Author: Press Room

Over $170 million in Grants Going to State Parks and Recreation

18 October 2019
Press Room
No comments

By Derek Draplin, The Center Square

The U.S. Department of Interior announced over $170 million in grants funded without taxpayer dollars will be distributed to state parks and outdoor recreation projects in all 50 states.

Interior Secretary David Bernhardt said that $170,623,713 from the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) will be implemented by the National Park Service.

The grants aren’t funded by taxpayer dollars since the LWCF is funded by revenue generated from offshore oil and gas leasing.

Montana will receive $1,611,602.

“Using zero taxpayer dollars, LWCF invests earnings from offshore oil and gas leasing to help rehabilitate and improve infrastructure at state and local parks and other recreation areas,” Bernhardt said. “Funds will also be used to maximize access by opening up landlocked public lands. A small investment in a little strip of land can open up thousands of acres to outdoor recreation enthusiasts.” 

LWCF, which was passed by Congress in 1964, was permanently reauthorized by Congress earlier this year.

Kathleen Sgamma, president of the Western Energy Alliance, a trade group representing the oil and gas industry, noted that oil and natural gas development is the sole source of funding for LWCF.

“The industry is a strong environmental partner across the West, both through countless private donations to conservation groups and initiatives as well as direct on-the-ground conservation work,” Sgamma said.

The states allocated the most money are California ($14,564,940), Texas ($9,746,191), New York ($7,941,700), Florida ($7,869,846), Illinois ($5,726,425), and Pennsylvania ($5,430,820).

Of western states, Washington received $3,577,901, Arizona received $3,541,391, Colorado received $3,034,579, and Nevada received $2,292,912.

Montana Manufacturers – Show Your Stuff

18 October 2019
Press Room
No comments

The Montana Manufacturing Extension Center in Bozeman is encouraging manufacturers to plan an event to recognize Manufacturing Day which is October 4. The organization says there are lots of options:

  • Tours of your facility, especially if you have new equipment or processes
  • Product demonstrations
  • Learning and hands-on activities for children and students, at your site or at schools.

Another idea: invite a teacher – or perhaps a group of teachers. They are the ones who touch the future generation who will carry forward the industry. To see first-hand how the technology to which they are introducing students is actually used is very enlightening and helps encourage students to understand the many opportunities before them.

For more ideas and for assistance contact MMEC at  http://www.montana.edu/mmec/news/MFGDay.html

