Archive: March 2025

Another Shot

21 March 2025
Dennis Pyburn
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By Evelyn Pyburn

Unleashing the American citizen — that’s what Trump is doing.

It’s the act that built America — allowing citizens to pursue their own happiness, dreams and ambitions. How some of Trump’s actions will impact our economy and relations with other nations may not be readily evident, but the fact is it cannot be worse than the smothering of citizens by government debt and regulations that inhibit the glorious ability of average everyday citizens to do great things.

President Trump and his cabinet picks are making the news absolutely entertaining. His forthrightness about what he thinks and how he says it, is startlingly refreshing – as compared to the banal political clichéd comments we are all so used to hearing. He subtly reveals how much politicians from both sides of the aisle have systematically deceived us about what was going on behind closed doors for decades and perhaps a century. He speaks clearly and bluntly, and amazingly the world does not end – and only a few citizens become apoplectic “clutching their beads” —- and more than a few politicians.

We are truly living in an exciting era of history. It is exciting because it appears to be the next gigantic step in the process of advancing civilization – and this isn’t really the most exciting part of it – that is yet to come. All Trump and the legions of people who voted for him are doing right now is removing the shackles that has restrained the ingenuity and ambition of the common man – not just in the US but for people around the world. What every day people will be able to do with that freedom – THAT will be the really exciting part.

There is no doubt that the citizens of other countries want their freedom just as much as do we in the US. Their points of view do not make the headlines but they are there, observing and rooting for us. Those who expressed empathy with illegal immigrants crossing our southern border, contending they were seeking freedom were not incorrect. While that was a huge aspect of what was happening — which was rigorously and studiously avoided by our own media — it is blatant evidence that most people want freedom. But, all freedom- seeking peoples can’t just come to the US – they have to fight for it in their own countries. So be assured that they are taking notes on what is happening here. And, be assured that their dictatorial, collectivist autocrats are well aware of that, worried as they are about what their citizens will do. It is primarily why they too hate Trump and are currently shaking in their boots. Even in countries like China or Iran this is happening.

President Trump is going to go down in history not just as the greatest president in the US, but the greatest leader ever. He is that because he respects the common man. We are on the precipice of the second Revolution for freedom for the common man — the first having been that of George Washington and that era of founders. They respected the common man and their rights — and not just for the colonists. Their rejection of tyranny was “the shot heardaround the world” because it was an awakening for the commoners around the world.

Trump’s election is the second shot heard round the world.

Wolves, Hyenas and Legislators Run in Packs

18 March 2025
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By Roger Koopman

At an early age, we taught our kids to learn from others and to think for themselves.  I still remember telling one child, “Truth doesn’t fly in flocks.  You need to seek and find it on your own.  And never be afraid to test and re-examine what you believe is true.  Belief has no value if you close your mind to the ideas and arguments of others.  Living in truth involves not only faith, but also the courage to think for yourself.”

Unthinking animals either herd up for security, or run in packs to pull other creatures down.  Politicians do both.  In the worst example I have seen in 48 years in Montana, the cowardly pack mentality has been on full display in the sixty-nineth session of the Montana State Legislature. 

Most of us are aware by now of the hostile takeover of the Montana State Senate by a coalition of every Democrat plus a wolf pack of liberal Republicans, who locked claws on vote after vote to deliver a functional majority for the Democratic Party.  At one point, twenty separate pro-Democrat floor votes were recorded, all by 27-23 margins – an impressive show of Pack Power over their own Republican leadership.  The nine GOP deserters are senators Vance, Gillespie, Kassmier, Lammers, Loge, McKamey, Tempel, Hunter and Ellsworth.

First, the Pack held the Senate hostage for many days, eventually forcing leadership to change its own rules so that liberal Republicans could be inserted onto key committees to shift committee control. 

Then came the Jason Ellsworth affair.  Sen. Ellsworth was caught arranging a sweetheart contract for a buddy of his by quietly diverting, at the last moment, over $170,000  from the unspent budget of the Judicial Reform Interim Committee, over the objections of its members. The project made no sense and would be performed from the friend’s home.  When discovered, auditors were shocked, and the Senate Ethics Committee began an investigation, as was its constitutional duty.  But the nine-member GOP wolf pack again locked arms with the Democrats and stopped the investigation in its tracks – thus assuring that the liberal Ellsworth would remain in the Senate for the entire session, doing the Democrats’ bidding.

Other reports of Ellsworth throwing his political weight around started coming out.  Clearly, he should have resigned, but the “the Pack” continued to give him protective cover, and he remains there still – larger than life – seemingly incapable of shame or contrition. 

Meanwhile, the pack of nine went about doing exactly what groups like Montana Conservative Alliance have been warning about for many years — voting with the Democrat block and against limited government conservatives whenever key legislation comes up.  I call them Mutant Elephants: elephant bodies, donkey heads.   There they were for example, joining with the Democrats to pass massive Medicaid expansion welfare, and to defeat a bill providing work requirements.  (More than 6 out of 10 current recipients are able to work, but don’t.)

