Author: Press Room

BHE Energizes Battery System

24 March 2026
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BHE Montana energized its Glacier Battery System, a $100 million advanced energy storage facility in Cut Bank, Mont.

The Glacier Battery System has a capacity of 75 megawatts for two hours, which is enough electricity to power approximately 60,000 homes for two hours.

“The energization of the Glacier Battery System marks a significant milestone in our commitment to delivering reliable energy to the region,” Ed Rihn, CEO of BHE Montana, said. “This project strengthens our ability to balance supply and demand and ensures customers have the power they need, when they need it.”

“The Glacier Battery System is a prime example of Montana’s commitment to creating jobs and bolstering energy development. This project and the work by BHE Montana will help keep costs affordable for families across the region, secure future energy resilience for Montana communities, and strengthen our national security,” U.S. Sen. Steve Daines (R-MT) said.

BHE Montana began construction of the Glacier Solar Park, a 130-megawatt solar generation project, in October 2025.

BHE Montana also operates the 189-megawatt Rim Rock windfarm near Kevin, Montana, as well as the 105-megawatt Glacier I and 103.5-megawatt Glacier II windfarms in Glacier and Toole counties.

Ag Department Offers Training To Montana Food Entrepreneurs

24 March 2026
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The Montana Department of Agriculture and the Montana Food & Agriculture Development Center Network have introduced an expanded “Concept to Consumer” course. This training aims to streamline the path for aspiring food entrepreneurs by providing structured guidance on regulations, processing, pricing, and marketing.

The course is accessible across Montana. Previously limited in scope, the training now covers a broader audience. According to Hailey Vine, Food & Ag Development Officer, the curriculum is “meticulously designed” to cover everything from product development to profit margins and marketing channels. The objective is to strengthen Montana’s growing food economy by helping residents move products from kitchen to store shelves more efficiently.

Montana’s wide-open spaces and dispersed population might make online, statewide access a practical approach to food business development. This course could help local entrepreneurs overcome geographic challenges while tapping into Montana’s established agricultural base and growing demand for locally produced foods.

 “406” Means Montana

24 March 2026
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Montana is one of the last states with a single area code and the Montana Public Service Commission hopes to keep it that way, recognizing how popular the 406 area code has become in the state’s identity.

Recently, the Public Service Commission voted unanimously to take a step to try to make sure one area code will work for a lot longer. They sent a letter to Qwest Corporation, a telecommunications company that controls at least a couple of pieces of the puzzle, according to the Daily Montanan.

Montana could run out of 406 phone numbers by 2033. It’s not because all the numbers will be in use by far. 

The report says that this isn’t the first time the PSC has taken up the issue of the 406 area code. In 2013, the PSC received federal permission to implement a more efficient way of assigning numbers, and it ordered telecommunications companies to follow it. The action allowed the continuation of Montana being the “406 state” for quite a while.

Alaska, the Dakotas, and Wyoming are among the states that still have a single area code.

The North American Numbering Plan Administrator oversees the distribution and use of telephone numbers across North America, and it’s the organization that projects Montana will run out of 406 numbers in the first quarter of 2033.

The PSC is requesting that Qwest provide an analysis of “rate center consolidation,” which is basically, a different way to distribute and “conserve” phone numbers.

The memo described the different parts of a phone number — the area code, then, the NXX code, and the four-digit line number. (For example, the PSC’s NXX number is 444, with a phone number of 406-444-6150.)

“In Montana, it is the dwindling number of unused NXX codes that is causing the state to run out of telephone numbers,” according to the PSC staff.

The maximum number of NXX codes available for telephone companies to use is 786, and of those, 753 are already in use, according to the staff memo. That means only 33 NXX codes are left for Montana.

It is likely the total telephone numbers that are actively in-service for Montana’s 406 area code is less than 50% of total available numbers, reports the PSC.

In its letter, the PSC asks Qwest to provide an analysis of a consolidation of its rate centers into each of the state’s two districts, including how it would work technically; its operational efficiencies or inefficiencies; call routing impacts; and timelines and cost.

PSC Vice President Jennifer Fielder supported the move to send the letter to Qwest, but she also cautioned that promising that Montana remains the 406-only state wasn’t a sure bet because the Commission doesn’t control all the factors.

Women’s Run Set for 45th Year

8 February 2026
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The Montana Women’s Run is celebrating 45 years in 2026. Last week, the organization unveiled their t-shirt design which is always eagerly anticipated each year by thousands of women. This year’s design was created by Jim Hein, who over the past 26 years has created 22 of the official t-shirt designs. T-shirt deadline this year is April 20. The Montana Women’s Run will feature a 2-mile race and a 5-mile race on May 9, the Saturday before Mother’s Day, in downtown Billings. Major sponsors of the Run are Billings Clinic, AVA Law Group, Par Montana, First Interstate Bank, Graphic Imprints, Q2 Television and The Planet 106.7.  Check out details at womensrun.org.