Montana Highlights September 15, 2019

18 October 2019
Press Room
No comments
  • SoClean, an international medical supply company, is opening its second North American location in Kalispell next month. SoClean anticipates having a workforce of 250 employees or more. The Kalispell facility will include sales, customer service, technology support, marketing, and human resources. SoClean makes and sells automatic cleaning devices for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machines. (CPAP)
  • Attorneys for the Trump administration want a U.S. judge to disallow a lawsuit from Native American tribes trying to block the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline. Tribes in Montana and South Dakota say President Donald Trump approved the pipeline without considering potential damage to cultural sites from spills and construction. U.S. District Judge Brian Morris will preside over hearing on the government’s attempt to dismiss the case. Pipeline sponsor TC Energy, formerly known as TransCanada, is also seeking dismissal of the tribes’ lawsuit.
  • Consumer Direct Care Network was chosen last week by the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services for the Missoula-based in-home health care company to administer $500 million in spending to oversee providers of in-home personal care and respite.
  • Butte’s economic development team has hired the Texas-based analytics firm, Buxton, to help local leaders recruit retailers to Butte.  The BLDC was awarded $31,000 in grant funds for the project from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Butte’s Tourism Business Improvement District. The official launch date of Buxton’s services begins Oct. 1, at which time the BLDC and other members of the economic development team will have access to detailed information on the local market. Buxton will provide 20 leads on companies, retailers especially, that Buxton believes would do well in Butte.
  • Montana’s Supreme Court has reversed a lower-court ruling that struck down a water pollution permit for a large coal mine near Colstrip. District Judge Kathy Seeley in 2016 ordered the state Department of Environmental Quality to reconsider the permit for the Rosebud strip mine, which fuels the nearby Colstrip power plant. She said regulators showed errors of judgment in allowing reduced monitoring. The ruling states  regulators have the flexibility to allow pollutants to be released into ditches that run dry for the majority of the year.
  • On average, Lewis and Clark County’s residential property values increased by 7.3% following the Montana Department of Revenue’s latest biennial valuation. The valuation is primarily determined by market value as of Jan. 1, 2018. While the 7.3% increase in Lewis and Clark County may seem high, it is much lower than the 19% average increase for residential property in Gallatin County. 
  • American Airlines has announced plans to add a direct flight to Philadelphia on Saturdays beginning in summer 2020. The airline will also add flights to LaGuardia Airport on Saturdays and Los Angeles daily.
  • The restaurant, Bisl, has been closed in downtown Bozeman. Owners Kierst and Davey Rabinowitz  point to high overhead and an unreliable customer base as reason for the closure.
  • The federal judge overseeing a tribal lawsuit against the Dakota Access Pipeline is allowing nine groups including the American Civil Liberties Union and the National Congress of American Indians to weigh in on whether federal officials who permitted the pipeline properly consulted tribes. Texas-based pipeline developer Energy Transfer Partners unsuccessfully opposed the groups’ request, arguing that the issue of tribal consultation has already been resolved.
  • The Bureau of Reclamation has selected the Huntley Project Irrigation District to receive $75,000 for small-scale water efficiency grants. The grants will help the water entities use water more efficiently and improve water supply reliability. “This WaterSMART program improves water conservation and reliability for communities throughout the West,” said Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman. The Huntley Project Irrigation District in Ballantine, will install three permanent flow measurement stations to provide real-time flow measurement data. This will allow the District to monitor flows in its three major canal systems and monitor lift station efficiency. The project is expected to reduce spills and provide the start of a comprehensive water measurement network, leading to better overall water management.
  • A pair of new winter wheat varieties soon to be released by Montana State University breeders are designed to help address two issues that plague wheat farmers across the state, sawflies and stripe rust fungus, while improving crop yields. The Bobcat and Flathead varieties will be released this fall from the Montana Foundation Seed Program. The new varieties will be used to produce registered and certified seed through certified growers across Montana and should be available for purchase by the public between the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons. Two varieties released in 2018, Ray and Four0six, are now available for purchase statewide.
  • Eric and Keri Brown have teamed up with Cheryl Olson to offer smoked brisket and pulled pork sandwiches in the Sidney area. Located at the Elks Lodge, 123 3rd St. S.W., is open to everyone from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Friday.
  • Williston Basin International Airport will hold its grand opening on Saturday, October 5 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tours of XWA, a new $270 million regional airport will be given and the facility will be on display for one day only. The airport begins operation on Thursday, October 10.
  • Morton Buildings is making its way out west establishing a location in Sidney as of January. With a salesman on the ground and several buildings up, Morton knows one thing for sure – it’s economic boom in the area is just beginning. “If you’re only looking at the oil activity, sure you could say we’re a little late,” said Tom Janke, area manager for the Northern Plains North region of Morton. “But farming is still farming. If the oil wasn’t there we would still be really attracted to the area.” The employee-owned company sells a variety of buildings, from suburban garages to large shops, warehouses, dealerships and homes. Morton is looking to provide five jobs in Sidney.
  • Business for Montana Outdoors reports more than $7 billion was spent on Montana outdoors activities, creating 71,000 jobs and with well over 80% of Montanans surveyed calling themselves “outdoor recreation enthusiasts.” 68% of those polled say a loss of wildlife habitat is a “serious problem” in the state.
  • The Wise River Club , a quintessential small-town café, and a favorite stopping point for tourists who travel to Highway 43 in Big Hole Valley, is for sale. It is a historical site for Wise River, a region known for world-class fly fishing, river rafting, mountain biking hunting, snowmobiling, etc.
  • The Montana Department of Transportation is proposing to seal and cover about 1.38 miles of Airport Road, in Lewistown, Fergus County. The project begins at the intersection of Main St. and Airport Road and extends southeasterly for 1.38 miles ending near the airport terminal. The project is tentatively scheduled for construction in spring of 2021.
  • The Montana Department of Transportation is also proposing to resurface 11.5 miles of US-212 east of Busby, Bighorn County. The project begins approximately 1.5 miles east of Busby, at reference post (RP) 27.15 and extends east for 11.5 miles, ending at the Rosebud County line. The project is tentatively scheduled for construction in 2020, depending on completion of all project development activities and availability of funding. No new Right-of-Way or utility relocations will be needed.
  • Developers are proposing to move forward with an $18 million mixed-use  redevelopment of the riverfront Buffalo Crossing property and True Brew plans to open a second Great Falls location.
  • Stacey Indergard, RN, CPCP  has started a business in Sidney providing permanent makeup. Indergard completed her training at Simply Body Art Studio in Phoenix and has become certified as a professional.
  • Over the past year, Missoula County employers created more jobs than any other county in the state.
  • Great Falls Tourism has created a new event grant of up to $100,000 for a group of people to create a multi-day event for Great Falls on a Thursday-Friday anytime between the months of September and May. Applicants must submit a proposal by the end of the month.
  • The Great Falls City Commission approved the zoning and annexation of the Love’s Travel Stop location, a $12 million project that will include up to two fast food options and employ 30-40 people. 
  • The combination of two Helena-based companies will create one of the largest technology service providers in Montana. Anderson ZurMuehlen announced that it will purchase Information Technology Core. The agreement will expand Anderson ZurMuehlen Technology Services, an information technology consulting division. TC has offices in Helena, Missoula and Salt Lake City. It provides hardware and software services for businesses and public agencies. AZ currently has about 200 employees in seven cities around Montana. In addition to technology consulting, it provides public accounting and business advisory services.
  • A portion of the Going-to-the-Sun Road between Avalanche Creek and Logan Pass in Glacier Park will close temporarily from Sept. 16 until Sept. 29 to allow pavement preservation crews to complete remaining work in the alpine section of the road. Logan Pass will remain accessible from the St. Mary entrance during the closure.
  • A report in Forbes magazine reminisces about the movie “A River Runs Through It,” saying it still – after 30 years – is having an impact on the fly-fishing industry and visitation to Montana. The movie was based upon a book by the same name by Norman Maclean, a Montana author.  “…travelers (both fly-fishers and land-lubbers alike) are still making a pilgrimage to Montana to find out if that river will give them the same transcendent experience that lifts the family in the film and haunts the sole surviving brother years afterwards,” writes the article’s author, Gretchen Kelly. After the film’s debut, the fly-fishing industry exploded, increasing 60 percent in both 1991 and 1992. She reports that because of that impact “The river in the book and the film has benefited as well. Today, the Blackfoot River is back as a fly-fishing destination. Thousands of dollars of contributions have helped the River recover and brown and rainbow trout fishing are booming.”