The state GOP publicly rebuked the nine Republican senators, but they missed the point.  This undermining of the conservative Republican cause has been going on for over 50 years, with this just being the most obvious, leadership-smashing example.  It’s really nothing new, but the media attention to the orchestrated aspect of this treachery is actually a good thing.  Maybe GOP voters will finally take notice. 

In a larger sense, what we have in our state legislature is a great many legislators who don’t read the bills, don’t read the fiscal notes, and don’t show any natural curiosity for ideas or constitutional principles.  They follow their leaders and their lobbyists and rarely do the work of a legislator or think for themselves.  The Democrats are the most obvious example – almost never having a party member show independence of thought.  It is, after all, easy to be a loyal Democrat.  All you need to do is want to grow government in every direction, deny the biology of gender, and make it easier to kill human babies.

But Republicans are supposed to be different.  Some are – and I acknowledge those men and women as great legislators.  Others are not.  They run with the pack, and fail to do the deliberative, investigative work of independent-thinking legislators.  They’ve put their own pride and positions above their constituents, and deserve to be sent packing.

Roger Koopman is president of Montana Conservative Alliance. He served four years in the Montana House of Representatives and eight years as a Montana Public Service commissioner. He operated a Bozeman small business for 37 years.

US Does Have Rare Earths

18 March 2025
Evelyn Pyburn
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That rare earth minerals are being found in the United States, which has to import most of its rare earth minerals from China, is exciting news. As reports begin to emerge about rare earth minerals discoveries in the US – such as that in Ravalli County, Montana – a question emerges about why the discoveries are coming only now.

For example, a report from Wyoming in Cowboy State Daily has announced that “The US could soon become a world leader in rare earth minerals after over two billion metric tons were found in Wyoming. The discovery could mean America over taking China, whose supplies stand at 44 million metric tons.”

Rare earth elements are a group of 17 elements that are essential for both domestic and for military technology.  They are used in the production of medical equipment, clean energy components, electric vehicles, electronics, and more. Demand for them is expected to explode in the near future. The US imports most of its needs for rare earths from China. Demand for the metals is expected to soar up to seven times current levels by 2040, according to the International Energy Agency.

Over the decades there was only one rare earth minerals mine, Mountain Pass in California, in the US and it was owned by the Chinese. How that came to be was a matter of little foresight and over regulation in the United States.

In a six-year report from Defense News, the lack of interest in pursuing more development in the US was made more clear.

Mountain Pass was opened as a uranium deposit, but came to supply rare earths for the electronic needs of the “Cold War economy.” Until the 1990s, it stood alone as the only major source of rare earths worldwide.

By 2002, the mine became defunct, because to the U.S. government and major manufacturers, it no longer made sense to acquire rare earths from a U.S. source that was subject to stringent environmental regulations. It made more sense to import the minerals needed from other countries.

China was happy to oblige.

In 2008, a group of investors formed Molycorp to reopen the Mountain Pass mine, with the intent of delivering a secure supply chain, but their plans failed and eventually the mine was purchased out of bankruptcy by a consortium that included a Chinese-owned firm.

The article stated, “Reducing red tape and bureaucratic inertia will lower costs and reduce risk — there is no reason that permitting a mine in the United States should take five times longer than it does in Canada or Australia.”

Since the prospects look brighter at the moment for development of rare earth mineral mines, with development of better technologies, more rational regulations and a profound interest from the US military and domestic markets, suddenly there emerges news that rare earth mining might indeed be possible in the US.

Just a couple weeks ago US Critical Materials announced that their find in a 50-year old abandoned mine at Sheep Creek in Ravalli County, Montana holds the highest reported grades of any known deposit in the United States, according to an independent analysis from Activation Labs. Besides having the highest reported grades of any known deposit in the United States, said Activation Labs, the mine has the highest concentrations of gallium—a material essential to national security.

Near Wheatland, Wyoming comes another announcement from American Rare Earths Inc. They claim that they may have “hit the mother load”, dwarfing another find in northeastern Wyoming, which was claimed to be “one of the biggest discoveries in the world.” American Rare Earths is the U.S.-based unit of an Australian-founded exploration company working in Wyoming.

Mining.com has ranked the Halleck Creek rare earths find as the fifth largest in the world outside of others discovered in Greenland, Canada and Kenya.

American Rare Earths wants to mine and process these metals – particularly neodymium and praseodymium – through its Wyoming Rare (USA) Inc. unit, which controls 367 mining claims on 6,320 acres of a mix of state, federal and private land across the Halleck Creek Project area near Wheatland, and four Wyoming mineral leases on  1,844 acres on the same project.

Worldwide rare earth mineral demand stands at about 60,000 tons annually. A metric ton equals about 2,200 pounds while a ton is 2,000 pounds.

Latest drilling revealed that the ore is more extensive and of higher quality, making it potentially even more valuable than anything else in the state,

The company said it could move more quickly to establish a mining operation on 320 acres of state land where permitting would happen at a faster clip than on federally owned land.

