Author: Press Room

Montana Highlights September 1, 2020

21 September 2020
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The Missoula International Airport has seen over 1,000 plus more private planes land at the airport as  compared to July 2019.

The owner of Whiskey and Lace Clothing Boutique, located at 23 W. Main St.,  Bozeman, is Lee Ann Anthony.  The business began two years ago as a fully-online clothing store

The Ruh Building, located at 605 N. 7th Ave., in Bozeman is set for completion in December. The building occupants will include a brewery, 16 apartments and 5,000 square feet of retail space. The building is owned by Bill and Karen Ruh. Last Best Place Brewing, will fill the building’s brewery space.

Montana’s unemployment rate decreased for the third straight month, dropping by 0.8 percentage points to 6.4% in July. Montana’s unemployment rate is 3.8 percentage points below the national rate of 10.2% for July 2020.

The Whitefish Chamber of Commerce, has announced the cancellation of  the 11th annual Great Northwest Oktoberfest scheduled for this fall has been canceled.  The event takes place in downtown Whitefish on the last weekend of September and the first weekend in October.

According to a new analysis from industry group Airlines for America, Montana experienced the smallest percentage decline in passenger flights out of any state in the country when compared to July of last year. Montana saw a 25% reduction in scheduled flights from July 2019 to July 2020. The national average was about a 50% decrease, and New York, the state with the most significant drop-off, saw flights decline by 70% compared to the same time period last year.

Rapid Clean Car Wash, a new Bozeman car wash, will have a 160-foot wash tunnel and 17 car vacuums.  Rapid Clean plans to hire up to 22 employees when they open. The planned for  detail shop and large vehicle wash openings will hire 3 or 4 more employees..

A huge expansion costing between $35 million and $40 million, that will more than double the capacity of the Dakota Access Pipeline to 1.1 million BOPD, was proposed by Energy Transfer Partners. Work will be completed by February 2021. The company said it is anticipated that crude oil production out of the Williston Basin will increase between 350,000 to 450,0000 BOPD over the next five years, with current production exceeding 1.3 million BOPD. The 36-inch crude oil pipeline runs 1,172 miles from Stanley, ND to Patoka, IL. The pipeline has reached its maximum capacity of 600,000 BOPD. (From Oil Patch Hotline)

Hess Corp is building a $155 million expansion of its gas processing plant at Tioga, ND.  The turnaround at the plant will take place next year along with the new tie- in to expanded NGL pipelines. Total capacity will be at 265 Mmcf a day.

Montana’s fire fund will be adequate to handle the fire season, according to the Governor. The fire fund has doubled to its statutory maximum, said Gov. Steve Bullock, and the state is well equipped to manage the COVID uncertainty with budget reserves of over $600 million. He said, “We are well equipped to handle two concurrent challenges with a fire fund that can cover nearly five average wildfire seasons and the reserves to sustain critical services and manage through the pandemic.” On August 15, $46.7 million was transferred from the general fund to the fire suppression fund, putting the fire fund at its statutory maximum of $101.5 million, or 4% of fiscal year 2021 appropriations.

Construction crews are widening Highway 287 north of Three Forks to 4-lanes, which will help improve stopping and sight distance for drivers.  The 7-mile stretch of highway in Broadwater County between I-90 and Toston will connect the existing 4-lane sections to help with safety and design standards. The Montana Department of Transportation says with the increase in traffic throughout the area this project will help improve visibility.  

Gallatin County’s residential real estate market saw increases in closed sales, pending sales and median sale prices in July, while the inventory of available homes decreased in both the single family and condo/townhome markets compared to last year. The median sales price increased 5.8%, from $462,250 in July 2019 to $489,000 in July 2020. Closed sales increased by 21.4%, from 192 to 233, and pending sales jumped 73.3%, from 150 to 260. The inventory of available homes decreased 40.5% compared to last year, from 504 to 300, and the month’s supply of inventory decreased 40.5%, from 3.7 to 2.2. The number of new single-family listings increased 2.3% compared to July 2019, from 213 to 218. The average days on market increased 4.4%, from 45 to 47. Sellers received 99.2% of their list price last month, up slightly from 98.9% last year. Closed sales on condos increased 38.1%, and sale prices in the condo/townhouse market increased 6.8%, from $323,000 to $345,000.  

Research activity at UM has grown substantially in recent years. This fiscal year, UM reported $104.7 million in research expenditures to the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) survey. This is a 16% increase over the previous high of $90.6 million in FY2018 and a 90% increase from FY2014.morbidities

Montana Group Strives to Protect Affordable Care Act

21 September 2020
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Protect Our Care Montana was joined by Reps. Debo Powers and Dave Fern, Executive Director of Flathead Community Health Center, Mary Sterhan, and Kalispell City Councilman Kyle Watermen on an a call to discuss the new healthcare navigator grant program during a meeting that recognized the third anniversary of Senator John McCain’s thumbs-down vote to that would have repealed Affordable Care Act. 

