Montana Highlights

• Montana Highlights November 1 2024 +

  Glacier Park International Airport was awarded another $2.5 million in federal funding recently for its ongoing terminal expansion project. Awarded through the FAA Airport Terminal Program, the dollars will expedite work on the expansion. A portion of the latest grant will go toward a third bag claim device which costs around $1 million.

  U.S. Bureau of Reclamation announced recently that the first sections of the 90-inch replacement pipe for the St. Mary Siphon had arrived. This sets the stage for replacing the infrastructure that delivers water to the Milk River Project, a lifeline for north-central Montana. As an irrigation project the Milk River Project and the St. Mary Diversion and Conveyance works were one of the first projects the Bureau of Reclamation was authorized to build after it was created in 1902. The St. Mary Canal Siphon suffered a catastrophic failure June 17, 2024. It was constructed in two phases, with the downstream barrel completed between 1912 and 1915 and the upstream barrel after 1925.

  The Stafford/McClelland Ferry will be removed from the Missouri River on October 31.

  Whitefish’s Stack Financial Management climbed from #72 to #57 on the 2024 CNBC Financial Advisor 100 list. Stack Financial Management is a nationally recognized, independent Registered Investment Advisor based in Whitefish managing over $1.9 billion in assets for individuals, families and business owners across the U.S.  

  The University of Montana has hired Dr. Jeffrey Michael to serve as the next director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research. Michael joins BBER from the University of the Pacific where he has served as director of Public Policy at the McGeorge School of Law. Michael has decades of experience in regional economic forecasting,

  Independence Bank has announced the promotion of Lauren Kato to Teller Supervisor and Accountant Relations Specialist. Lauren is a native of Havre.

  Independence Bank recently announced the promotion of Sydne Haider to Account Relations Supervisor. Sydne joined the bank October 13, 2021, as an Account Relations Specialist.

  Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks has finalized its plan for managing grizzly bears. Last month, FWP Director Dustin Temple formally adopted a 326-page outline for how the state will address conflicts between bears and people, approach an eventual trophy hunt and respond to the state’s growing grizzly population.

  Sarah and Rob Ratkowski, owners of the Montana Milk Moovers home delivery service, are now offering   regular access to fresh, local goods through the Neighborhood Market. The market opened recently off Montana 35. The shop offers dairy products, eggs, produce, meat and other pantry items . The market receives its goods through the Western Montana Growers Cooperative.

  Stephanie Cole, a fourth-generation Montanan from Bozeman, is the new chief executive officer of Red Ants Pants, the company announced. Red Ants Pants, based in White Sulphur Springs, sells work wear for women.

  The Montana Public Service Commission announced that as of Oct. 1, a typical NorthWestern Energy residential electric customer using 750 kilowatt-hours per month saw a decrease of $6.13 or 5.57% of their monthly electric bill. The decrease comes due to a recent submission to the PSC of NorthWestern’s Annual Power Costs and Credits Adjustment Mechanism (PCCAM).

  Glacier National Park saw a record number of visitors in September, according to data from the National Park Service. More than 600,000 visitors passed through one of Glacier’s entrances during September, nearly 50,000 more than in 2023. So far in 2024, 3,001,595 people have visited the park, just the third time that number has eclipsed 3 million and a 9% increase over last year.

  The Montana Public Service Commission denied an interim rate increase requested by Montana-Dakota Utilities earlier this year. MDU filed a rate case with the PSC in July requesting a natural gas rate increase of 16.4% for residential customers. As the PSC considers the rate case as a whole, the utility company requested an interim rate increase. The temporary increase would bring the cost to the average residential customer using 78 dekatherms of natural gas up $5.17 per month.

  Yellowstone National Park hosted 838,458 visitors in September. So far in 2024, the park has hosted 4,349,689 recreation visits, up 5% from 2023. The year-to-date numbers are just 120,000 lower than in 2021, the park’s record-setting year.

  Sagebrush Boutique, a new business has opened in Miles City. Owned by Shawna Christofferson, the boutique celebrated its opening on Saturday, Oct. 26.

  Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport set a September record for passenger traffic. In all, 249,773 passengers came through the Belgrade airport in September up 6.5% over the previous mark of 234,589 set in 2023. The busiest month was July, with 322,732 passengers.

   The Treasure Chest of Hobbies and Crafts in Missoula is closing after over 45 years in business.

  The Montana Department of Transportation has applied for federal funding to reduce collisions along U.S. Highway 191, one of Montana most wildlife collision-prone highways. The Center for Large Landscape Conservation, a Bozeman-based nonprofit announced that MDT has submitted a grant application.

  The Missoula Family YMCA has received a $500,000 matching grant from the Dennis and Phyllis Washington Foundation. The gift was given in honor of Mike Halligan, the foundation’s outgoing executive director, who is set to retire in January of 2025.

  Bloom Montessori School in Helena has announced it will close its child care center in December. Bloom is licensed to serve 132 students aged 0-6 years old.

  Gov. Gianforte presented his annual Forest Products Award to the Weyerhaeuser Raw Materials Team at their Flathead Valley facility during Montana Forest Products Week. While the forest products marketplace continues to evolve, companies like Weyerhaeuser Raw Materials are helping support our economy and responsibly manage our forests,” Gov. Gianforte said. The honorees of the award included Weyerhaeuser team members Shaney Neuharth, Zack Miller, Milo Funk, and Jacob Parent. Miller and Parent focus on sustainable forest management and raw material procurement to ensure non-sawlog materials are used productively. Funk manages by-product procurement, handling over 400,000 tons annually, and Neuharth leads initiatives to utilize slash material for heating systems, reducing reliance on natural gas and lowering emissions. 

  The North Dakota Public Service Commission voted to approve a Certificate of Site Compatibility for Cerilon GTL North Dakota. Cerilon has proposed a gas-to-liquids facility that will transform natural gas into synthetic products. These products include Group III+ base oils, ultra- low sulphur diesel and naphtha. The site, near Trenton ND, was selected for several reasons— its proximity to abundant natural gas supplies, access to road and rail transportation, and existing local infrastructure. It also has access to sufficient electrical power for startup and interconnection to the power grid.

  Four landmark properties are for sale in Livingston. They are Riverside Hardware and The Stockman Bar on Main Street, the 49er Diner, Bar and Casino on Park Street, and the former Livingston Enterprise building on South Main Street.

  The Cascade County Detention Center in Great Falls is facing many of the same changes as Yellowstone County faces with overcrowding and having to detain inmates who should be treated for mental illness. Typical population numbers are over 400 inmates, occasionally exceeding 500, while the official jail capacity is 372. Officials are instituting two programs that could help relieve the jail of low-level offenders and offering mental health care.

  North Dakota and South Korea will work together on energy and carbon capture technologies. North Dakota and South Korean officials signed a memorandum of understanding during North Dakota’s trade mission to South Korea. Their goal is to be carbon neutral by 2030, in part through carbon capture, utilization and storage. One of North Dakota’s largest manufacturers, Fargo-based Bobcat Co., is part of the South Korea-based Doosan Group.

  Missoula has been awarded over $130,000 of federal funding to “improve energy efficiency and meet the city’s climate goals.” Missoula city government wants to make its operations carbon neutral by 2025, and to require the broader community be carbon neutral by 2050. The funds will pay for staff to develop new voluntary construction codes for building projects that improve weatherization and electrification above state requirements.