Also, in Wyoming, Rare Element Resources Ltd., a Canadian exploration company, is setting up shop on a large rare earth deposit in Upton, Wyoming, with a novel new mining process that promises to speed up rare earth processing. This is called the Bear Lodge Project. 

The Wyoming unit of Rare Element Resources, which controls 100% of the Bear Lodge mineral rights held through federal mining claims in Upton, is betting $44 million that its mining process is a game-changer for U.S. rare earth production. 

And still more — Ramaco Resources revealed it had found a deposit of rare minerals near Sheridan in Wyoming, that could have a value of $37 billion. The company said, “We only tested it for 100, 200 feet, which is about the maximum you’d ever want to do a conventional coal mine.”

Besides these finds of rare earth minerals, geologists are reporting that there are millions of tons rare earth minerals to be found in coal ash, the chalky remnants of coal that has been burned for fuel from by power plants. There are piles and piles of coal ash, long considered a waste by-product, across the US.

The new research found that there could be as much as 11 million tons – worth $8.4 billion — of rare earth elements in accessible coal ash in the United States, which is nearly eight times the amount that the U.S. currently has in domestic reserves.

Even though the level of rare earth elements in coal ash is relatively low when compared with those mined from geological deposits, the fact that the ash is readily available in large quantities makes it an attractive resource, said co-author Davin Bagdonas, a research scientist at the University of Wyoming.

Not only have ventures to retrieve the rare earth minerals been reported in Wyoming, Colorado, Utah and Texas, but there has been talk that in Colstrip, Montana, too, the possibility will be explored.

The North American Fire Deficit

18 March 2025
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Roger Pielke Jr., from substack.com

An important new paper published this week in Nature Communications looks at the historical record of fire in North America — A fire deficit persists across diverse North American forests despite recent increases in area burned. Reseachers find that large fires of recent decades in North America are not unprecedented:

Our study of 1851 tree-ring fire-scar sites and contemporary fire perimeters across the United States and Canada reveals a substantial, persistent fire deficit from 1984–2022 in many forest and woodland ecosystems, despite recent increases in burning. Contemporary fire occurrence is still far below historical (1600–1880) levels at NAFSN [North American tree-ring Fire-Scar Network] sites despite multiple large and ‘record-breaking’ recent fire years, such as 2020 in the western United States. Individual years with particularly widespread fire during the 1984–2022 period were not unprecedented in comparison with the active fire regimes of the historical period across most of the study region. Historically, fires in particularly active fire years were spatially more widespread and ubiquitous compared to fires burning during active contemporary years.

The authors start by asking an important question (emphasis added):

[A]verage annual area burned since the late 19th and early- to mid-20th centuries is generally less than that experienced under historical fire regimes across many North American forests, resulting in a widespread 20th century ‘fire deficit’ relative to earlier time periods. However, area burned by wildfire has increased across much of North America over the last few decades. Over this time period (mid-1980s—present), several regions have experienced individual years with exceptionally high area burned, leading to questions about whether recent fire years are unprecedented. As area burned has increased rapidly since the mid-1980s in parts of North America, is it possible that the fire deficit has been reduced or eliminated?

To answer this question they look at a novel dataset on tree-ring scars caused by fire.

It is not often that I am reading a scientific paper and encounter results that make me say — “Wow!”. This is one of those cases:

The year 2020 had the highest percent of sites recording fire in the contemporary time period, with 6% of NAFSN sites burned. This percentage is far below the 29% burned in the most widespread historical fire year (1748) and equal to the average of 6% that burned per year across NAFSN sites during the historical period.

Overall, fires occurred at a rate of only 23% of that expected based on historical fires — indicating a huge accumulated deficit.

State’s First Arraignment Court Now in Session

18 March 2025
Evelyn Pyburn
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By Evelyn Pyburn

Yellowstone County has a new addition to its judicial system – -a new court that focuses upon arraignments. It is being operated in the county department of Justices of the Peace. Judge Jeanne Walker and Judge David Carter have been presiding over the court for about a month.

Creating an arraignment court is part of improving and making more efficient the process of adjudicating criminals, which is a necessity in making the new short-term detention facility functional, according to Justice of the Peace Carter, who has spent the past year or more leading the process of developing and establishing the court.

The short-term detention facility is a city-county project in the process of being built next to the Yellowstone County Detention Facility, which is expected to be completed late this fall. It is viewed as a solution to the over-crowded jail that serves Yellowstone County. It will enable law enforcement to arrest and hold those perpetrating offenses who, in the past, law enforcement has not been able to arrest because of having no place to hold them

The concept of an arraignment court – this will be the first one in Montana – emerged from Yellowstone County’s  10-person committee that was appointed two years ago to look at the entire justice system and the new jail proposal for the county and City of Billings, to develop a more efficient and economical system. An arraignment court was viewed as essential to the process of making the short -term detention facility function well.