Montana Chamber Joins CAN

18 October 2019
Press Room
No comments

A national organization that aims to completely eliminate the digital divide in rural America over the next five years has expanded its presence in Montana. The Montana Chamber of Commerce has joined Connect Americans Now (CAN), a coalition that advocates for a mixed-technology approach to bridging the rural broadband gap, particularly by encouraging policymakers to clear the barriers so innovative technologies like TV white space can be pursued.

“This country has been working to close the rural broadband gap for nearly two decades, but we can’t fully tackle this problem without removing barriers to innovation,” said Shelby DeMars, a spokesperson for CAN.  “We’re excited to be expanding CAN’s broad-base of support on behalf of the thousands of Montanans who remain on the wrong side of the digital divide.”

The Montana Chamber of Commerce is the latest in a growing number of Montana organizations who have joined CAN, including the Montana Rural Education Association, the Montana Farm Bureau Federation, and the Montana Stockgrowers Association, among others.

“Broadband access is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity,” said Bridger Mahlum, Government Affairs Director of the Montana Chamber of Commerce.  “Access to reliable broadband is a necessity for our Montana businesses, it’s critical for our residents and students in rural areas that need to access the internet for online education resources and job training, and we owe it to our farmers and ranchers to make the latest and best technology available to them. In an evolving, high-tech marketplace we can’t let Montanans be left behind by not addressing the digital divide.”

CAN also encourages the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to fix how it measures broadband availability in rural states. The FCC has admitted the current methodology is flawed, an issue CAN notes impacts both private and public investments in broadband deployment.

“We should at least know the full scope of the challenge and right now the FCC’s methodology does not reflect the true lack of broadband in rural areas,” DeMars said. “They’ve identified areas as having broadband access where none actually exists.”

