90% of the vendors at this year’s Fall Home Improvement Show came from the greater Billings area.
Montana Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) has a received a $20.78 million payment for the reclamation costs of the Montana Tunnels Mine near Jefferson City, MT. The payment comes from the latest bankruptcy filing by Montana Tunnels Mining, Inc. The funds cover the shortfall between the bond calculated by DEQ for reclamation at the mine and the amount of money forfeited from Montana Tunnels Mining, Inc. The $20.78 million payment also paves a potential path for Silver Bow Mining Corp. and Silver Bow Tunnels Corp. to pursue becoming a permitted operator of the mine.
Krissy Petersen, the new CEO of Providence Montana health system, plans to bring a renewed focus on rural healthcare and research.
Missoula Elks plan to restore their lodge building to the original 1911 design. When the “Hell Gate” Elks Lodge opened in 1911, it featured two bars, a bowling alley, a shooting range and a spa. There were floor-to-ceiling windows for businesses on the first floor.
Randy and Sarah Lewis opened Hawaiian Fork restaurant in April in Bigfork. Hawaiian Fork Grill has a slim menu which features four mains and four sides. Three different size options, Small Fork, Regular Fork and Bigfork, are available. The business is located on Electric Avenue in Big Fork.
Lonesome Heritage Farms at Wagon Wheel Gift and Gallery in Moiese is celebrating 50 years in business.
Ted McDermott has been named interim editor of the Ravalli Republic and the Missoulian. McDermott is a veteran journalist with deep ties to Missoula and western Montana.
Agriculture producers in Teton County have gathered together to form a new Farm Bureau chapter, becoming the 30th county chapter in the Montana Farm Bureau Federation. The Federation is a grassroots organization consisting of county chapters and dedicated to preserving and improving the agriculture and natural resource industries through member involvement in education, political activities, programs and services. Teton’s original registration dates to 1919, the same year that Montana Farm Bureau was formed, Teton had previously been a part of Front Range Counties Farm Bureau which includes Glacier, Toole and Pondera counties.
Planned Parenthood has announced that Bozeman will be the location of their next facility in Montana.
Gov. Greg Gianforte has announced his support for a public education campaign supporting a flat 4.7% state income tax. He pointed out that a flat rate would reduce the higher of the state’s two rates and would boost the state’s economy. In July, a handful of Republicans in Senate leadership announced their support for a flat tax. Speaker of the House Rep. Brandon Ler, R-Savage, has stated that he supports the proposal. Montana’s Legislative Fiscal Division estimated in July that a 4.7% flat tax beginning in 2028 would reduce state revenues by $140 million over the 2029 biennium.
Glacier National Park officials say Logan Pass time limits helped in record July visitation. The introduction of a three-hour time limit on personal vehicle parking generated faster turnover at Logan Pass. Between 1,200 and 1,300 parking permits were issued for the 235-space parking lot each day that the time restrictions were in place.
The Billings Police Department has announced that Assistant Chief of Police Shawn Mayo will step into the role of interim Chief following the upcoming retirement of BPD Chief Rich St. John.
As part of its ongoing reorganization, the U.S. Forest Service will close 23 research and development facilities around the nation. Three will continue to operate in Montana. The U.S. Forest Service has announced that it had conducted a review of regional offices and identified 23 facilities that are minimally occupied. The agency plans to shut those facilities down in order to save $16 million. The 23 facilities are in 15 states, including four in California, Connecticut, Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Of the 61 facilities that will remain open, three are in Montana: Missoula, Hungry Horse and Bozeman.
A Romanian woman accused of stealing jewelry in multiple countries and U.S. states made her first appearance in Missoula for the 2022 theft of a $28,000 diamond from a store in Southgate Mall.
Three of five new housing units at the Montana State Prison continue under construction, with varying levels of interior completion. Officials continue to eye a 2029 move-in date.
Colton and Cassi Gobble recently opened Central Montana Trailer Rentals. The couple has leased a large open lot off of Joyland Road in Lewistown for their rental operation. The lot is big enough to allow for easy hooking up and returning of trailers. All of the trailers are monitored with trackers. Central Montana Trailer Rentals opened in April.
Miles Community College will host a Workforce and Industry Partnership Summit on October 19, from 4:30 to 6:00 p.m. on the MCC campus. The summit will bring MCC representatives and regional employers together for a conversation focused on strengthening the workforce and supporting economic growth across the region. Attendees will be able to build connections, and shape future training courses and academic programs that prepare students and employees for participation in evolving industries.
Montana’s high-tech industry grew twice as fast as the overall Montana economy from 2014 to 2024, increasing its share of state GDP to 5 percent. In 2024, the industry generated $7.9 billion in revenue and contributed $4.4 billion in value added to Montana’s economy, underscoring its growing role as a driver of the state’s prosperity. The 2026 Montana High Tech Industries Report combines an analysis of industry trends using federal and private economic data with a statewide survey of Montana high-tech businesses to provide a comprehensive assessment of Montana’s technology economy since 2020. The research also found Montana’s technology wages have become nationally competitive. In 2025, average wages in Montana’s tech sector reached $146,000, about 2.4 times Montana’s overall average wage per worker. Technology companies reported that access to capital was their organization’s largest impediment to faster growth.
Shawna and Brandon Sandau have opened Frontier Laundry in Lewistown. Using a phone app, customers can check on the washers and dryers from home, to see which are ones are available. The machines work with cell phone payment apps and credit and debit cards.
Joe’s Parkway Market across from MSU’s campus is closing after 57 years of family ownership. Joe Wantulok took over the Parkway Market in 1969 and added his name. The building and property have been sold to a new owner. The projected closing date is the beginning of October 2026.
Yellowstone National Park Superintendent Cam Sholly will be departing his post at the end of the month after eight years in the position.
The Miles City city council rejected an ordinance recently that would have established zoning regulations for shipping containers and similar temporary structures. The proposal passed on first reading. Ordinance 1408(a) failed 5-1 on its second reading. The proposed ordinance would have established permitting, placement and appearance standards for shipping containers in residential, commercial, industrial and open-space zoning districts.
Billings City Council members recently rejected a report suggesting the city add a full-time employee dedicated solely to housing development. The construction of more housing has been one of Billings and Montana’s most salient political issues in recent years.
Big machinery is moving dirt at the proposed site for a data center in Broadview, marking the first visible signs of construction at the location. Construction crews were seen working on an access road and preparing for well pad construction on part of Quantica’s 5,100 acres off Buffalo Trail between Mosdal Road and Supanik Road in Yellowstone County. Residents say they received a postcard from Big Sky Digital Infrastructure telling them what to expect through late September. The work seen last week is scheduled to be completed in the middle of the month, with well drilling potentially beginning at the end of September. /
On forest lands scattered across Lincoln, Mineral and Sanders counties, public access and wildlife habitat have been permanently secured on more than 20,000 acres of property owned by Stimson Lumber Co.
Cassie Baldelli and Lynn Stoll opened Core and Co. in May in Kalispell. Core & Co. is a boutique fitness studio specializing in Lagree classes.