So far arraignment court has gone well, said Carter. They have focused on working out the wrinkles. “There will probably be changes,” said Carter, but so far it’s been pretty smooth. “We are building something,” he said, “Until you start doing it you are not quite sure how it will work.”

Arraignment court will be held at 2:30 pm every day, Monday through Friday.

An arraignment is usually a felony or misdemeanor defendant’s first court appearance after arrest. During the arraignment, a defendant is formally advised of the criminal charges against him, informed of their rights, and asked to enter a plea to the charges, and often a public defender is appointed. The court also looks at the defendant’s history, and decides whether the defendant will be released pending trial, whether they must wear an ankle bracelet and bond is set.

A public defender stands with the defendant during the process to explain and advise about the proceedings.

The judge goes through a process of sorting out the charges against a defendant in accordance with state laws or local ordinances, looking at their criminal record and determining, if there are other outstanding charges, misdemeanors or felons.

Most of the time a defendant has other outstanding charges against them, perhaps in more than one court, explained Judge Carter. During arraignment court the judge gives them a schedule of not only their next court appearance on the current charge, but also other pending court appearances and dates at which they are required to appear.

According to Judge Carter, missing court dates is the most common infraction for which other charges are often made. “It gets to be a revolving door,” he said, underscoring that their goal is “to get the people who don’t need to be in jail out, or to make sure they are in jail for the right period of time – – and to do that correctly — more efficiently and elegantly and timely.” Court hearing dates can be complicated, he said, and overwhelming for people who sometimes have many other unfortunate things happening in their lives.

Currently, the defendants appear in arraignment court via video from the Yellowstone County Detention Facility (YCDF), with the court room located in the County Courthouse. Asked if that will continue to be the model, Judge Carter said it is not considered best practices. Ideally, he believes, arraignment court should be held at the YCDF.

Whether that will be included for the plans of a new addition to the YCDF, he isn’t sure. The county has to authorize that, he said, adding, “There has been discussions, and support expressed. But there is no room currently.”

The process of being prepared for their first court appearance is far more complicated than it might appear. It takes a staff of knowledgeable and trained people to prepare the case – to gather all the documents pertaining to other outstanding charges and their status, and to check on the defendant’s record, family and criminal record. The first half of the day on court days is spent by staff preparing all the necessary information and documentation for the judge. Some are on the job at 6 a.m.

Starting an arraignment court required the hiring of 1.5 FTEs (employees) said Carter, pointing out however that much of the work involved is being absorbed into by the existing Justice Court staff. While $45,000 has been set aside in the budget for the arraignment court, it is just there in case they discover a need for it.

Right now there are five people in Justice Court dedicated to pre- trial services. “It is more expansive than just arraignment court,” explained Judge Carter. “We have other programs for pre- trial services.” Four of the five staff members have been trained for arraignment court, but they also have secondary duties. “It is very hard,” said Judge Carter, “But we are building on that and will evolve.”

In the long term – which essentially means when most of the county’s administration offices move into the county’s new administration building, and the Courthouse has been remodeled as exclusively a court house – Justice Court anticipates requesting another Justice of the Peace. An additional Justice of the Peace would be welcomed, said Judge Carter.

The challenges before Yellowstone County’s judicial system are significant and so will be the challenges to the arraignment court which will not only be serving a justice court with the largest case load in the state, but also a district court with the largest case load in the state, and a city with the largest municipal court case load in the state. They haven’t taken on the arraignments for the city municipal court yet because that court is quite literally in the process of moving to the new city hall.

The arraignment court expects to assume their case load in May.

State Got Fewer $$$?Last Year

18 March 2025
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The state of Montana’s General Fund tax revenues declined in 2024, according to Terry Johnson, former chief revenue forecaster for the state of Montana, now retired.

In Fiscal 2024, total general fund revenue collections were $3.32 billion, with 76.9% collected from income (individual and corporation) taxes. These revenues are used to finance a variety of state services, but most are used for education, human service, and public safety programs, explained Johnson in an article included in the Bureau of Business and Economic Research’s report included as information for their annual Economic Outlook Seminar.

Total General Fund revenue collections decreased by $620.8 million, or 15.7 %, from collections received in fiscal 2023.

This change was unusually large, according to Johnson, due to a decline in property taxes, which were $338.8 million in 2023., “Other Sources” was down $249.9 million, and revenue collected from natural resources (including oil and natural gas tax) declined $31.4 million, for a total decline of $620.1 million or 15.7 percent.

The property tax decline was due to legislative changes adopted by the 68th Legislature that redirected most of these revenues to a non-general fund account for support of public education.

In addition, there is a non-general fund account called the Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund (BSRF), which is used to provide funding for the general fund account if revenue collections fall below expectations. The BSRF is funded from general-fund monies that are above a specified amount at the end of each fiscal year.

The natural resource revenue decline was due to price and production fluctuations for most of the fossil fuel types.

