case over a mandate issued by two federal agencies before the administration amended Title IX to redefine biological sex to include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.” 

He also denied the Biden administration’s request to dismiss and vacated the guidance nationwide and issued a permanent injunction against its enforcement in Texas.

Electric Transmission Line Would Be a Game Changer for Montana

9 July 2024
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By Amanda Eggert, Montana Free Press

Project developers, policymakers and think tanks working in the capital-intensive arena of energy development say a new Montana-North Dakota high-voltage transmission line could be a game changer for an area of the American West that’s seen limited expansion to its power grid in four decades. The North Plains Connector Line would be the region’s first major grid expansion since the construction of a 500-kilovolt line that carries power from the Colstrip coal-fired power plant to population centers in the Pacific Northwest in the mid-1980s.

Late last year, Minnesota-based energy company ALLETE and Grid United, a Houston-based transmission developer, announced their partnership on a proposal to build a $3.2 billion transmission line from Colstrip to central North Dakota. The companies are billing the roughly 400-mile line as a “long-term energy infrastructure asset” that will help utilities access new regional energy markets, meet rising electricity demand and become more resilient to grid-straining cold snaps and heat waves. 

Stakeholders like Kyle Unruh, with renewable energy advocacy organization Renewable Northwest, also describe the North Plains Connector Line as an opportunity for Montana to reap some of the economic benefits accompanying an “explosion” of demand for new power generation — renewable generation in particular. It would do that by allowing a significant amount of electricity to flow between national energy markets. 

If built, the North Plains Connector Line will be the first high-capacity transmission line to link the Western Interconnect with the Eastern Interconnect.  

Currently, the western grid is transmission-constrained, challenging utilities that struggle to accommodate rising electricity use and throttling investment in utility-scale energy projects. The North Plains Connector would allow about 3,000 megawatts of additional generation onto the grid.

Grid United plans to submit an environmental impact statement — which will allow the public to review and comment on details of the project proposal — to the U.S. Department of Energy this fall. Brant Johnson, the project’s lead developer for Grid United, said he’s hopeful the review process will conclude within two years. If all goes according to Grid United’s plan, the line could be operational by 2030. 

Unruh recently told Montana Free Press there are multiple reasons he’s optimistic the project will be built, even given the notorious difficulties associated with transmission planning and permitting. In his assessment of the project’s prospects, he noted the federal government’s recent move to streamline transmission review and Grid United’s reputation as an “extremely capable” transmission developer with a proactive approach to engaging local communities. 

Last month’s announcement that Portland General Electric has inked a deal with Grid United and ALLETE for 20% of the line’s capacity, bringing the line’s total subscribed capacity to 55%, further improves the project’s prospects by reducing some of the financial risk associated with building it. (ALLETE, which owns two utilities in the upper midwest and a handful of other energy companies, is expected to account for 35% of the capacity on the line and oversee its operation.)

During a May 22 presentation before the Montana Legislature’s interim Energy and Telecommunications Committee, Unruh, who formerly worked as a transmission market analyst for NorthWestern Energy, discussed the economic implications of expanding the grid. 

Increasing transmission capacity can help Montana capitalize on its “preeminent wind resource,” entice electricity-intensive businesses to set up shop in (or remain in) Montana, and alleviate the rising power and property tax bills many Montanans are facing, he argued.

In the two decades since Montana’s first utility-scale wind farm came online, more than 20 additional projects have come online, with more in the works. Credit: DEQ

On the flip side, Unruh says, Montana’s economy is currently “starting to reap the consequences” of lagging grid expansion as energy developers pursue projects in regions where transmission is currently available or planned.

“Transmission should be at the heart of every economic development discussion we have in the state and every energy discussion we have in the state,” Unruh said. 

Tyler Farrell, a transmission researcher with the Rocky Mountain Institute, a nonpartisan think tank focused on decarbonizing the energy sector, said there is a chicken-or-egg dynamic at play in the relationship between electricity generation and transmission.

The North Plains Connector’s proposed route through eastern Montana and western North Dakota. Credit: Portland General Electric

This story was originally published by Montana Free Press at montanafreepress.org.

Coke Cola Opens Plant

9 July 2024
Evelyn Pyburn
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It was stated several times during a news media opening of the new Coca Cola manufacturing plant last week, that this is a “really big deal” for Billings. And indeed it is.

The nearly $100 million facility will employ over 100 people, including 50 new positions. The plant will bottle and distribute over 450 varieties of soft drinks and other beverages over a multi-state area.

Founded in 1956, the Coca-Cola Bottling Company High Country is a fourth-generation, family-owned bottler serving over 2.4 million consumers in Colorado, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.

M. Trevor Messinger, President and CEO of the South Dakota-based company, greeted Governor Greg Gianforte and numerous other dignitaries to the opening. It took ten years to plan and build the facility, which included broad community support from the Big Sky Economic Development Agency, the City of Billings, and Yellowstone County Commissioners.

“Our state is made stronger when companies like Coca-Cola High Country choose to expand their business in Montana and create more good-paying jobs,” Gov. Gianforte said. “We’ll continue to foster a climate where businesses can thrive and more Montanans can prosper and achieve the American dream.”

Montana-based design and construction companies completed the creation and build of the facility, including General Contractor, Dick Anderson Construction; Architect, A&E Architects and Engineering Morrison-Maierle, IMEG      

The full economic impact of the new facility will be far reaching for Billings. Part of that impact is the development of the infrastructure to its site at 1830 Harnish Boulevard, off the Frontage Road, where there had been none. The city council approved the extension of those utilities with the realization that they would make the area more attractive for other business ventures to locate, which is already happening according to some reports.