In 2018, Microsoft conducted a study comparing usage data to the FCC’s broadband availability statistics. The study found that while the FCC claims 77 percent of Montanans have access to broadband internet, just 33 percent actually access the internet at broadband speeds.

The disparity is particularly large in Wheatland County. The FCC suggests 92.9 percent of the county has broadband connectivity, while the Microsoft study found just three percent of county residents access the internet at broadband speeds.

Local Food Producers Hold Annual Event in Absarokee

17 October 2019
Press Room
No comments

The Yellowstone Valley Food Hub will be hosting its 3rd annual fundraiser at the Wild Flower Kitchen in Absarokee on Saturday, October 5. The event, “Chef Goldman’s Farm to Table Dinner,” will feature food raised by the Food Hub’s local producers. A Barn Dance will immediately follow the dinner at the same location.

“This has been an exciting year of growth for the Yellowstone Valley Food Hub, and our farm to table dinner is a great way to celebrate all we’ve accomplished and see where we are headed with the help of our local community,” said Annika Charter-Williams, a Shepherd rancher and President of the Food Hub Co-op Board.

“Our customers tell us how much they appreciate the taste and quality of our locally produced food over the products trucked in by corporate farms to big grocery store chains,” continued Charter-Williams.  “Food like ours, which is grown and raised by local producers who truly care, becomes even more delicious in the hands of a skilled chef like Nick Goldman. Whether you’re a hard-core foodie or simply someone who wants to enjoy an amazing meal that benefits family agriculture, we can’t wait to see you at the Wild Flower Kitchen in October.”

The Yellowstone Valley Food Hub was officially launched last year after the Northern Plains Resource Council and its Billings area affiliate, the Yellowstone Valley Citizens Council, brought together area farmers and ranchers to create an independent growers cooperative. Northern Plains helped the producers raise funds to hire a general manager and launch an online local food marketplace.  Chef Goldman’s Farm to Table Dinner is a fundraiser to help the growers cooperative spotlight quality local foods and grow in the year ahead.

Since its initial launch, the Yellowstone Valley Food Hub has expanded its product offerings and developed a system that allows customers to place orders online with weekly pickup locations in Billings, Red Lodge, and Absarokee.  

Attendees of the fundraiser can meet and socialize with the farmers and ranchers who produced the food served in the dinner. Locally-sourced raffle prizes and auction items will also be part of the event.

Chef Goldman’s Farm to Table Dinner is on Saturday, October 5, at the Wild Flower Kitchen in Absarokee. The 4-course dinner features food from 12 local farms and ranches. 

Doors open at 4 p.m. and the dinner lasts from 4:30-7:30 p.m. A Barn Dance follows the dinner from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m.; admission to the dance can be purchased with or without a dinner ticket.

Tickets for the Dinner only are $125 per person; tickets to the Barn Dance only are $25; and combined tickets for both the dinner and dance are $135. To learn more, visit www.yvfoodhub.com/.

Jersey Mike’s Subs Opens in Shiloh Crossing

17 October 2019
Press Room
No comments

The fastest growing sandwich chain in the country, Jersey Mike’s Subs, has been opened in Billings by franchise owner, John Vagner.

The new restaurant, located at 1020 Shiloh Crossing Boulevard Suite 2, held its grand opening on Sept. 11, using the event to generate contributions to Tumbleweed, an organization that provides safety and assistance to homeless youth.

Started in 1956, Jersey Mike’s now has 2,000 restaurants open and under development nationwide.

The growth is fueled by Jersey Mike’s fans who crave their subs made Mike’s Way with the fresh vegetables – onions, lettuce and tomatoes – topped with a zing of “the juice” – red wine vinegar and olive oil blended.  Jersey Mike’s meats and cheeses are sliced on the spot, piled high on in-store baked bread. 

The restaurant’s hours are 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., seven days a week. 

Industry Insiders: Tariffs Stifle Growth of Craft Breweries

17 October 2019
Press Room
No comments

By Noell Evans, The Center Square

The craft beer industry is starting to feel the effects of the months-long trade dispute between the U.S. and China, industry insiders say. And they worry the impact will only get worse as the dispute continues.