The decline of $10.4 million in individual income tax collections can be explained by the fact that in 2024 there were no more federal payments to Montana citizens and businesses which were enacted by Congress following the impacts of Covid-19.

The economic statistics maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis provide measures of transfer payments to Montanans as well as wage and salary income of employees. According to their data the amount of change increased by $2.9 billion from 2019 to 2020, a 27.4% increase with a further increase of $1.2 billion from 2020 to 2021 for a total increase of $4.1 billion over the two-year period. Once the stimulus payments were eliminated, transfer payments declined by $1.6 billion from 2021 to 2022.

Transfer payments from 2022 to 2023 have now returned to a more normal growth pattern observed prior to 2020.

The pandemic also had an impact on the workforce available for Montana businesses. Throughout Montana there were numerous posted signs indicating businesses were searching for workers.

This workforce demand increased the wage offerings of businesses.

Higher wages increased total state wage and salary incomes. Total wage income increased by $2.6 billion or 10.9% from 2020 to 2021 and $2.5 billion or 9.4% from 2021 to 2022. Wage growth from 2022 to 2023 has moderated and is now closer to historical trends.

Higher wage income increased state individual income tax collections in fiscal 2022 but were diminished by the decline in transfer payments in calendar 2022. Individual income tax collections are expected to return to a more normal growth pattern after 2024 reflecting more normal growth rates for wages and transfer payments as well as taxpayer behavior payment patterns returning to historical trends.

SBA to Require Citizenship Verification

18 March 2025
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In the coming days, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) will promulgate a new policy requiring SBA loan applications to include a citizenship verification provision to ensure only legal, eligible applicants can access SBA programs, announced U.S. Small Business Administration Administrator Kelly Loeffler.

 Lenders will be required to confirm that applicant businesses are not owned in whole or in part by an illegal alien, consistent with President Trump’s executive order ending the taxpayer subsidization of open borders.

Additionally, the SBA will relocate six of its regional offices currently in municipalities that do not comply with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Over the coming months, the Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Denver, New York City, and Seattle regional offices will be moved to less costly, more accessible locations that better serve the small business community and comply with federal immigration law.

“Over the last four years, the record invasion of illegal aliens has jeopardized both the lives of American citizens and the livelihoods of American small business owners, who have each become victims of Joe Biden’s migrant crime spree. Under President Trump, the SBA is committed to putting American citizens first again – starting by ensuring that zero taxpayer dollars go to fund illegal aliens,” Administrator Loeffler said.

“Today, I am pleased to announce that this agency will cut off access to loans for illegal aliens and relocate our regional offices out of sanctuary cities that reward criminal behavior. We will return our focus to empowering legal, eligible business owners across the United States – in partnership with the municipalities who share this Administration’s commitment to secure borders and safe communities.”

Under the last Administration, lax guardrails allowed illegal aliens to both apply for and get approved for SBA assistance. In June 2024, the agency approved a $783,000 loan application for a small business that was 49% owned by an illegal alien. Last month, under the leadership of this Administration, an internal SBA audit identified the illegal status of the individual and halted the loan from being disbursed – ensuring that $0 was distributed to the business.

New Businesses February 2025

18 March 2025
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Edumacated Redneck Repair, 420 N 13th St, (406) 200-7028, Steiner, Briana, Auto Business, Billings, 59101

Here We Are Recovery Residence, 2510 Rimrock Rd, (307) 370-1624, Lopez, Henry, Service, Billings, 59102, 621 S 2nd St, Laramie, WY, 82070

Hot Tub And Swim Spa Sales LLC, 1012 Marquez Place Ste 106-B,      (657) 202-5007, Wellmann, Kevin, Retail Sales, Santa Fe, NM, 87505, 2501 South Wayzate Blvd, Minneapolis, MN, 55405

Cassandra Mai Designs, 1608 Annas Garden Ln, (208) 650-1405,      Juvera, Cassandra, Service, Billings, MT, 59101

Fishing For Goodies LLC,   412 18th St W, (406) 671-5627, Garza, Andre, Retail Sales, Billings, 59102

Montana Craft Construction, 2113 Golden Blvd, (360) 991-2970, Asplund, Matthew, General Contractors, Billings, 59102

Dave Loden Construction, 400 Hemlock, (307) 684-5838, Loden, Erik, General Contractors, Buffalo, WY, 82834

Your Pie Billings, 824 Shiloh Crossing Blvd Ste 1, (406) 534-8738,      Lueken, Monica & Dan, Restaurants, Billings, 59102, 3329 Castle Pines Dr, Billings, 59101

B M B Contracting Company, 5322 Danford Dr Trlr 1, {406) 200-2121, Newman / Coleman, Donald K / Tye A, General Contractors, Billings, MT, 59106

Mahoney Consulting LLC, 1780 Shiloh Rd Ste B, (406) 596-3105, Mahoney, Alyssa, Service, Billings, 59106, 119 W Maryland Lane, Laurel, MT, 59044