  The North Dakota Aeronautics Commission (NDAC) has released its monthly report detailing airline passenger traffic at the state’s eight commercial service airports. With 98,371 passengers boarding flights within North Dakota this past month, it marks the busiest September on record, surpassing the previous high of 92,703 passengers set in September of 2014. The September 2024 figures reflect a year-over-year increase of 7,101 passengers, representing an 8% rise over September 2023. Additionally, this marks the fifth consecutive month of record-breaking passenger numbers for the state. 

  Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks (FWP) Region 7 staff is increasing public access at the Isaac Homestead Wildlife Management Area (WMA) in Hysham. The WMA was purchased by FWP in 1969 and was recently expanded with a purchase of a 414-acre parcel, totaling to 1,532 acres of native wildlife habitat and cultivated farm ground. The Montana Outdoor Legacy Foundation (MOLF), acting as Trust Manager for the Montana Fish and Wildlife Conservation Trust has finalized the sale of a 414-acre tract to FWP from the Lackman Family. The acquisition is located between the two existing units of the Isaac Homestead WMA, connecting the east and west portions and providing the only land-based access to the Yellowstone River.

  Montana Knife Manufacturing in Missoula is building a $18 million, two-story, 50,000-square-foot facility that the owner says will eventually house 150-200 employees. Co-founded  in a garage just four years ago, by Josh Smith and Brandon Horoho, the new state-of-the-art facility will include corporate offices, a coffee shop, and a viewing area to observe the knife-making process. They manufacture knives for various purposes, including hunting, professional cooking, and tactical use for law enforcement and the military.

  Enrollment at the University of Montana jumped nearly 6% this fall. When including Missoula College, total enrollment at UM increased nearly 5%, marking the largest year-over-year jump in 15 years. In total, the university has 484 more students enrolled this fall when compared to last year, bringing total enrollment to 10,811.

• Montana Highlights October 15, 2024 +

  As of June, Forever French, a baby and lifestyle brand owned by Chantelle French of Arizona, now has roots in Kalispell, offering the local community a boutique children’s and lifestyle store. Forever French began as an online business in 2019 after Chantelle French received her daughter’s autism diagnosis. Inspired by the beauty and resilience of her daughter, French began selling the store’s iconic soft, stretchy and breathable fabrics from her home in Arizona. Over time, the brand grew. In 2021, French opened her first physical store in Gilbert, Arizona. Then Arcadia, Arizona followed suit with a new storefront in July of 2023. Kalispell.

  The Sidney-Richland Regional Airport will receive $3.1 million in funding to help repave and repair its runway. The funding, which totals $3,3134,500, will be used for a project involving milling the runways and resealing them. The construction will take place until next summer.

  The City of Glasgow has decided to return part of the downtown parking to angle-in parking. Angle parking will be implemented on the south side of 2nd Ave. S., and the east side of 3rd St. S. The other side of the street will remain parallel parking. This project will increase available parking in downtown Glasgow by 20 to 30 percent. The project was awarded to LSC, Inc., in the amount of $27,850.80.

  Plum Creek Timber Company opened a fiberboard plant in Columbia Falls in 1974. The plant cost Plum Creek, which was spun off from a division of Burlington Northern Railroad, $10.5 million and was expected to utilize 108,000 tons of wood waste annually. The initial plant was expected to produce about 70 million square feet of fiberboard a year and would employ about 115 workers.

  Alliance for the Wild Rockies has announced its intent to sue the U.S. Forest Service over potential impacts to endangered species in the area of the Gold Butterfly Project located in the Sapphire Mountains. The Gold Butterfly project aims to harvest, thin, and prescribe burn forest stands to improve resilience to insects, disease, and wildfire and restore the fire return intervals.

  The new Town Pump has opened recently on Huffine Lane outside of Bozeman. It is the largest of the businesses 200 plus locations in the state. The store offers the usual items besides fuel – beer cave, coffee, casino, sports bar and liquor store. 

  Celebrated rodeo entertainer Flint Rasmussen will be among rodeo greats inducted into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame in November. The award tradition will continue as rodeo icons are recognized at the Rodeo Hall of Fame Weekend at The National Cowboy Museum on Nov. 8-9. Rasmussen grew up in Choteau, where he was an all-state football and track star in high school.

  The one-year anniversary of one of the largest structure fires in downtown Glendive anticipates the pile of rubble that was once the Jordan Inn is set to be cleared. The cleanup of the property at the corner of Merrill Avenue and Benham Street will begin Sept. 30, funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The cleanup effort will also include debris from the adjacent lot where the former Rose Theatre once stood.

  The Wallace Works project is located at Wallace Avenue and Tamarack Street in Bozeman The developers got a boost recently when city commission planners voted to approve an urban renewal plan that will reimburse the developers for $2 million in taxes.

  The U.S. Department of Transportation has approved the Essential Air Service proposal that provides  subsidies to SkyWest airlines to provide daily flights to and from Salt Lake City and Denver into Butte.

  The United States Supreme Court will not hear an emergency appeal effort by power plant owners and utility companies that requested the high court to halt new pollution rules set out by the Biden administration and the Environmental Protection Agency.

  The Miles City Parks Initiative is searching available options for a more sustainable way to maintain public spaces in and around Miles City. Funds for parks projects are often being redirected to fill in gaps in other general fund areas, such as police or fire.

  Montana will raise the minimum wage by 2.53%. The minimum wage will be $10.55 starting January 1, 2025. In 2023, the industry with the largest number of workers earning minimum wage was the accommodations and food services industry.

  Recently the Carbon County Planning Board approved a Development Permit for Croell, Inc., to establish a Concrete Batch Plant in Carbon County. the permit was approved with conditions by the Carbon County Planning Board acting as the County Zoning Board.

  Montana State University officials have acknowledged that the university’s online learning platform, Desire2Learn (D2L), allows  the faculty to monitor student activity and potentially track their locations using their Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. IP addresses can be used to determine approximate user location such as city and zipcode.

  Kalispell-based Mann Mortgage, operating as a family-owned business, has announced a deal to merge with a national lending company. The business will merge with Synergy One Lending of California.

  Cousins Pub has the goal of being a welcoming door to walk through. Cous ins opened recently on  East Main Street in Bozeman.

  A group of local, state and nonprofit entities is several years and millions of dollars into a project to clean up and redevelop the 180-acre railyard in Harlowton. The coalition plans to transform the land into a recreation area with trails, campgrounds and fishing access on the Musselshell River.

  Rock Creek Resort, in Red Lodge is set to reopen next summer. The property, was sold in April to RCR Holdings, LLC., which includes David and Simona Krug of Krug Development and Daniel Cauley. Columbia Hospitality is acting as the hotel operator. Plans also include bringing the ballroom and the swimming pool closer to the creek experience by updating the windows in the ballroom and swimming pool and installing an outdoor hot tub.

  The City of Miles City has adopted its budget for Fiscal Year 2025. The City is preparing for the impacts of significant cuts it had to make. When approved during a special meeting of the city council the budget for the next fiscal year included cutting three positions in the Miles City Police Department and three more in the Fire and Ambulance Department. Chief of Police Doug Columbik provided a statement in which he warned that demand for his department’s service are outpacing the city’s ability to provide them.

  Chanelle Hayden has recently promoted to Operations Officer for Stockman Bank in Sidney. Her responsibilities include supervising all operations-related functions for Stockman Bank Sidney. Hayden has been with Stockman Bank since 2014, starting as a CSR and most recently serving as Teller Supervisor.

  Misty Anderson has been promoted to Eastern Montana Cash Management Officer for Stockman Bank, Sidney. Her responsibilities include providing assistance to customers and continuing development of Stockman Bank’s eBiz/cash management online banking services.