Heins and his brother have been creating art through their business, Heins Creative, since 1998.

The Montana Women’s Run website (womensrun.org) features some of the past designs for t-shirts. T-shirt deadline this year is April 20. Everyone who signs up gets a t-shirt, the deadline is only to guarantee having a t-shirt available by race –day.

The Montana Women’s Run will again feature a two-mile race and a five-mile race on May 9, the Saturday before Mother’s Day, in downtown Billings. Options are also available for Virtual 2 Mile and Virtual 5 Mile races for those who cannot attend in Billings on race day. A Kid’s Run will be held on May 5.

The Montana Women’s Run was started in 1982 to promote health and fitness for women of all ages through exercise and education and to encourage an active lifestyle. Although originally not directed at being a fundraising event, after several years the Run started generating enough revenue to incorporate the donation of funds to community, women and children’s organizations which advance health and fitness. In 2025, the Montana Board of Directors, which has been led for many years by Renee Coppock, announced that over the years, because of almost 5000 annual participants, they have contributed close to $2 million — $1,927,500 — to local organizations.

Besides signing up to participate in this year’s run, everyone is encouraged to submit a nomination for the Pat Jaffray Inspiration Award. The award is given each year to a woman who has been a novel inspiration to others in how she lives and supports others. It is given in memory of Pat Jaffray, who for many years was very involved in the Montana Women’s Run as a volunteer and most especially cheerleader and inspiration to all. Details are available on the website. Nominations must be submitted by April 20.

Getting Started Clinics are also an annual part of the Montana Women’s Run. It’s a chance to meet with other women and to get into shape prior to the big day. The Getting Started Clinics – anticipated to begin on Monday, April 13 – – at Pioneer Park, will be launched this year in recognition of the anniversary celebration by a special event hosted by Scheels Sporting Goods. Look for up –to- date details on the website.

The major sponsors of the Montana Women’s Run are Billings Clinic, AVA Law Group, Par Montana, First Interstate Bank, Graphic Imprints, Q2 Television and The Planet 106.7. Many other local businesses also sponsor the many aspects of the Montana Women’s Run, all of which can be explored on the website.

Stockman Bank Gets 5-Star Rating – Again

8 February 2026
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Stockman Bank is starting 2026 with another 5-Star Superior rating from BauerFinancial, the Nation’s Premier Bank Rating Firm. A 5-Star Superior rating indicates that Stockman Bank is one of the strongest banks in the nation, excelling in areas of capital, loan quality, stability and more.

This marks the 69th consecutive quarter that Stockman Bank has earned this top rating for over 17 years, which secures it an even more elite status as an “Exceptional Performance Bank”, an honor reserved solely for banks that have maintained a 5-Star rating for ten years (40 consecutive quarters) or longer.

“Because community banks put their focus on local people and small businesses, they are perfectly positioned to provide the specialized support that is unique to their area,” assures Karen L. Dorway, president of BauerFinancial. “Community banks, like Stockman Bank, promote local growth by investing back into the same neighborhoods their deposits come from. By fostering these local relationships, they accomplish two goals: they are highly capitalized, and they are accountable to their customers.”

Stockman Bank is Montana’s largest, family-owned, community bank, with convenient full-service locations across the state. Founded in 1953, Stockman remains uniquely focused on Montana, with comprehensive banking products and services, along with state-of-the-art online and mobile banking, wealth management and insurance services.

NFIB Wants More Credit Card Competition

8 February 2026
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The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) is urging its members to support the Card Competition Act, which has been re-introduced in the US Congress.

NFIB, the largest business organization in the nation, explained in a recent report, small business owners have been concerned about excessive credit card processing fees for years but have had no recourse.

Credit card costs have more than doubled since 2012. More transactions than ever before use credit cards, which adds a 2-3% fee per swipe. This amounts to tens of thousands of dollars per year that small business owners are forced to pay credit card processing companies to operate their business. 

Congress is considering legislation to address the rapidly increasing “swipe fee” issue, which would inject competition into the credit card market and bring down swipe fees. One proposal would require most credit cards to have two network options, giving small merchants an option to choose whichever one has lower “swipe fees.”

The Credit Card Competition Act encourages competition between processing networks, which will help drive down swipe fee costs for small businesses.