Cullum And Brown Of Kansas City Inc, 3205 Hesper Rd Unit B, (816) 842-7711, Hoffman, Andrew, Service, Billings, MT, 59106, 1001 NW Technology Dr, Lees Summit, MO, 64086

WH Copper Ridge 54, LLC (Williams Homes), 7011 Copper Bend Blvd, (661) 993-9889, Heffernan (Ops Manager), Danika, General Contractors, Billings, MT, 59106, 387 Gallatine Park Dr Ste 102, Bozeman, MT, 59715

Kalen Study The Pooper Scooper, 922 Yellowstone River Rd Trlr H4, (406) 384-1777, Service, Billings, MT,      59105

Jeff Kirby Construction Inc, 4215 Woodcreek Dr, (406) 690-3799, Kirby, Tanya, General Contractors, Billings, MT, 59106, PO Box 80930, Billings, MT, 59108

McCall Properties LLC, 1536 Mullowney Ln Ste 100, (406) 651-5354, Gregory, McCall, Real Estate Rental, Billings, MT, 59101

Stepping Stones Counseling & Recovery, 1201 Grand Ave Ste 2, (406) 696-8976, Erickson, Jessica, Service, Billings, MT, 59102,

Stokke Electric LLC, 47 Canyon Creek Rd,    (406) 698-2703, Stokke, Zach, Electrical Contractors, Molt, MT, 59057

Elgm Building Contracting And Transportation, 3854 Avenue F, (571) 320-0049, Angord Dearmas, Yanick L, General Contractors, Billings, MT, 59102

Red Clover Construction, 1204 Nasturtium Dr, (406) 606-9690, Blaine, Davida, General Contractors, Billings, MT, 59105

Physioworks Physical Therapy LLC, 1416 Las Palmas Ave, (941) 387-4099, Denisar-Green, Brent, Service, Billings, MT, 59105

Beau Aesthetics & Wellness PLLC, 2631 St Johns Ave, (808) 518-9487, Posada, Britt, Service, Billings, MT, 59102, 2710 Hanover Circle, Billings, MT, 59106

Cobeck Construction Co LLC, 273 W Lafayette Frontage Rd, (651) 756-7521, Difronzo (Manager), Jane, General Contractors, Saint Paul, MN, 55107

Red Bear BBQ LLC, 1644 41st St W, (406) 598-0115, Bear, Scott, Restaurants, Billings, MT, 59106

Perman-It Investments,     7446 Burlington Ave, (406) 384-8129, Perman/Perman, Josh/Tom, Service, Billings, MT, 59106

Modern Paths Of Wellness Counseling, 527 Lake Elmo Dr, (406) 208-4289, Waltenbaugh, Shalom, Service, Billings, MT, 59105, 916 Dorothy Ln, Billings, MT, 59105

Alpha Transport LLC, 145 Talon Way Unit C, (406) 600-6600, Huggins/Dunn, Justin/Brittany, Service, Bozeman, MT, 59718

Melissa Riley Photography, 2977 W Copper Ridge Loop, (801) 368-7626,      Riley, Melissa & Stewart, Service, Billings, MT, 59106

Storage Rental Of America (Bench), 1032 Bench Blvd, (561) 489-5517, Speegle (Manager), Kenneth, Service, Billings, MT, 59105, 2751 S Dixie Hwy Ste 450, West Palm Beach, FL, 33405

Storage Rental Of America (Overland), 2850 Overland Ave, (561) 489-5517, Speegle (Manager), Kenneth, Service, Billings, MT, 59102, 2751 S Dixie Hwy Ste 450, West Palm Beach, FL, 33405

Michelle’s Pantry LLC, 2123 1st Ave N, (406) 671-6440, Feller, Michelle, Restaurants, Billings, MT, 59101, 34 19th St W, Billings, MT, 59102

Rosemary Glass, 5515 Rimrock Rd, (808) 346-2790, Hatzell, Rosemary, Retail Sales, Billings, MT, 59106, 7013 Copper Sunset Dr, Billings, MT, 59106

Montana Clutch And Driveline, 3302 1st Ave N, (406) 256-9110, Beckner, John, Service, Billings, MT, 59101

Big Sky Handmade Creations, 5639 Mountain Front Ave, (406) 210-9081, Chase, Heidi, Retail Sales, Billings, MT, 59106

Oak & Stone Salon LLC, 2500 Grand Ave Ste H, (406) 696-7222, Mudro, Nicole, Cosmetology, Billings, MT, 59102, 1831 Old Hardin Rd, Billings, MT, 59102

JC Excavation & Construction, 2245 Chloe Rd, (406) 670-6041, Luster, Rob, Service, Huntley, MT, 59037, PO Box 399, Huntley, MT, 59037

237 Avenue C LLC, 237 Avenue C, (406) 544-6718, Schwab, Caleb, Real Estate Rental, Billings, MT, 59101, PO Box 1254, Mead, WA, 99021

TJ’s Builders, 564 Light Stream Ln, (406) 860-9089, Johnson, Trevor, General Contractors, Billings, MT, 59106 

