Whitefish Mountain Resort saw over 400,000 skier visits during the 2024-25 season. This is the fifth year in a row that the mountain has tallied more than 400,000 skier visits. The resort set a new record for skier visits between Christmas Day and New Year’s Day with this year’s almost 62,400 skier visits were counted. Next season’s passes are already on sale.
The Pine Hills Youth Correctionl Facility is doing something it hasn’t done in more than 90 years. The facility will return Pine Hills to its mission as a juvenile-only facility. The change was announced by the Montana Department of Corrections on March 21.
Paddlefish anglers will see a some changes to the regulations issued by the Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks 2025. Among the changes to this year’s paddlefish regulations are concerning hooks, one treble hook per line plus forward forward-facing sonar.
Princess and Buck is a new boutique which recently entered the downtown Kalispellmarket. The shop is owned by Beth Kornick and Kyle Waterman. The name, Princess and Buck, came from two historic businesses in downtown Kalispell. The store features a range of items, gifts and clothes from the Flathead Valley.
Construction on a new fishing access site near Sportsman’s Bridge in Bigfork is expected to begin this spring. Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks have approved plans to construct a boat ramp, parking lot and pit latrines. Once complete the new facility will make way for the reconstruction of Sportsman’s Bridge.
A total of 30 breweries competed in 22 beer categories at the second Montana Beer Awards.
The Montana Folk Festival in Butte will be July 11-13. Admission is free to all performances during the three days of the festival, although organizers urge attendees to donate up to $35 for a family.
Federal agencies informed Missoula County officials recently that two of its grants have been discontinued, which could eliminate up to three positions and halt some work around energy efficiency and case management. The county lost a $1 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency and Partnership Health Center lost the remainder of a $1.8 million grant from the Centers For Disease Control.
Emily Garza has opened a branch of Onyx + Ivory Boutique. a women’s clothing boutique, in Miles City.
Helena’s liquor distillery, Gulch Distillers, will be expanding into a location. The new spot will be at 4 W. Lawrence St., between Queen City Ballet and the Gold Bar. It will have tasting rooms and a bottle shop on the main floor. They are also adding a new space in the lower level that will serve as a bottling facility. Once the new space is completed the business will close public access to their facility at 790 Front St. expand the space to production.
Miles City officials are focusing on finding funding to possibly reopen at least one of its recreational water features. The Wibaux Park splash pad, froggie pool and the Riverside Park Oasis are in danger of not opening this summer due to budget shortfalls. Funding for the three recreational sites was cut for the 2025 fiscal year as the city needed to balance its 2025 budget.
A Missoula official working on a cross-country passenger rail line that would pass through Montana called on Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy to restore multiple federal grants for the project. The Department of Transportation has placed some grants under review. These reviews could slow down an infrastructure project related to the rail line.
Research conducted at the Rocky Mountain Laboratories in Hamilton has identified several mosquito-borne illnesses that can cause encephalitis circulating in Montana. The findings are detailed in a report published in Emerging Infectious Diseases Journal. Several viruses that can cause encephalitis (brain swelling) and are unfamiliar to most physicians are circulating in Montana mosquitoes.
Construction is expected to start next month on the new, 6,100-square-foot VA clinic in Lewistown. A survey showed the need for a larger VA facility in Lewistown. The current plan is for the outpatient clinic to begin operations in the spring of 2026. There are nearly 800 veterans in the Lewistown area who are enrolled with the VA.
For the second year in a row, the home of Montana State University has been ranked the No. 1 college town in America, according to the website RentCafe.com. Bozeman’s ranking was based on a combination of factors, including the affordability and quality of education available at MSU, the town’s highly educated population and an abundance of nearby natural amenities. The website also notes that Bozeman is home to numerous startup companies and major employers, who provide students with internship and career development opportunities.
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