While the recent anti-trust settlement with Visa and Mastercard offers temporary relief to small businesses, the current system, where Visa and Mastercard set the interchange fee that every small business pays to every bank, amounts to price fixing, claims NFIB. Congress must reform the system to allow the free market and real competition to set the interchange rates, states the organization in a report to its members.

It is not unusual for a small business to pay $15,000 per year in swipe fees, which prevents them from hiring another employee.

After labor and health insurance, credit card swipe fees are my most expensive line item for many small businesses. If those fees decrease, they report that they would be able to spend more money in marketing and growing my business.

Senators Dick Durbin (D-Illinois) and Roger Marshall, M.D. (R-Kansas) reintroduced the bipartisan Credit Card Competition Act. Additionally, the administration endorsed the legislation on Jan. 13. Senator Durbin spoke on the Senate floor about the impact of high swipe fees on America’s small businesses. In his speech, Senator Durbin provided examples from two Illinois small business owners and NFIB members on how high swipe fees prevent hiring, hurt business growth, and why it’s time for Congress to take action. 

Passing this bill will help small businesses  nationwide reduce overhead costs and allow them to invest in their employees, products, and communities.

In his floor speech, Senator Durbin provided examples from two Illinois small business owners and NFIB members on how high swipe fees prevent hiring, hurt business growth, and why it’s time for Congress to take action.

He said, “I’ll give you examples of some other businesses who wrote to me in relation to this issue. Credit processing fees are crushing businesses, taking up to 4 percent of credit card sales. Currently this individual who wrote to me said, ’88 percent of my sales are by credit card. It has literally become the coin of the realm.’ This individual, Laura, says she owns a coffee shop. ‘My per-ticket amounts are low, roughly five bucks, yet each transaction can take up to 25% in swipe fees to the credit cards. We need competition in the credit card marketplace and options to choose from. Just like small businesses have to compete for customers, credit card companies should have to compete for our business.’ Laura has a coffee and tea business in Elmhurst, Illinois.”

He further said, “Greg Kelly writes me, with ‘combined with basic processing fees and set monthly access fees, credit card fees can add up to nearly 5 percent of total transactions.’ Greg writes, ‘this is insane, this prevents hiring and hinders business growth as well as being able to compete. Credit card reform is needed now.’”

NFIB urges Congress to pass the Credit Card Competition Act, which would allow small business owners to choose between multiple credit card network options. Ninety-two percent of NFIB members believe that small business owners should have the right to pick among multiple credit card processing networks.

New Patent, Trademark Office for Montana

8 February 2026
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Montana Selected as First Western IP Engagement Office

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) has selected Montana as the site for a new USPTO Community Engagement Office, the first dedicated office of its kind in the western United States. Establishing a permanent, physical USPTO presence in Montana ensures that inventors, innovators, and entrepreneurs across the region have direct connection to federal intellectual property (IP) resources. A local engagement office (to be located at Montana State University) will provide personalized support, IP education, and guidance tailored to Montana’s technology ecosystem.

Montana Highlights February 1 2026

8 February 2026
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A majority of Logan Health primary care providers voted recently to unionize. Hospital workers including physicians and nurse practitioners voted to join the Union of American Physicians and Dentists. Providers behind the unionization efforts listed understaffing as their biggest concern, which ties into appointment availability, patient wait times and the ability to provide primary care services.

Located inside the Montana Athletic Club in Bigfork, the new health and wellness center, The Elysian Institute, is open to people who are looking to manage pain or discomfort. The center opened in July 2025. A membership in the Montana Athletic Club is not a requirement to access services offered by the Elysian Institute. The center offers one-of treatments and tiered memberships.

Since the sale of marijuana was made legal for adult-use in Montana in 2022, retailers have sold more than $1 billion in marijuana. The Montana Department of Revenue reported that last year sales were $327 million. As adult use has increased, medical use, which has been legal since 2004, has declined, having declined from 40% to about 10%. Over the four year period, Montana collected $217 million in marijuana tax revenue. About $207 million tax were collected from adult-use sales, and less than $10 million for medical use.

Later in 2026 the Gallatin Ice arena will enter the second phase of its $8.1 million expansion. Plans include seating to accommodate up to 1,500 spectators, a restaurant and bar, an executive suite and new locker rooms. Expectations are to draw people to Bozeman as a destination ice rink.

Montana education board has approved charter schools in Stevensville and Livingston.  The two new public charter schools are named the Stevensville Health Sciences Academy and Park Pathways School in Livingston.