Innova Ink PC, 2116 Broadwater Ave #308, (406) 503-2213, Eles, Zsolt & Zora, Service, Billings, MT, 59102, 1600 Avenue E #41, Billings, MT, 59102

Autobongs, 2230 N Reserve St Ste 300 #181, (702) 848-0178, Smith, Jesse, Retail Sales, Missoula, MT, 59808

Brush And Bloom Beauty Studio, 1202 Central Ave, (406) 371-1911, Sjolseth/O’Dell, Ashley/Shawni, Cosmetology, Billings, MT, 59101

Blue Willow Massage, 1140 1st Ave N, (406) 249-7000, Rautio, Alice, Solo Practitioner, Billings, MT, 59101, 4775 Laila Dr, Billings, MT, 59106

The Brand Soap Co, 1260 Calico Ave, (406) 661-6000, Sitzman, Duane, Retail Sales, Billings, MT, 59105

Castro Facilities Management LLC, 3735 Fort Laramie Dr,     (406) 208-0364, Castro, Michael, Service, Billings, MT, 59102

Happy Pairings MT LLC, 323 N 24th St, (406) 670-1720, Crawford, Lauren,    Restaurants, Billings, MT, 59101, 1316 Emma Avenue, Billings, MT, 59105

Shelly’s Drywall & Painting, 7921 Clark Ave, (406) 860-3712, De La Paz, Shelly, General Contractors, Billings, MT, 59106

Larson Family Construction Inc, 24212 W Cedar Lake Dr, (612) 369-7056, Larson, Mike, General Contractors, New Prague, MN, 56071

Herman Enterprises LLC, 16 Reece Road,      (307) 349-8359, Herman, Chad,      Service, Riverton, WY, 82501

Montana Show-Me, 1792 S 6th Rd, (406) 661-5888, Dahl, Rebecca, Retail Sales, Huntley,     MT, 59037

Cochran Towing LLC, 1202 S 32nd St W Ste M, (406) 545-8703, Lauer (Accountant), Arlene, Service, Billings, MT, 59102, PO Box 80067, Billings, MT, 59108

Cochran Towing LLC 1, 1202 S 32nd St W Ste M, (406) 534-1021, Lauer (Accountant), Arlene, Service, Billings, MT, 59102, PO Box 80067, Billings, MT, 59108

Cochran Towing LLC 2, 1202 S 32nd St W Ste M, (406) 894-2381, Lauer (Accountant), Arlene, Service, Billings, MT, 59102, PO Box 80067, Billings, MT, 59108

Cochran Towing LLC 3, 1202 S 32nd St W Ste M, (406) 894-2383, Lauer (Accountant), Arlene, Service, Billings, MT, 59102, PO Box 80067, Billings, MT, 59108

Cochran Towing LLC 4, 1202 S 32nd St W Ste M, (406) 534-4133, Lauer (Accountant), Arlene, Service, Billings, MT, 59102, PO Box 80067, Billings, MT, 59108

Cochran Towing LLC 5, 1202 S 32nd St W Ste M, (406) 534-4211, Lauer (Accountant), Arlene, Service, Billings, MT, 59102, PO Box 80067, Billings, MT, 59108

Wam Properties LLC, 6738 Shepherd Rd, (406) 670-2537, Wambeke, Brandee, Real Estate Rental, Shepherd, MT, 59079, PO Box 50314, Billings, MT, 59105

Code 96 LLC, dba Bare Metal Standard, 11513 W Fairview Ave Ste 103, (208) 898-9379, Stanley, Jeff, Service, Boise, ID, 83713

Flawless Premier Extension Salon, 1500 Broadwater Ave, (406) 661-2438, Law, Samantha, Cosmetology, Billings, MT, 59102

Esoteric Liminal Horizons, 111 Jefferson St, (406) 200-2978, Barth, Whitney, Service, Billings, MT, 59101

Deep Blue Pools And Spas, 43003 Liddell Lane, (385) 450-0344, Durham (Permit Tech), Liz, General Contractors, Polson, MT, 59860, 4153 S Commerce Dr, Salt Lake City, UT, 84107

Sessler Inc, 4524 Tacoma Ave, (253) 863-0660, Mayer (Manager), Kara, General Contractors, Sumner, WA, 98390

Heirloom Cleaning Services, 808 22nd St W, (406) 855-3695, Stevens, Courtney, Service, Billings, MT, 59102

Burnett Enterprises (White House Haven), 1032 N 29th St, (406) 696-2354, Jones, Clifton E, Real Estate Rental, Billings, MT, 59101, 448 Killarney Street, Billings, MT, 59105

Montana Highlights March 15 2025

18 March 2025
Press Room
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The Yellowstone Business Coalition, formed in 2016, representing more than 400 businesses and landowners in Paradise Valley, Gardiner and Livingston, is mobilizing in response to recent Yellowstone National Park staff reductions. These layoffs could affect both park operations and the local economies that depend on them. The coalition initially came together to protect the local economy from two proposed gold mines near the northern entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone maintains around 300 permanent employees and hires more than 200 seasonal workers each year.