  The North Dakota Public Service Commission has approved a Certificate of Site Compatibility for Calgary, Alberta-based Cerilon Inc. to house its future gas-to-liquids (GTL) facility location southwest of Williston. The press release states the project will include two GTL facilities on the same site. Each facility will be capable of converting 240 million standard cubic feet per day of natural gas to 24,000 barrels per day of liquid hydrocarbon products. It will also generate electric power as a secondary benefit.

  The excitement with which Big Sky has greeted a report about more flights out of Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is an indication of why there is such an emphasize on improving connectivity for Bozeman – it’s called skiing.  The airport will offer flights to Washington, D.C. , on Saturdays, flights to Boston and New York Friday through Sunday and flights to Boise all week. The flights to Boise will increase connectivity between California and the southwest through Alaska Airlines. There will also be flights from Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Dallas, Denver and Washington, D.C., that land in Bozeman before noon.

• Montana Highlights – September 15 2024 +

  The Montana Department of Corrections is considering a 90-bed prerelease facility in Kalispell. The center would be located on East Oregon Street at the former Greenwood Village Inn & Suites hotel. Prerelease centers are designed to assist offenders with their transition from a secure facility back into the community and provide an alternative to incarceration. The state has 10 such facilities..

  Seth Soley and the Hageness family have purchased Whitefish-based Rocky Mountain Transportation Company from Dale Duff. The company has grown from a taxi service  started in 1946 to offer additional services including a tow service, the only ambulance service in town, volunteer fire department trucks and interstate bus schedules. They also operate the shuttle up Big Mountain named the SNOW bus and private charters, shuttles around Glacier National Park and transfers from Glacier Park International, plus school bus contracts.

  United States Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts  may hold the fate of the Colstrip coal-fired power plant in his hands. Lawyers for Talen Montana and NorthWestern Energy, the owners of the power plant, have asked the Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court for temporary stay of two rules that owners of the plant say leave them with two terrible choices: Either invest $350 million in upgrades to the pollution controls, or shutter the plant, leaving power customers in Montana facing high energy rates or unreliable power. Colstrip’s owners warn that without a halt to the EPA’s rules, Colstrip will not have enough time to comply with the law; and, that even if Colstrip does agree to foot the $350 million in estimated upgrades, the company won’t have enough time to recoup the costs before the plant eventually ceases operation.

  United Airlines has announced a new seasonal flight between Bozeman Yellowstone (BZN) and Washington-Dulles International Airport. Flights will kick off Dec. 21 and run through March 29, according to BZN. United already offers daily service to Bozeman from Chicago-O’Hare, Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco, and Denver. The Bozeman airport has  released its winter schedule with seven airlines serving 20 destinations. That includes JetBlue Airways adding its premium JetBlue Mint service during weekend ski season flights to Bozeman-Yellowstone from Boston Logan International Airport and New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport.

  A victim of the 2022 Red Lodge flooding, Rocky Fork Inn, has been acquired by the City of Red Lodge and is set to be demolished this fall.

  With the start of fall there are many opportunities for travelers to explore Montana’s less visited communities and  events across the state. Events such as the Makoshika Music and Arts Festival (Sept. 14) in Glendive, the Music and Arts Festival (Sept. 14) in Boulder, Hi-Line Harvest Festival (Sept. 20-21) in Chester and Havre Festival Days (Sept. 20-22) in Havre are just a few of the possibilities. Other itinerary highlights include enjoying locally sourced burgers from local stops on the Visit Southeast Montana Burger Trail; viewing the fall colors on a scenic drive through the Seeley Swan Corridor; viewing some of the darkest skies and brightest stars in the lower 48 along Montana’s Trail to the Stars; and going back in time by embarking on a dinosaur dig or stopping in at a museum along the Montana Dinosaur Trail. 

  The Williams County Commission in North Dakota met recently to hear plans for a potential power plant project by Basin Electric Power Cooperative to be located in Williams County. A representative spoke to the board about the project and the company’s involvement in the region, which includes the Pioneer Generation Station  which is in the process of having more generators added to the site. Basin has donated approximately $25,000 to local charitable causes in Williams County.

  The National Weather Service in Bismarck has released projections for the upcoming winter season. Residents in the MonDak region can expect a colder winter than usual. The NWS released the report to give residents in the region an idea of what to expect as fall gives way to colder weather. One of the findings is that La Niña conditions are expected to emerge this fall and have a 74% chance of continuing through the winter. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), under La Niña conditions winter temperatures are warmer than normal in the southern continental United States and cooler than normal in the north

  Owners Ethan and Kayla Giles have returned to Teton County to raise their family and establish their business, EK Giles Electric. Ethan is a licensed master electrician with 20-plus years of experience in all aspects of electrical work. His experience ranges from large commercial projects to airfield/runway lighting to high-end residential. The new business is located at 10 Second Road NE. 

  Stillwater Christian School, Kalispell  marked a back-to-school open house by celebrating a $5 million donation for a building expansion from local businessman Paul Wachholz, a local real estate agent in Kalispell.

  Big Sky Economic Development is leading the charge to develop Coulson Park as a gateway park on the bank of the Yellowstone River, in selling raffle tickets to raise funds. The goal is to build a pump track at Coulson Park, as well as pursue five other projects in local parks. Raffle prizes include tickets and trips to sport events, gas for a year, a side of beef, etc. Tickets are $50 and only 2,000 tickets will be available. The drawing will be September 19. Call 869-8409, or email dianne@bigskyeda.org

  Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is recommending 48 fishing regulation changes this year ahead of a fall Fish and Wildlife Commission meeting. While most of the changes are aimed at simplifying regulations, there are a few significant changes that anglers could see for the 2024-25 season. Those changes include a single hook only restriction on the Flathead River, the removal of the west district northern pike standard limit and the ability to fillet a fish on the water. At its Oct. 10 meeting, the state Fish and Wildlife Commission is expected to vote on whether to accept, amend or reject the changes. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is accepting public comment on the proposals in anticipation of the meeting. 

  Stockman Bank has opened a new Hutton Ranch Bank location. The Hutton Branch is the Stockman Bank fifth Flathead Valley location. The bank offers new accounts, and loan products for commercial development, construction, real estate, agricultural and consumer lending. The branch also has a drive-up and ATM. Stockman Bank is Montana’s largest, family-owned, community bank, with locations across the state.

  Air Force officials at a recent town hall meeting in Lewiston could provide few details about the new plans for the Sentinel Missile project. The Sentinel program, designed to remove the aging Minute Man III missiles and replace them with the Sentinel missile. The project also includes updating silos and communications. The project exceeded its budget, which ballooned to an estimated $141 billion. That triggered a mandated review of the project. Lewistown will be the site of a workforce hub which house 2,500 to 3,000 construction staff and support personnel, although not all at the same time. Belt, Stanford, Denton, Judith Gap and Winifred will each have construction storage areas of 10 to 20 acres that will be in place for several years.

  Missoula County, recently held a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a new $13.5 million National Conservation Legacy Center. The two-story, 26,000-square-foot building will be constructed using mass timber at the museum’s 31-acre campus at 6305 Highway 10 West. The Center should be completed by late 2025.

  Two technology companies based in Missoula were named to Inc. Magazine’s list of the 5,000 fastest-growing private companies in America for 2024. Submittable, which provides a social impact platform for companies looking to do good and Pathlabs, which provides services to independent agencies, both ranked high on the prestigious list. According to the magazine, the rankings are based on a percentage of revenue growth from 2020 through 2023. To qualify, companies must have been founded and generating revenue by March 2020. Submittable reported an annual growth over three years of more than 370%. It was the fifth time the company has made the list.