The C.M. Russell Museum announced that tickets are on sale. The annual Western Art Auction and cultural weekend will take place March 19–21, in Great Falls. The event continues the museum’s tradition of honoring the legacy of Charles M. Russell while offering new opportunities for collectors, visitors, and the public to engage with the art, history, and stories of the American West. The 2026 Russell will feature works by Charles M. Russell alongside pieces by artists who captured the landscapes, communities, and spirit of the West including contemporary artists such as Troy Collins, Luke Frazier, Jennifer Johnson, Carol Hagen, and Greg Kelsey. The weekend will also include educational programming. Proceeds from The Russell directly support the C.M. Russell Museum and its mission’

Jana Olson was elected by acclamation as mayor of Richey during the November 2025 general election after filing as the only eligible candidate.

Most sites in Montana hit all-time, or near-record amounts of precipitation in December when an atmospheric river released a deluge across the state. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service, which released its January Water Supply Outlook Report recently. Of the 96 SNOTEL stations in Montana, 70 recorded their highest or second-highest December precipitation on record. The precipitation helped improve drought conditions across the state.

In Missoula, the Florence Building downtown is being remodeled into what will be the Sumac Cafe, a fast-casual Mediterranean breakfast and lunch restaurant. 

Data center developers, Sabey, wants an extension on the data center land deal with Butte-Silver Bow County. The company hoping to build the data center in Butte’s business park wants more time to consider its potential operations before closing on the land deal.

BW Blacksmith Coffee & Grill is opening a new restaurant and coffee shop in Anaconda in space previously occupied by Donivan’s Restaurant.

In mid January a real estate listing for The Great Northern Bar and Grill, Whitefish, was released. Three days later, the property was under contract. In its early years, the bar occupied a smaller space on the north side of Second Street. In the 1950s, the bar was moved to its current location on Central Avenue. In the late 1980s, an adjacent business and empty lot were purchased, and remodeled into the band room, pool room and beer garden. The Northern, with all its assets and Whitefish memorabilia, is listed for $12 million. 

Also on Central Avenue in Whitefish The Remington Bar and Casino is also listed for sale. The Remington’s history dates back even longer than The Northern’s. The bar and casino was established in 1908, three years after the city of Whitefish was incorporated. The Remington’s current location traces back to Hori’s Cafe and Hotel established in 1905. The Remington’s iconic bar, kitchen, venue, casino and the licenses to boot are listed for sale at $13.5 million. 

Logan Health President Kevin Abel is stepping down from his position, effective March 1. Abel was named co-CEO of Logan Health and Billings Clinic in March 2024, sharing the title with Clint Seger. Based in Billings, Seger was named the organization’s sole CEO in November 2025.

During the Terry Town Council’s meeting in January Mayor Rolane Christofferson and Keifer Lewis, Prairie County sheriff, relayed information from recent conversations with the Montana Department of Transportation about changing the method of parking along Spring Street in Terry. The main thruway between the east and west edges of town will look different in the coming months as a shift in parking from angle parking to parallel parking proceeds.

The Montana Board of Public Education denied a charter school application for the Miles City school district in January. The proposal would have seen a charter school established in the Jefferson Elementary School Building in an effort to address declining enrollment and student engagement within the district.

The City of Williston Economic Development Department has announced that Target Corporation has selected Williston Square as the site for a more than 134,000 square foot store. It will be the first in western North Dakota and sixth in the state. The store will be located at 3022 Dakota Drive inside Williston Square. 

Nearly 4,500 acres of working agricultural land and wildlife habitat in Montana’s Rocky Mountain Front region will be protected from new development after The Vital Ground Foundation partnered with the Fellows family and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service to complete a conservation easement for the Fellows Ranch outside Choteau. According to a news release the ranch includes more than five miles of frontage along the Teton River as well as two miles along a tributary, Spring Creek. these lush bottomlands provide important range for numerous wildlife species, including grizzly bears that follow waterways to move between mountain habitat in the nearby Bob Marshall Wilderness and the lower-elevation grasslands of the Rocky Mountain Front.

Visitors to Lewistown spend almost $42 million each year, according to a 2023 study by the Tourism Business Improvement District. Many of those visitors are here to attend one of the area’s community events, most of which are created by various groups of volunteers donating time and energy.

A recently released report shows that downtown Missoula saw 20 new business openings and more than $22 million in commercial investment in 2025.

The Whitefish Liquor Store has moved several blocks south to 1010 Baker Ave. This is the former location of Big Mountain Glass. The new liquor store has 13,000 square feet of space. It also includes two floors, two entrances and 30 parking spots.  

Looking at Real Numbers

8 February 2026
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“President Donald Trump used his first year back in the White House to set the tone for his second presidency, changing the nation and the world in the process,” states Epoch Times.