Seven years ago Andy and Kailey Armor opened Compass Chiropractic in Whitefish. Demand for the chiropractic practice has grown, leading to the February opening in downtown Kalispell. The new location is located on 1st Ave. E in Kalispell.

The nonprofit ski area, Bridger Bowl, rolled out a master development plan to the community in recent weeks. The plan includes ideas such as increased snowmaking, more parking, base-area improvements, new lifts and night skiing. When it comes to a plan for future development options at Bridger Bowl some skiers are concerned with keeping the feel of Bridger Bowl.

Montana FWP has released a draft environmental assessment in order to solicit comments about a new campground slated for an area near the Gunner’s Ridge trailhead. It is about 1/2 mile into Makoshika State Park. The campground will add 16 RV sites with electric hookups, four primitive hiker and biker tent sites, day-use facilities, latrines and a playground to the lower half of the park. Construction on the project is tentatively expected to begin between the middle of May or early June this year, with completion planned for this fall.

The Williams County Commission has approved a conditional use permit for Ramsey Hill Exploration to construct and operate a frac sand facility. The facility will be located in the Hofflund Township. The processing facility’s purpose will be to aid in oilfield production by locally storing frac sand needed for operations. The property spans approximately 1,109 acres, but Exploration Company made it clear it only intends to utilize 593 acres of the land.

A study commission in Butte-Silver Bow County wants the current commission to consider big changes in the way local government is run here. They are suggesting a city manager position overseeing day-to-day operations of the county. Voters did authorize a study commission in 2024. Nine people were elected to serve on the commission. The group has through most of 2026 to decide on what, if any, changes it wants to see in local government. Recommendations will go before voters in the November 2026 election.

The Helena Public School District is considering multiple proposals for long-term planning and dealing with aging school facilities. One plan would potentially close Hawthorne Elementary at the end of the academic year.

At a Feb. 25 board work session held at Bryant Elementary School, some community members spoke up about their worry regarding the possible closing of a neighborhood elementary school, Hawthorne.

Toyota of Helena has announced plans to move the dealership to 3135 Prospect Ave. Some work to the old Nissan location. There will be a complete Toyota dealership in about 10 weeks.

Highway 55, a Butte burger restaurant, closed in early January less than a year after it opened. The owner is searching for a new tenant for the practically brand new building on Harrison Ave. Butte-Silver Bow County designated more than $240,000 in taxpayer funds toward the project.

A new coffee stand called Glacier Peaks Bagels and Espresso is opening in Missoula. It will be located in front of Westside Lanes bowling alley.

VIM & VIGR, a Missoula-based company that sells compression leg wear, is building a new 14,000-square-foot warehouse near the Wye. Company founder Michelle Huie recently announced the expansion, stating the need for a larger space.

Opportunity Bank of Montana has opened a new branch location in Missoula.

Tractor Supply Co. is planning Helena and Butte locations. Both set to open in November. They will be TSC’s ninth and 10th locations in Montana. The Tennessee-based company sells power tools, pet supplies and the titular tractor parts and accessories plus other farm items.

A new journal focusing on the economic and entrepreneurial trends that shape Northwest Montana’s business communities will make its debut in April. Hagadone Media Montana is launching Insights with an eye toward connecting the economic hubs that are Flathead, Lake, Lincoln, Sanders and Mineral counties.  This five-county region is home to more thousands of businesses and a growing labor force with 200,000 consumers.

The City of Miles City Public Service Committee voted to recommend a change to the city ordinance that deals with liquor liability coverage at city parks. The committee voted unanimously on recommending the revision to the City Code of the City of Miles City, Section 17-114, and requiring liability insurance in specified amounts prior to issuance of a Park Use permit.

Hoyer Joins Billings Chamber as Workforce Development Manager 

18 March 2025
Press Room
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Kristen Hoyer has joined the Billings Chamber of Commerce as the new Workforce Development Manager.

In her new role, Hoyer will lead the NextGEN program for young professionals in the Billings area, manage the Women’s Network of the Billings Chamber and serve in integral roles of the Billings Chamber’s workforce partnerships and efforts such as the Yellowstone County Summer Jobs Program and Campus Billings.

Her enthusiasm, passion for business, and prowess for making professional connections will serve her well in the Workforce Development Manager position.

“Kristen is committed to workforce development and leadership excellence,” says Cathy Grider, vice president of business growth and talent for the Billings Chamber. ”We look forward to the expertise she brings to our programs and how she will elevate our NextGEN program while providing top-notch opportunities for growth, learning and networking to members.”

Beyond her role at the Billings Chamber, she is the co-owner of GoUnite. She and her husband, along with their two daughters, make their home in Shepherd. Outside of work and family life, Hoyer enjoys spending time in nature, especially at Cooney Reservoir and in the mountains of Monarch.