• Montana Highlights August 15, 2024 +

  The Northern Lights Saloon in Polebridge proudly lacks cell service and Wi-Fi which creates more opportunities for patrons to connect with nature, music, and fellow diners. Catering to a wider variety of diets, the improved  menu features several fresh, wholesome, and vegetarian options such as the rainbow bowl which is comprised of avocado, roasted yams, peppers, and onions served over a bed of quinoa and black beans. Other touches at Northern Lights Saloon consist of made-in-house sauces and dressings, and locally sourced pulled pork.

  Crazy Mountain Whiskey LLC is bringing an aspect of their bourbon whiskey production to Big Timber. Owners of the bourbon whisky named Lazy K Bar, bought a property in Big Timber to bring parts of the business closer to the namesake. The whisky is named after the Lazy K Bar Ranch in Melville. Crazy Mountain Whiskey LLC launched Lazy K Bar Bourbon Whiskey in December, 2023. With plans to bring distilling operations to Montana, the owners hinted there is a possibility bottling and later distilling operations could come to Big Timber in the long-term.

  The new Albertsons store in Glasgow opened its doors to the public in late July 2024. The new store is located at 54151 US Highway 2 E. The grocery store was previously a Shopko store.

  Running a restaurant in the middle of nowhere is no easy feat, especially when the area runs on generators and solar energy. Home Ranch Bottoms is a quaint spot in Polebridge, offering quality food and drink, and aiming to be a cultural hub for music, comedy and art. According to the owners the menu is focused on simple food made thoughtfully, such as burgers, chicken, hot dogs and salads. In addition to the classic pub fare, the kitchen makes a bison chili bowl and bison nachos. Home Ranch Bottoms is open seasonally and is located at 8950 North Fork Road.

  New restaurant, Hugkan is now serving up Asian cuisine at 33 S. Willson in downtown Bozeman. The family owned-restaurant opened up three months ago after the owners and chefs moved to the area with family from the Southwestern United States. A trip to Bozeman sparked the idea for the move after his wife’s friend and Bozeman resident gave them a taste of the area.

  Montana Governor Greg Gianforte toured Tuscano Machine, a fabricator on Makers Way, in Big Timber recently. The visit was part of the governor’s fourth annual 56-County Tour and a larger effort to spotlight Montana small businesses. Tuscano Machine’s 14,000 square foot high-volume lathing and milling facility has nine employees to run the site. The Big Timber location operates leading-edge 3-D printing and other advanced additive manufacturing equipment, including Swiss lathes, mills, laser cutters, welders, markers and etchers.

  Glendive Chief of Police Jeremy Swisher is no longer receiving pay while on administrative leave after a unanimous vote of the Glendive City Council. Depending on the verdict of his upcoming trial, he could receive at least four months of back pay. During a brief discussion at a recent meeting of the Glendive City Council budget constraints as a factor in the decision to stop paying Swisher while on administrative leave. Swisher was placed on administrative leave by order of the Mayor and the council beginning on June 17 after being charged with three felonies.

  The new Dollar General store in Williston closed as quickly as it opened recently. The store, located at 302 Bean Drive, is contracted by Goodman Construction and was shuttered Aug. 2 by the Williston Building and Safety Department due to not yet passing its final city inspection. A sign on the front doors of the Dollar General explains the circumstances behind the closure. The store is located at the intersection of Bean Drive and East Broadway in eastern Williston.

  Property taxes will go up across Lake County in November due to a $3.8 million judgement levy passed last week by the county commissioners to help cover the costs of expanding and remodeling the jail. As part of the settlement in a class-action lawsuit brought by inmates, the county was ordered to add around 960 square feet of space to the jail and provide a secure outdoor recreation yard. The county has the authority to pass a three-year judgement levy, without voter approval, to pay for the improvements.

  The Montana Secretary of State’s office announced it is again waiving fees for Montana businesses. The 2025 Annual Report filing fees will be waived for all Montana businesses. This action will result in millions of dollars in savings. The fees also were waived in 2024, allowing businesses to file their reports at no extra expense.

  Wickens Salt Creek Ranch of Hilger has been selected as the recipient of the 2024 Montana Leopold Conservation Award. The award honors ranchers, farmers, and forestland owners who go above and beyond in the management of soil health, water quality, and wildlife habitat on working land. Wickens Salt Creek Ranch’s owners, Eric and Emma Wickens, will be presented with the award at the Montana Farm Bureau Annual Convention in November. They will receive $10,000 for being selected.

  After being closed for six years, one of the Choteau area’s best antique stores is reopening with a new name. Rose Clark’s “Country Rose” antique store and Big Sky Antiques are becoming just Big Sky Antiques. The grand opening of Big Sky Antiques was in early August. Big Sky Antiques is located at 850 Fifth Lane NW outside of Choteau. The store will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

  Remedial construction is underway at the Grove Gulch site off Lexington Avenue in Butte. Work at the site will include, among other things, a stormwater basin to help remove contaminated sediments from Grove Gulch Creek. Atlantic Richfield/BP presented it current remedial plan at an open house in Butte. The plan pinpointed two sites under consideration to receive Superfund-related wastes. The highlighted locations were the Berkeley Pit and a Shields Avenue site on property owned by Montana Resources.

  Upgrades are planned for Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport following the completion of an environmental assessment. The airport held an open house to inform the public and gather feedback on a proposed expansion project recently. The airport is undergoing an environmental assessment a federal evaluation of the potential environmental impacts of expansion and possible mitigation alternatives.

  New statistics from the Montana Department of Transportation show that ridership on Cape Air Airlines has increased this year compared to 2023. The number of passengers using Cape Air in Glasgow has increased 4.3 percent compared to last year.

  The Cottonwood Inn of Glasgow has recently celebrated its 40th Anniversary. Community members turned out for food and drinks, as well as fun and music to celebrate the achievement.

  A single-engine Cessna 182K Skylane crashed in the Scapegoat Wilderness near Augusta recently. The crash occurred as the plane was enroute to Great Falls. The three people onboard were killed. The plane had departed from Pullman-Moscow Regional Airport, Washington.

   Missoula County is asking voters to approve a mill levy that would raise about $1.8 million annually for public infrastructure. Missoula County commissioners approved placing a five-mill levy on the Nov. 5 general election ballot to help fund construction, repairs and maintenance of public roads, bridges and trails

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  Art Exhibit at Pictograph Caves

  Susan Nelson and Mana Lesman will hold an exhibit of their paintings “Pictograph Cave and Beyond” at Pictograph Cave State Park on August 29, 30, 31 and September 1, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm.  The park can be reached off I-90 East, Exit #452, turn right on Coburn Rd. just after exit. It is 3 1/2 miles to Pictograph Cave State Park.

• Montana Highlights August 1, 2024 +

  The University of Montana Medicine Residency Program has received $750,000 to expand its training site. It was one of 15 throughout the country to receive a subsidy to develop new residency programs in rural communities to address the need for physicians in rural communities. The three-year award will support the development of residency training sites in Butte and Helena, in partnership with St. James Hospital and Southwest Community Health Center in Butte and St. Peters Health and PureView Health Center in Helena.

  Nemont Telephone Cooperative, Inc. (Nemont) has sold its telecom properties in North Dakota to Northwest Communications Cooperative (NCC100%) fiber-to-the-home internet service and communications provider. Communities involved are Williston, Trenton, Fortuna, Ambrose, and East Westby.