 Speakers spoke with elected leaders supporting ongoing efforts to eliminate the Affordable Care Act in court. They said that the stakes have never been higher to protect the Affordable Care Act and Montana’s Medicaid, given the current concerns about COVID-19. 

 Waterman, councilman for Ward 3 in Kalispell, called upon his experiences working with Montanans facing health challenges, “Medicaid expansion has allowed us to expand services in our community and move care upstream for issues like mental health.”

Discussing Montana’s Medicaid program and the change it’s brought to the Flathead area, Sterhan emphasized the impact Medicaid expansion has had on the state. She pointed out that programs like Montana’s Medicaid allow healthcare providers, like her, to approach health holistically and begin working with patients early instead of having to provide emergency or critical care later. 

 Sterhan also applauded Governor Steve Bullock’s announcement of $1 million health coverage Navigator grant program in the state. She confirmed Flathead Community Health currently has two navigators working with the public and the patients and will be applying for grant funds to increase that outreach. 

 Reps. Powers and Fern lauded the impact the ACA has had in their community and stressed what they believe would be the unintended impacts of repeal, including economic hardship for nearly 90,000 as they struggle to find healthcare.

Montana Companies Making INC List

21 September 2020
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Each year Inc. lists the 5000 fastest growing companies. Twelve on the list this year are from Montana.

Ascent Vision Technologies, Bozeman — Provides integrated services, imaging systems, and software development for the defense and aerospace industry.

LumenAd, Missoula — Creates media management programs to assist brands and agencies with growth and awareness strategies.

Stone Glacier, Bozeman— Fabricates high-end mountaineering equipment. Products include backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, and technical apparel.

 XY Planning Network, Bozeman- Provides tools, resources, and services to enable state-registered investment advisers to start, run, and grow their own fee-only financial planning practices.

Big Sky Health and Rehab, Helena— Offers hands-on manual therapy and specially designed exercise programs to better the lives of its patients. Its rehabilitation services are available through its clinic in Helena, Montana.

Foundant Technologies, Bozeman— Provides custom a software system for grant makers, another system for grant seekers, and a comprehensive financial service for community foundations.

commonFont, Bozeman— Helps leading companies connect with and learn from their customers. Provides the guidance and technical knowledge that enables its clients to collect, interpret, and act on customer feedback data.

Energy 1, Bozeman— Delivers construction engineering, contracting, operations, maintenance, and management services, focusing on sustainable energy systems designed to ensure comfort, protect the environment, and optimize cost efficiency.

Yellowstone Health and Rehab, Billings— Operates physical therapy clinics in Billings, Montana.

Golden Helix, Bozeman— Develops and sells a platform supporting the analysis of sequencing data and the creation of clinical reports for the bioinformatics industry.

Very, Bozeman- Provides expert product development, software engineering, and design services.

Dee-O-Gee, Bozeman— Provides healthy care options for dogs and cats in the United States through its network of pet food stores across the country.

Manufacturing Rebounds Nationwide

21 September 2020
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Manufacturing production rebounded for the third straight month, rising by 3.4% in July. Despite progress over the past few months, output in the sector has fallen 7.7% year-over-year, with durable and nondurable goods output down 9.3% and 5.4%, respectively. Manufacturing capacity utilization rose 69.2% in July, although that is still down from 75.2% in February.

* There were 336,000 manufacturing job openings in June, up from 306,000 in May, which had been the slowest pace since October 2016. Overall, job postings have drifted significantly lower over the past year—a trend that began before the COVID-19 pandemic. For instance, there were 486,000 and 360,000 job openings in the sector in June 2019 and December 2019, respectively.

* Consumer spending at retailers rose 1.2% in July, slowing from 18.3% and 8.4% gains seen in May and June, respectively. More importantly, it was the third straight monthly increase in consumer purchasing after stay-at-home orders sent sales plummeting in the spring. Excluding automobiles, retail sales rose 1.9% in July. Retail spending has risen by a modest 2.7% since July 2019.

Letters to the Editor

21 September 2020
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Rosendale will keep our communities safe

It is the responsibility of our elected leaders to ensure the safety of the citizens they represent. However, in Democrat-led cities and states, misguided officials have ignored the safety of a majority of their constituents to follow a political agenda. We’ve all seen the results. 

 Matt Rosendale has shown strong leadership, stating unequivocally that he supports Montana law enforcement and that he will stand strong against misguided attempts to abolish or defund police, which would put the public at risk. 

Now more than ever, we need Matt Rosendale in Congress to stand up to radical Democrats who are playing politics with our gun rights, law enforcement—and the safety of all Montanans.