With many conflicting and convoluted reports in media claiming to track the ups and downs of economic indicators as a means gauging President Trump’s successes vs. failures, it can be difficult to really know at year’s end where we stand economically. Last week, Epoch Times published series of graphs depicting the past year’s track record, as well as a synopsis of each:

Stock Market

Since President Trump took office in January 2025, stock indexes have reached new highs. The S&P 500 Index rose nearly 16 percent through Jan. 14, compared to a 24 percent increase over the same period in Trump’s first term. In the past 12 months, the Dow Jones Industrial Average increased 13 percent and the Nasdaq gained 20 percent.

Economic Growth

After a 0.6 percent contraction in the first quarter, U.S. economic growth accelerated and exceeded economists’ expectations in 2025, avoiding a feared recession. GDP grew by 3.8 percent in Q2 and 4.3 percent in Q3—the strongest performance in two years. Although official data for October 2025 through December 2025 are pending, the Atlanta Federal Reserve estimates growth at around 5 percent. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent expects 2026 to be a “gangbuster year,” with continued strong economic growth.

Inflation

Inflation reached 9.1 percent in 2022, the highest level in decades. Although consumer prices remained elevated through 2025, inflation rates were lower than those recorded during the Biden administration. The annual rate began 2025 at 3 percent, fell to 2.3 percent in April, and rose back to 3 percent five months later. In November and December, price pressures eased, with the 12-month rate slowing sharply to 2.7 percent thanks mainly to falling gas prices.

Trade

Despite the trade deficit widening in the first three months of 2025 as businesses rushed to front-run President Donald Trump’s global tariffs, America’s monthly trade balance has improved substantially. Since peaking at $136 billion, the U.S. goods and trade deficit fell to $29 billion in October—the lowest level in 16 years.

Employment

Since last summer, the U.S. labor market has been characterized by what some economists call “low fire, low hire,” with companies neither reducing nor expanding their workforce. In 2025, employers added 584,000 jobs in total, averaging 49,000 per month. However, job growth slowed as government payrolls fell by 277,000, reflecting the administration’s efforts to shrink the federal government bureaucracy and support private sector jobs.

Gas Prices

One of the major achievements of the Trump administration has been the substantial decline in gas prices. From record production to loosening regulations, businesses and consumers have seen lower energy costs. Crude oil prices are trading below $60, while two dozen states are enjoying average gasoline prices below $2.80 a gallon. Market watchers expect the same trends in the year ahead.

Mortgage Rates

When President Donald Trump started his second term at the White House, the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was around 7 percent. Since then, it has fallen significantly, even temporarily sliding below 6 percent for the first time in more than three years. This has been driven by a blend of falling Treasury yields and federal housing strategies to bring down costs.

Border Security

President Donald Trump has emphasized border security as a central policy priority. By securing the border, the United States has experienced a 93 percent reduction in border crossings, 622,000 deportations, and 1.9 million self-deportations. This has been accomplished by bolstering enforcement personnel and tightening procedures.

Executive Actions

While the administration secured a major legislative victory with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, President Donald Trump has used the power of the executive branch to advance many of his policy objectives, including tariffs and regulations. Some of the more than 220 signed executive orders have also drawn legal scrutiny from advocacy organizations, companies, and states, leading to battles that have reached the Supreme Court.

Lattice Materials Research Facility Awarded $31.5 million for Sponsored Research

8 February 2026
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From Area Development

Lattice Materials, a manufacturer specializing in custom-grown silicon and germanium crystals and machined components, plans to expand its operations in Bozeman, Montana. The project is expected to create 50 jobs over the next three years.

The company will construct a new 80,000-square-foot facility which will support the increased demand for critical optical components for aerospace and defense industries.

“This new facility marks a pivotal step in our growth as global demand accelerates for high-performance, U.S.-manufactured germanium optics, driven by increased defense investment,” said Travis Wood, president of Lattice Materials. “Expanding our capacity enables our customers to innovate with confidence, maintain resilient domestic supply chains and ensure mission-critical technologies are available when needed.”

The project is being supported by an $18.5 million investment in Lattice from the Department of War.

“Montana is proud to be home to Lattice Materials as a leading manufacturer of germanium and silicon critical for the semiconductor industry,” Montana Governor Greg Gianforte noted. “The investment from the Department of War has led to this important expansion and will create more good-paying jobs and reduce our dependence on foreign nations for critical minerals. Together, we will continue to grow this sector of our economy to keep America prosperous and strong.”

Lattice Materials, part of The Partner Companies, offers services from crystal growth (using the Czochralski process) to final polishing, serving industries needing advanced materials for systems like thermal imaging and guided missiles.