  Gov. Greg Gianforte declared a disaster in Missoula and Mineral counties following a July 24 thunderstorm storm with high winds that toppled trees and downed power poles in the Missoula area, leaving many residents without power. Wind speeds of 81 mph, lightning, heavy rain, and gusts up to 109 mph – caused damages to power poles across western Montana leaving tens of thousands of customers of Missoula Electric and Northwestern Energy without power. The State of Montana will expend funds from the general fund to meet contingencies and needs arising from these conditions

  The U.S. Postal Service abruptly stopped air service in Montana last week even after Alpine Air, its air cargo contractor in the state, offered a roughly $3 million reduction in its contract. Alpine has worked with the Postal Service in Montana for some 35 years. Alpine Air anticipates having to look at layoffs in Montana. It employs 60 people in the state including 20 who have worked on the Postal Service contract. Two-day delivery will have to be obtained from companies other than the United Postal Service.

  Puget Sound Energy, a Seattle-area electricity provider has signed a 25-year power purchase agreement with Clearway Energy Group for a 315-megawatt wind farm under development in Wheatland and Meagher counties in Montana. The additional power buy will satisfy about 15% of what the Puget Sound Energy needs to meet Washington’s 2030 clean energy targets. Construction on the wind farm is expected to start in June 2026, and the project is slated to go online in 2028. Puget Sound Energy is als building a wind farm near Rapelje, about an hour west of Billings, that will generate 248 megawatts. The Beaver Creek wind project will help meet Washington’s clean-energy laws. a second phase of the project could add wind turbines in neighboring Sweet Grass County, complete with a a lithium-ion battery energy storage facility.

  Bridger Aerospace recently acquired Alabama-based FMS Aerospace in a $20.6 million deal. Sam Davis has become the interim CEO of Belgrade-based Bridger Aerospace.

  Montana-Dakota Utilities is requesting that the Montana Public Service Commission approve a natural gas rate increase of $9.4 million in annual revenues, which would increase the average residential customer’s annual bill by 16.4%.

  Justin and Kelsey Flake have recently taken on ownership of Sea Me Paddle. The business, under Tour Glacier, also offers a variety of tours in Glacier National Park and winter tours around the Flathead Valley. Since taking over, Justin and Kelsey have found that tourists enjoy the concierge experience and seeing sights as the locals do, so in addition to their outdoor adventures, the Flakes have started offering brewery and rodeo tours. 

  The Pickle Barrel is celebrating 50 years as a sandwich and pickles shop. Current owner Jenny O’Brien took over the Bozeman location in 2014. Over the years it has survived changes and even an explosion that caused the business to move to it’s current location, acroos the street from MSU.

  Miles City is currently attempting to remedy a budget shortfall of over $700,000 for Fiscal Year 2025. The preliminary budget information is warning officials to expect steep cuts to personnel and services that will likely need to be made to balance the budget. One update was delivered by Mayor Dwayne Andrews announcing that following a conversation with union leaders representing the city employees, the unions are willing to re-negotiate contracts to find a way to minimize the damage as much as possible.

  The Interim Transportation Committee of the Montana Legislature recently heard an update regarding cost estimates of the Federal Rail Administration’s Long-Distance Service Study for restoring passenger rail service across southern Montana. People associated with Big Sky Passenger Rail Authority presented updates to the Committee. The mission and goal are of seeing passenger rail service along the North Coast Hiawatha route restored to service southern Montana. The total estimated cost for restoration and operation of the North Coast Hiawatha route is approximately $3.9 billion.

  Last week film crews from America’s Best Restaurants will visit Outlaw’s Bar & Grill in Watford City and 3 Amigos Southwest Grill in Williston. The crew will highlight popular dishes and interview the respective owners. The episodes featuring these two restaurants will be aired at a later date on America’s Best Restaurants’ Facebook page and website. America’s Best Restaurants is a national media and marketing company focusing on bringing attention to local, independently owned restaurants.

  Connolly’s Nursery in Evergreen opened in April. The Nursery is located at 1654 Montana 35. From yellow to pink to green to white, everything that Connolly grows is made to grow in Montana. The business aims to provide quality plants for the Evergreen community and Northwest Montana in general.

  Hunter and Julie Nguyen have officially opened the doors to their nail salon AJ Nails in Evergreen. The couple says they are slowly growing their business after renovating the former restaurant location.

• Montana Highlights July 15, 2024 +

  Chef Andy Blanton has been selected to lead Flathead Valley Community College’s Culinary Institute. Blanton was the owner and executive chef at Cafe Kandahar on Big Mountain for many years. He left the restaurant business in June 2023. He will direct FVCC’s culinary program after the retirement of Chef Howard Karp. Karp assumed the executive chef role in 2012. 

  The Boys & Girls Club of Carbon County recently held a colorful carnival in Red Lodge to celebrate its 30th year. The Club’s development got started in 1993 when the Beartooth Front Forum organization was formed on the belief that when a community works together positive things happen. A committee recognized the need for a structured activities program and a place for kids to go to be safe, meet friends, and grow A year later and both the Boys & Girls Club of Red Lodge and the Beartooth Front were founded as a 501©(3) non-profits.

  Sacred Waters Brewing Company, entered several of its beers in the 2024 World Beer Cup competition also known as the “Olympics of Beer”. The company won a bronze medal in the “best chili beer” for its Lil Salmon Fire. Sacred Waters is now planning to increase its capacity to brew by adding 30 barrels, allowing it to take on new markets in Northwest Montana.

  A year after 10 Montana Rail link railcars plummeted into the Yellowstone near Reed Point, federal authorities have not released their findings on the cause of the crash. The accident sent close to 412,000 pounds of molten asphalt into the river. The Federal Railroad Administration stated  that the crash, which occurred on June 24, 2023, is still under investigation. A report Montana Rail Link provided to the FRA in the weeks after the accident says that a portion of its train derailed while crossing a bridge over the Yellowstone. Sixteen of the 35 rail cars derailed or were damaged in the incident

  A recent meeting of the City of Miles City’s Finance Committee turned solemn as the reality set in that significant budget cuts are going to have to be made. The Committee needs to deal with a large deficit. According to preliminary budget information, the city is anticipating a shortfall of approximately $560,000  of a projected $6 million budget. 

  The construction of a 74.5-megawatt solar energy generating facility west of Fairview –the Fairview I Solar Project has been announced. Other portions of the project components would include a 25-MW, four-hour battery storage initiative, overhead transmission line and internal access roads.”

  Gov. Greg Gianforte attended the ribbon cutting of a sanitation business in Belgrade. Big Sky Decon, in the process of changing its name from Kart Kleen, began working with Belgrade manufacturer Kevin Meyer, owner of MMC Inc. A new product for the Missoula-based company was delivered –their first coolant decontamination unit a wheeled cart that filters and disinfects manufacturing machinery coolant.

  A report from Headwaters Economics recently criticized overly cautious wildfire management strategies. The nonprofit research group argues that current approaches hinder communities’ ability to manage wildfires effectively, harming both natural environments and residents. The report points out that by balancing community protection, ecosystem health and maintaining resilient landscapes, communities can coexist more safely with wildfires while mitigating damage

  At a Red Lodge City Council meeting, Bone Daddy, the iconic emblem of the Beartooth Rally, informed the city that he is stepping down after this year’s 30th anniversary for health reasons.

  Beartooth Basin Summer Ski Area, the only strictly summer ski area in the nation, is being sold. For sale is spelled out in large red letters on the ski areas website over the top of a photo of the steep mountainside and its lift towers.

  Merry Piglets is now opened in Bozeman.  Merry Piglets was the first restaurant concept that Joe and Denise Rice, founders of the Blue Collar Restaurant Group, began with back in 1989 in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Since then the company has opened 13 restaurant locations with varying concepts, seven in Wyoming and six in Montana.