Barbara Anderson, Lavina, Montana

Rosendale is a Fantastic Choice for Montana

Even during unprecedented times, may we never lose sight of the incredible privilege it is to live in the greatest country on earth. Where else are we so free to live, think, speak, learn, work, dream and worship as we see fit? Yet in the words of former President Ronald Reagan “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction”; and we, American voters, now hold the baton. We must preserve our liberty and pass it on to future generations. Perhaps like never before, American values are under assault by extreme leftists who unashamedly hate our president, our nation, and all that America represents. This is being exemplified through destructive attempts to eradicate our history, defund our police, and socialize our nation.

In November Montanans will vote to send a new representative to Washington D.C. to serve in Montana’s lone congressional seat. We have the exciting opportunity to send someone who loves Montana and America, someone who will support President Trump, back our law enforcement heroes, stand with our veterans, preserve our second amendment rights, protect our vulnerable citizens, work to lower health care costs, and bring fiscal responsibility to Washington D.C. This individual is Matt Rosendale, an honest, hardworking leader, whom President Trump describes as a “strong conservative fighter”.

America truly is great and exceptional. Patriotic Americans can keep it that way. Please vote for Matt Rosendale!

Hannah Dresser, Stevensville, MT

Legal Foundation Defends Property Rights

21 September 2020
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Mountain States Legal Foundation has been granted the right to intervene on behalf of besieged ranchers in Center for Biological Diversity v. Bernhardt, a case that could decide the future of livestock operations across significant swaths of Arizona and New Mexico. 

“Anti-ranching groups for years have been weaponizing the Endangered Species Act against livestock operators, in a bid to deny them their grazing rights and evict them from public lands,” said MSLF attorney Brian Gregg is response to the ruling. “The only difference here is that they’re using flawed, self-generated ‘science’ in support of the eviction order.”   

Anti-grazing groups understand that ranchers can’t survive without access to rivers, streams and other water sources. This explains a litany of lawsuits over the years claiming that this or that species is imperiled when livestock cross or otherwise use streambeds. An allegedly threatened jumping mouse is the latest species they want “saved” by fencing-off water sources that livestock growers can’t do without.  

MSLF in this case is representing longtime Arizona ranchers Doug Stacey and Bill and Barbara Marks, award  winning   conservationists who could lose access to critical water sources on the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest if greater “protection” of “jumping mouse habitat” is allowed to negate their grazing rights,  water rights and property right. MSLF also represents the Arizona Cattle Growers Association, which recognizes the devastating statewide economic impact this case could have.    

The plaintiffs claim that the New Mexico Jumping Mouse could be harmed by these long-established ranching operations, based on non-peer-reviewed “science” of their own creation. MSLF argues that this case is not based on the best available science; that mouse and man can successfully share these areas; and that arbitrarily fencing-out livestock, based on self-serving agenda-driven science, would spell doom for ranchers who are good and conscientious caretakers of the land and water.  

MSLF believes that a conflict of interest arises when management decisions are made by “science” originating with interested parties – especially parties with a well-known anti-ranching bias. “The point of this and similar lawsuits isn’t to protect endangered species, but to use these allegedly endangered species as a pretext for regulating historic family ranches out of business,” said Brian Gregg, MSLF’s lead attorney on the case. “We’re intervening in this case in defense of ranchers who have a proven track record of good stewardship, but also against radical groups who are notorious for using dubious claims to wage an ideological war against grazing.”  

“The problem isn’t cattle running roughshod over streambeds, as alleged, but organized anti-ranching groups running roughshod over grazing rights, using unsubstantiated environmental threats as a pretext,” added Gregg.  

Dr. Wilmouth Recognized for Life Time Legacy

21 September 2020
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The Billings Chamber of Commerce announced that Dr. Robert J. Wilmouth, President of Rocky Mountain College, is the 2020 Legacy Award honoree.

Dr. Wilmouth has served in multiple leadership capacities in Billings for almost 30 years, and will be honored during the 2020 Billings Chamber Annual Meeting presented by KULR8 and PayneWest Insurance on September 10, at the Babcock Theater.

Dr. Wilmouth is an incredible champion for our community,” noted Chamber President and CEO John Brewer. “As Rocky Mountain College’s leader, he has led efforts to grow our workforce and expand the college with the new science center, and so much more. He has a long history of giving his time and resources to projects that will help Billings to grow and develop. Dr. Wilmouth is a true Billings asset.”

Dr. Wilmouth has been the President of Rocky Mountain College (RMC) since January 2013. He earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Notre Dame in psychology and pre-professional studies. Following college, he worked as a marketing representative for the IBM Corporation in the financial branch in Chicago, Illinois.