  Each year, Flathead Lake cherry growers produce between 2 million and 3 million pounds of the cherries. The Flathead cherries are valuable because they usually come later in the season than the huge crops from Washington State. Customers will generally pay a premium for those fresh cherries into late July and August. The Flathead cherry crop in western Montana was almost completely wiped out by a hard freeze in January 2024.

  Glacier Floral Design opened in downtown Columbia Falls recently. Glacier Floral Design is owned and operated by Alyx Wieringa and her family.

  Birch cafe is a blend of fast-casual comfort food; homemade sandwiches, baked goods, chocolates, coffees, teas and smoothies alongside a retail section for local art and goods. Owner Stephanie Meyers’s opened the business recently in Bigfork. The space on the second story  has a new kitchen, and bar.

  The Glasgow City Council voted recently to build a new skate park in Hoyt Park, where the new swimming pool is under construction.

  Gov. Greg Gianforte sent a letter to Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland and Bureau of Reclamation Commissioner Camille Touton requesting federal assistance in response to the St. Mary siphon failure. “The failure of the siphons not only flooded and damaged property in the immediate area but also jeopardizes drinking water for 14,000 Montanans and irrigation for over 18,000 water users,” Gov. Gianforte wrote. “The loss of over 121,000 acres of irrigatable land will be disastrous for Montana’s farmers and ranchers as well as Montana’s economy.”

  Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI)  announced the state secured a nearly $2 million investment to provide workforce retraining and support services for workers impacted by the closures of Pyramid Lumber in Seeley Lake and Roseburg Forest Products in Missoula.

   The City of Great Falls and Malmstrom AFB celebrated the opening of the Scheels Aim High Big Sky Aquatic and Recreation Center. The center features an 8 lane lap pool, recreation pool with water slide, lazy river, full court gym with basketball, volleyball and pickle ball, weight and cardio equipment, fitness rooms, party and programming spaces, and a lounge with fire place.

  3 Rivers Communications recently installed equipment to provide free Wi-Fi service to outdoor community spaces in Choteau and Fairfield. 3 Rivers Communications is a rural telecommunications cooperative, originally founded in 1953, with corporate headquarters in Fairfield and offices in Big Sky and Conrad. 3 Rivers offers broadband Internet, telephone and digital voice services.

  A Great Falls researcher at the Mclaughlin Research Institute has been awarded a more than $3.1 million grant to continue their study of Alzheimer’s disease. The McLaughlin Research Institute is a homegrown research center started by Dr. Tiffany Hensley-McBain which is considered among the finest. The grant is from the National Institutes of Health. Hensley-McBain who is an Assistant Professor at MRI and the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine-Montana.

  Bob Quinn has opened the Quinn Institute in Big Sandy,  a new research facility dedicated to promoting more sustainable ways to farm, cook, and live and to network with other producers and processors dedicated to this vision. 

  To make sure it’s done right, the Montana State University Extension’s Local Government Center will provide support to the 43 municipalities and 12 counties in Montana that are participating in the decennial local government review. The Center will provide training for study commissioners, including a July 24 online training, and guide municipalities and counties through the process.

• Montana Highlights July 1 2024 +

  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. 

• Montanan Highlights May 15 2024 +

  Water’s Edge Winery owner Angela Zuba was elated when she was contacted by producers of “America’s Best Restaurants.” The show highlights eateries and bars all across the country. Zuba and her husband Trevor opened Water’s Edge Winery in 2020, the franchise has 11 locations throughout the United States. The business is known for its large wine menu and made-in-house blends. All their wines are made on location, using grape varieties from all over the world.  

  Enrollment data released recently from the Office of Public Instruction shows an increase in students seeking private or homeschooled instruction. There is also been a decrease in public school enrollment for the 2023-2024 school year. Public K-12 students decreased by 1,988 students, or 1.3%, this year and the nonpublic enrollee population grew by 403 students or 2.4%.

  A German-inspired restaurant called Gute Laune has opened 10 W. Main St. of the Rialto. “Gute Laune” means “good spirits” or good mood in German. All of the meat is sourced from Montana. The baked goods are made in Bozeman.

  Independence Bank recently promoted Lacy Farmer to finance officer/executive assistant at the Havre Branch. Farmer started at the bank as an executive assistant in 2018. In her new role, she is responsible for ensuring the accuracy of all financial matters related to the organization are handled in a responsible and legal manner.

  The Sidney Sugars Incorporated sugar beet plant is closed, but its history isn’t going away any time soon. Thanks to the MonDak Heritage Center and a grant from The Foundation for Montana History the history of plant is being preserved. They’re looking to find at least 10 people to interview, including former employees and beet farmers connected to the plant. The histories will be recorded and transcribed, then housed at the MonDak Heritage Center.

  The Northwest Agricultural Research Center is celebrating its 75th year. A field station for Montana State University’s College of Agriculture, the center conducts crop science research. Originally established as the Northwestern Montana Branch Station, the station is one of seven scattered throughout the state operating under the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station system. It was established to conduct agricultural research for producers in the Flathead Valley.

  Hess Pipelines of Minot ND has requested a subdivision be created to include two lots, one approximately 50 acres and another approximately 178.28 acres. Hess wanted to change the zoning of the 50-acre lot from Agricultural to Heavy Industrial. Hess plans to use the new zone to construct a compressor station facility. The plant would create 51 million standard cubic feet per day of compression capacity.

  Independence Bank, Havre, recently promoted Mason Sheppard to assistant vice president of lending. Sheppard came to the bank in 2015 as a credit analyst and was later promoted to loan officer. In 2021, Mason became manager of credit analyst department and in 2022 took on the supervision of the ag/commercial lending staff.in Havre. In 2023 Mason became a senior Loan Officer.

  Representatives from the Big Sky Rail Authority updated the Transportation Interim Committee of the Montana Legislature after Secretary Buttigieg visited the Treasure State.  Big Sky Rail Authority has identified a federal rail study with two long-distance routes through Montana, an east-west line connecting Seattle to Chicago and a north-south line to Billings.

  Atlantic Richfield, under the direction of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has begun yard cleanups in the community of Black Eagle to address lead and arsenic-affected soils resulting from 80 years of smelting activities at the former ACM Smelter and Refinery. The cleanups are anticipated to take two summers to complete. Lead- and arsenic-affected soils will be removed and replaced with clean topsoil and groundcover consistent with landscape material present in the yard pre-cleanup.

  At least 15 staff members of Billings Clinic Bozeman have been laid off from positions that range from advanced practice providers, to leadership and support staff. Some of the cuts included physicians whose contracts will not be renewed when they expire over the next 60 to 180 days. Areas affected at the Bozeman campus include urgent care, behavioral health, ophthalmology, pediatric cardiology, general surgery, neurology and urology.

  The Butte Central Maroons will continue to compete in Class A, at least for the next two years. Despite enrollment lower than most Class B schools, Butte Central petitioned the Montana High School Association Executive Board to remain a Class B school. The board discusses reclassification every other year at its April meeting.

  John Mercer will replace outgoing District Court Judge Kim Christopher in the 20th Judicial District, which covers Lake and Sanders counties. Mercer is a 1979 graduate of the University of Montana and got his law degree at Northwestern University School of Law in 1982.

  The Great Falls Development Alliance and the Economic Development Authority in Lethbridge, Alberta have signed a Memorandum of Understanding between the two communities to plan for greater cross-border cooperation that will raise awareness of the region, ease the experience of companies looking to start, expand or relocate on either side of the border, and to attract investment to our region- especially in the world of food, ag and bio processing.

  Cottonwood Environmental Law in Bozeman is threatening to “go after the state” for not protecting the environment. The nonprofit law firm won a lawsuit last fall challenging House Bill 407, which prevented residents from passing local ballot initiatives. Winning that law suit allows them to submit a petition to the elections office for a plastic ordinance that would prevent retailers and food vendors from using polystyrene foam packaging and providing customers with single-use plastic bags. They report they have similar plans for ordinances in Billings and Missoula.

  As teachers in Gardiner are retiring, the community is looking at a need to build more housing to attract new teachers. New condos are being built in a $2 million project.  In addition, Yellowstone National Park was recently awarded $40 million for housing, and HRDC is planning to develop 30 units in Gardiner, on Jardine Road, bringing the promise of more families, including teachers, and the housing to support them.

  Wyoming dropped two spots in this year’s economic outlook ranking in the “Rich States, Poor States” report from American Legislative Exchange Council, but still remains in the top 10. The Cowboy State came in at 8th best for economic outlook in the report, which is in its 17th edition. The state is 44th when it comes to economic performance. Economist Jonathan Williams, one of three co-authors of the report, says it does not hurt being the only state in the region outside of South Dakota that avoids both a personal and a corporate income tax.

  A new flight is taking off from Glacier Park International Airport in Kalispell. Avelo Airlines is now offering nonstop flights between Kalispell and the Bay Area’s Sonoma County Airport on Wednesdays and Saturdays. This is the second non-stop flight for the airline out of GPIA. Avelo also has direct flights to Burbank on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

  As growth in the Flathead Valley continues to slow following the pandemic-fueled spike in 2021, development and tourism demand is leveling off, city officials in Kalispell, Whitefish and Columbia Falls said at the Kalispell Chamber Tof Commerce Growth Summit. the number of building permits issued has dropped off significantly since peaking three years ago even as housing and transportation remain their top priorities. In Kalispell, more than 1,000 new housing units have come online in the last few years and multifamily development interest has started to taper off while single-family permits are seeing a resurgence. Tourism is also slowing in Whitefish compared to the peak in 2021. The decline is reflective in resort tax revenue. “Growth is much slower than we thought. They had anticipated a 2.5% rate of increase, but most recent data was 1.3% .

• Montana Highlights April 15, 2024 +

  A new rest area off of Interstate 90 opened recently, one year after it was originally suppose to open. The Headwaters Rest Area in Three Forks is near U.S. Highway 287 and the Bridger Brewing Facility. It was built by a local developer, who constructed the new rest stop facility in exchange for acquiring the old rest area property off of North 19th Avenue in Bozeman.

  Recently two sections of road in Yellowstone National Park have opened to non-motorized vehicles. Since last week 49 miles of U.S. Highway 89 have been available for cyclists, providing paved recreational opportunities from the West Entrance to Mammoth Hot Springs with travel thru Madison and Norris Junctions.

  The operators of the Séliš Ksanka QÍispé Dam got the go-ahead in last month to keep more water in Flathead Lake this spring. This is an effort to avoid a repeat of last summer’s low water levels. Energy Keepers, Inc., the company that oversees the dam on the south end of Flathead Lake, had previously petitioned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deviate from the lake’s Flood Risk Management Plan. While the lake is usually lowered to make room for spring runoff, the Corps determined that the risk of flooding is minimal, according to Energy Keepers.

  Glacier National Park officials expect construction on the Going-to-the-Sun Road and the Upper McDonald Creek Bridge to end this year. Other projects, like water infrastructure and road improvements in the Swiftcurrent developed area will be beginning. New construction projects slated for 2024 include the installation of fiber optic lines, the rehabilitation of roads near park headquarters and a dust mitigation treatment in Many Glacier. Park officials One of the largest upcoming projects includes the construction on the Swiftcurrent Water Distribution System and road rehabilitation, which will begin after the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, Many Glacier Hotel and Many Glacier Campground close for the 2024 season.

  Dozens of people showed up to a Bozeman city commission meeting recently to push the city to stop a development proposed for the city’s midtown area. The “Guthrie” building is proposed for the corner of North 5th Avenue and Villard Street. Developers HomeBase Partners are proposing to build a five-story, 111-unit building that will include half of the units as affordable housing. The units will be a mix of one-bedroom and studio apartments, and the half affordable units will be restricted to 80% of area median income, which in 2023 numbers is an income of $67,350 for a two-person household.

  The escalation of extreme wildfires has prompted a critical examination of wildfire management strategies. A new study from the University of Montana reveals how fire suppression ensures that wildfires will burn under extreme conditions at high severity, exacerbating the impacts of climate change and fuel accumulation. The study used computer simulations to show that attempting to suppress all wildfires results in fires burning with more severe ecological impacts.

  Starting in November, anglers will be able to fish year-round in stretches of two rivers close to the Yellowstone National Park gates in both West Yellowstone and Gardiner.Fishing access is only currently allowed in all areas of the park from the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend – May 25 this year – through Oct. 31 each year. Under the new regulations, anglers will be able to fish the Madison River from the Montana-Wyoming border to the park boundary near Yellowstone’s west entrance in West Yellowstone, as well as on the Gardner River from Osprey Falls downstream to where the river meets the Yellowstone River near Gardiner. Beginning in 2025, an annual fishing permit for the park will be valid Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. The rest of the park will still only allow fishing from Saturday of Memorial Day weekend 25 through Oct. 31.

  Last month, the Lake County commissioners petitioned the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission about “a real and dangerous public safety threat” due to the “dangerously low level of Flathead lake during western Montana’s wildfire season.” The commissioners blamed Energy Keepers Inc., which operates the Seliš Ksanka Qispe (SKQ) Dam at the foot of Flathead Lake. Energy Keepers responded  that “quite simply, the county’s petition is nothing more than an effort to ensure a constant summer lake level to benefit a small group of lakefront dock owners.

  As part of a nationwide program, MAP Brewing of Bozeman has partnered with the Gallatin Watershed Council to create the Earth to Beer Hoppy Blonde Ale. Earth to Beer seeks to inspire breweries to support environmentally conscious producers and suppliers, build relationships between breweries and local environmental nonprofits and financially support the nonprofits.

  Watts and Kennedy Farmers Union Insurance of Miles City has moved its office location to 2610 Main Street. Watts and Kennedy had been in their previous location for nearly 30 years, purchasing the building in 1997.

  Montana State University plans to break ground soon on a new building for its computer science programs. The university will fund the construction of Gianforte Hall using a $50 million donation from the Gianforte Family Foundation. Gov. Greg Gianforte will be at the ceremony from 2 to 3:30 p.m. on April 17. The event will be on the planned site for the new building next to Norm Asbjornson Hall and the campus parking garage.

  Dave Pike purchased the Tupelo Grille in Whitefish last fall from Pat Carloss. The restaurant then closed for renovations. The newly remodeled business opened in mid-February. The kitchen was the focus of the renovation, but the work extended into the restaurant. The menu remains virtually the same.

  Amazon opened is first logistics facility in Montana, at a ceremonial ribbon-cutting with Gov. Greg Gianforte and Missoula County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier. The 71,000-square-foot building is northeast of the Wye, where U.S. Highway 93 splits off of Interstate 90 enroute to Kalispell. Amazon has hired about 100 employees, not counting delivery drivers who work for independent contractors. It will process and between 6,500 and 7,000 packages a day with capacity to expand.

  A new Chipotle restaurant will open on the west side of Bozeman, at the intersection of Cottonwood Road and Oak Street at the Northwest Crossing Development. It will feature a new concept called  “Chipotlane”—which allows people to order their food through the app and pick it up at the restaurant.