During this time, he also served as a commissioned officer in the Army Reserves Medical Corps. After receiving his doctor of medicine degree from the University of Illinois, he was a surgical resident at the University of Colorado, followed by a two-year fellowship in cardiothoracic surgery at New York University. He moved to Billings in 1991 and joined Billings Clinic as a cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon, and then as Chief of Cardiac Services and Medical Director.

He was also the Program Director for the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program at RMC. According to one of his nominators, Tyler Wiltgen, Dr. Wilmouth “has taken RMC to the next level through his tireless pursuit of ‘getting better at everything we do.’”

Wiltgen credits Dr. Wilmouth with leading the charge to raise funds and construct the brand new Dr. Charles Morledge Science Center, outfitting Herb Klindt Field with lights and artificial turf, and as the champion of providing RMC students with the best possible educational experience.

“His leadership helped the College open it first ever doctorate program, in Occupational Therapy,” Wiltgen continued. “He has laid the groundwork for expansion of the College’s Physician Assistant Master’s program as well.” In his time at RMC, Wiltgen recognizes Dr. Wilmouth’s efforts in establishing the College as a true community partner, through his service on the Yellowstone Boys and Girls Ranch, Riverstone Health Foundation, Billings Symphony, and Big Sky Economic Development Boards.

Dr. Wilmouth holds certifications from the American College of Surgeons, the National Board of Medical Examiners, the American Heart Association, the American Board of Surgery, and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery.

Big Surprise for Montana Oil Patch

21 September 2020
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As Continental Resources brings more of its Williston Basin wells back on line, it was surprised to learn that production had sharply increased in Montana after two months of wells being shut in, reported Oil Patch Hotline.

“We turned it back on and the production was double of what it was before we shut it in,” said CEO William Berry. The company said it would bring most of the curtailed Bakken wells back on line by the end of this month. Continental led the early exploration of the Elm Coulee Field in eastern Montana in 2008 and now holds leases on 1.1 million acres there.

“This is a very low permeability reservoir, and you give it time to shut-in, you start seeing it— the reservoir basically recharged the stimulated rock volume area we’ve got around the wells” said President Jack Stark. “And so the fact is, there’s a lot of oil out here.”

Stark and other industry representatives say they expect North Dakota oil production is expected to return to record levels this summer, but they say the resurgence will be slow and steady.

Technology advancements are driving the increase in activity rather than the price of oil, Jack Stark is reported as saying in the Bismarck Tribune.

“This year, there’s no doubt that the Bakken is performing better than ever,” he said. “The rock hasn’t changed. It’s all happened through technology.”

Continental, North Dakota’s top oil producer, only recovered about 3 to 5 percent of the oil early in its Bakken operations. Now, said Stark the company recovers 15 to 20 percent of the oil, with efforts underway to continue increasing that.

As the re-charging of Montana wells indicate, “We’re leaving a lot down there,” said Thomas Nusz, chairman and CEO of Oasis Petroleum.

Erec Isaacson, vice president of Rockies Business Unit for ConocoPhillips, said $65 oil is the new $100 oil, thanks to innovations the industry developed during the downturn.

Best Place to Own Home in Montana

21 September 2020
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The best place to own a home in Montana is in Jefferson County, east of Butte, when comparing the cost of rent to the cost of a mortgage, according to smartasset.com. It takes 3.5 years in Jefferson County to break even, with the cost of rent.

The average monthly mortgage payment is $2,001 while monthly rent is $1,244 and the average home price is $465,243. Yellowstone County is considered the fifth best city in Montana to own rather than rent, with a payback period of 4.1 years.

The average monthly mortgage payment is $1,440 while average monthly rent is $1,332. The averge price of a home in Yellowstone County is $334,775. Other counties in the top ten in Montana were Lincoln, Golden Valley, Lewis and Clark, and Gallatin.

Beartooth Bank to Open in Downtown Billings

21 September 2020
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To provide more convenience for customers, Beartooth Bank, a division of American Bank Center, is adding a second bank located at 123 N. Broadway Ave. in downtown Billings. This 7,000-square-foot facility is expected to open in 2021. Beartooth currently has one location at 4130 King Ave. W., Billings.

In addition to offering personal banking services, this new downtown location will focus on providing effective and efficient banking solutions for businesses.

It will feature American’s Branch of Tomorrow concept, which includes industry-leading technology and a model of service that provides more convenience for customers.

Customers will have one point of contact for all their banking needs. Services offered downtown include commercial lending, ag banking, retail, e-banking, consumer lending and home mortgage. There will be an opportunity for future expansion to also meet customers’ trust and insurance needs.

“We are excited to serve our customers in this new location where we will continue to offer the high-quality service and local decision-making they have come to expect from us,” said Sheri Nicholson, Beartooth Bank president. Nicholson plans to retire later this fall and Allen McCormick will be the new market president. A lifelong resident of Montana and originally from Lindsay, he has 40 years of experience in the banking industry.