• Montana Highlights January 15, 2024 +

  Nelson’s Ace Hardware of Whitefish is celebrating 75 years in business. The family broke ground for a new location in July 2018 and opened the doors in March 2019 on US Highway 93. Ace Handyman is a new service that began operating in October.

  The Lucia de Brito Franco Art Gallery has opened in Columbia Falls. The Gallery is located at 638 Nucleus Avenue, Suite 103. It contains the works of de Brito Franco but also that of local artists. De Brito Franco has displayed work in Portugal, the Azores and Switzerland.

  Café Zydeco is for sale as its owner looks to move on from his 25-year career at the restaurant. Listed for sale last spring the cafe’s owners hope to sell the property and the business for close to $3 million. Café Zydeco’s menu features a variety of Cajun-style items.

  NorthWestern Energy customers will see rate increases in January. Montana’s Public Service Commission voted unanimously to allow NorthWestern the opportunity to recover $2.9 million under terms approved by commissioners last fall. At issue is the $208 million base cost used to determine whether customers have paid too much, or too little for power over the previous year.

  Restaurateurs Shadd and Amanda Cullinan have finalized the purchase of Sidney’s Rodiron Grill at 520 N. Central Ave., completing the sale on Dec. 14. Soon thereafter the crowds formed a line waiting in anticipation of trying restaurant’s menu. Renamed Saloon 27, owner Shadd Cullinan, expects to supply great service with quality food.

  Williston Basin International Airport has recorded an almost 32% increase in boardings during last month compared to a year ago. According to statistics provided by the North Dakota Aeronautics Commission, the airport saw 8,461 enplanes in November 2023, up 2,041 passengers from the 6,420 enplanements recorded in November 2022. 8,030 passengers deplaned up from the 6,011 number of passengers who deplaned in November 2022.

  After years of new arrivals swelling Montana’s population and straining its housing supply, new data released recently by the U.S. Census Bureau indicates that the volume of net migration into the state has declined. As of July 1, 2023, the agency estimates Montana had 1,132,800 residents. That’s about 9,900 more than a year prior, or a 0.9% increase. Data published by the Census Bureau estimates that, as of July 2023, Montana had about 527,800 housing units — one potential home for every 2.1 residents. Since the 2020 census, however, the agency’s figures indicate Montana’s housing supply has grown by a comparatively slim 13,000 units, adding only one home for every 3.7 residents of population growth.

  The Teton Airport Commission has signed a five-year lease with Scapegoat Aviation L.L.C. of Choteau to operate a fixed-base operation at the Choteau airport. Scapegoat Aviation’s owners are Ben and Chrissy Hodgskiss and Bill and Heather Hodgskiss. Scapegoat Aviation approached the Airport Commission last fall with a proposal to lease property at the airport for the operation of an aviation-based business that will provide initially jet fuel and aviation fuel sales, hangar and ramp rental.

  A ballot initiative to change how elections are won in Montana to a majority vote system is a step closer to appearing on the ballot. Legislators took a 9-1 vote to support the proposed change in a special State Administration and Veterans’ Affairs Interim Committee meeting. Proponents now need to gather enough signatures for the issue to go to the voters this November. Some committee members expressed concern about what they see as lack of clarity in some of the definitions– including to which elections this Constitutional amendment would apply.

  The Heart Butte School Board is set to terminate 31 staff members at an upcoming meeting next week likely in order to cut district costs. The board will also decide whether to accept five resignations. Terminations include 11 teacher’s assistants, two mental health professionals, a substitute art teacher, the sub-administrative secretary, a truancy officer and 15 custodial, maintenance and kitchen staff members. Resignations include two teachers, the athletic director, a truancy officer and Augare.

  Starting Feb. 5, the U.S. Postal Service will be delivering the Great Falls Tribune as part of an effort to improve delivery consistency and optimize resources amid ongoing labor challenges, fluctuating fuel prices, competition for workers from door-to-door delivery services and increasing digital demand. The Great Falls Tribune will continue its coverage of local news, high school sports and other issues of interest to Cascade County readers from our journalists based in Great Falls and state partners.

  According to a press release from the Williston Fire Department, they received an initial report of an explosion at a site with multiple injuries and dispatched at 6:11 p.m. The site was located southeast of 13 Mile Corner at the intersection of 131st Avenue NW and 62nd Street NW. The fire department responded to the scene. There, it was determined there were five workers present, with three sustaining injuries. The three injured parties sustained burns and were transferred by fixed-wing air medical services to Swedish Medical Center in Aurora, Colorado.

  Hoping to preserve dwindling native bull trout populations, state wildlife officials are looking to remove lake trout from Swan Lake. Bull trout, which are native to the valley, have struggled since the introduction of invasive species like lake trout, rainbow trout and mysis shrimp in the region. The decision to develop a plan to remove lake trout came after state biologists observed a historically low number of bull trout redds, or spawning nests, in the Swan’s watershed system in 2023. The first step, which residents can comment on until Jan. 23, requires seeking the Fish and Wildlife Commission’s permission to initiate a public MEPA process where the removal of lake trout from Swan Lake will be evaluated.

  According to Coal Zoom, Federal mine regulators have rejected a “citizen’s complaint” concerning state regulation of the Signal Peak Energy’s Bull Mountain Mine near Roundup. The complaint is a request for intervention, filed by Northern Plains Resource Council, Moms Clean Air Force, Montana Environmental Information Center, 350 Montana, Citizens for Clean Energy, Families for a Livable Climate, Montana Health Professionals, Sierra Club and WildEarth Guardians. The groups asked the OSM to inspect the mine or require DEQ to open the mine to public inspections.

  Talks of consolidating Glendive City Court with the Dawson County Justice of the Peace have entered the sphere of the Dawson County Commission, as Mayor Deb Dion was present at its first meeting of 2024 to provide information regarding the effort. According to Dion, consolidating the courts and authorizing Justice of the Peace Stacey Nerison to preside over all respective hearings is one way the City of Glendive and Dawson County could potentially save money and resources. The idea to consolidate courts was first introduced by Dion during the meeting of the City of Glendive’s Ordinance Committee on Dec. 20, where she explained reasons for considering a consolidation of courts stem from a need to free up funds for better animal control in Glendive, at least within the city’s limits.

  A low snow year is impacting local businesses and tourism to Yellowstone National Park, with the park temporarily barring some roads to snowmobile travel due to the lack of snow. The park’s winter season kicked off on Dec. 15 with a limited coating of snow on the roads but still enough to allow for snowmobile travel. But on Dec. 27, the park closed roads in the west side of the park to snowmobiling, specifically the popular 30-mile route from West Yellowstone to Old Faithful.

  Take 5 Oil Change has opened at 52 N. Main St. in Kalispell. The opening marks the first of eight planned stores within Montana, currently making Last Best Oil Change, LLC the exclusive operator of Take 5 Oil Change garages in the Treasure State. 

  With a new $26.7 million grant from the U.S. Air Force, Montana State University will establish a facility with the mission of moving advanced quantum technology applications in cybersecurity, communications technology and national defense from concept and testing to market. The 20-month grant from the Air Force Research Laboratory in Rome, New York, will support MSU’s Applied Quantum CORE facility, to be located within the INDUSTRY Bozeman building, which is currently under construction. The grant funding will purchase equipment to test prototype quantum components in the extremely cold environments in which they operate.

  Construction of the Great Falls Civic Center is nearly finished, following three years of construction. The original infrastructure was built in the 1930s and a recent $5.7 mil investment will help preserve the civic center for decades to come, say officials.