In March 2018, the Trump administration placed a 10 percent tariff on aluminum and a 25 percent tariff on steel. Since then, the costs of everything from cans to other equipment used by craft breweries have risen.

Before the tariffs, a single can cost between 15 and 18 cents. That same can is now 19 to 24 cents, brewers reported. When multiplied across the thousands of cans a brewery uses, the total can be significant.

The tariffs also are leading to jobs losses, industry insiders say. A study published earlier this year by the Beer Institute and National Beer Wholesalers Association placed the loss of 40,000 beer industry jobs on the tariffs. The study reported that the tariffs caused a “lack of investment” in what was a growing industry.

A release provided by The Brewer’s Association, a non-profit trade association of “…more than 5,240 U.S. brewery members and 46,000 members of the American Homebrewers Association,” said “The Brewers Association continues to work alongside members of Congress and our industry partners regarding tariffs. Aluminum cans represent nearly half of packaged production for small brewers, and as such, our efforts on Capitol Hill include not only educating members on the potential impact these tariffs will have on our industry but advocating for the exclusion of aluminum sheet or “cansheet” imported in the U.S.”

Brewers fear the ongoing trade war will stifle what has been a booming industry: In 2000, there were about 1,500 craft breweries in the U.S. In 2018, there were, 7,450. 

Huntley Project Irrigation District to Receive $75,000

17 October 2019
Press Room
No comments

The Bureau of Reclamation has selected the Huntley Project Irrigation District to receive $75,000 for small-scale water efficiency grants. The grants will help the water entities use water more efficiently and improve water supply reliability in the western United States.

“This WaterSMART program improves water conservation and reliability for communities throughout the West,” said Reclamation Commissioner Brenda Burman. “This cost-shared funding is providing an opportunity for these water providers and tribes to invest in using their water more efficiently.”

The Huntley Project Irrigation District in Ballantine, Montana, will install three permanent flow measurement stations to provide real-time flow measurement data. This will allow the District to monitor flows in its three major canal systems and monitor lift station efficiency. The project is expected to reduce spills and provide the start of a comprehensive water measurement network, leading to better overall water management.

Under this funding opportunity, applicants can request up to $75,000 in Reclamation funding and must contribute a non-federal cost-share of at least 50% of total project costs.

Governor Projects 10 More Good Years for Montana

17 October 2019
Press Room
No comments

In recognition of Labor Day, Montana Governor Steve Bullock proclaimed that the state’s economy will continue a growth trend for the next ten years.

Stats that support that projection  come from the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. In its annual Labor Day Report the agency reports that Montana has added tens of thousands of jobs since the Great Recession ended in 2009.

So greatly is Montana’s job market growing, that the biggest problem to economic growth is the challenge of filling those positions. That fact is driving up wages, in keeping with the law of supply and demand – when a commodity is in short supply the price goes up.

The trend has been on-going for the last three years. Jobs have steadily been increasing but not so the number of workers.

Montana’s rising wages have had an impact on another economic gauge – median household income growth. Montana ranked sixth in the nation in income growth between 2016 and 2017. The state’s median income rose 6.7% to $53,386. The figure includes earnings from business ownership and investments.

Since 2009, Montana wage growth has increased by 2.7 percent – more than $10,000.

Montana’s economic growth has not been consistent across the state, however. Payroll jobs increased 19 percent throughout Southwest Montana, including Bozeman, over the past ten years.  Payroll employment in Eastern Montana, peaked at about 15 percent in 2013 during the Bakken Oil boom, but then dropped down to one percent growth.

North-central Montana has experienced negative job growth since 2009, losing about 640 jobs.

Overall the state has had an unemployment rate under 4 percent, but for some areas the unemployment rate persists at high rates, such as for American Indian Reservations where the unemployment rate can be two or three times higher than the state average, although it has been trending downward.

In general more men are in the job market than women by a difference of about 10 percent. Between the ages of 25 and 54, 88.5 percent of men actively look for work while only 77.6 percent of women.

One of the reasons given for not being in the labor force is a lack of child care. Licensed childcare facilities have capacity for only 40 percent of children in Montana under age five.

Among the older age groups 60.4 percent of workers say they are retired.

Gas Prices Drop

15 October 2019
Press Room
No comments

Labor Day Weekend saw the lowest gas prices in at least three years, AAA reports.

Gas prices dropped in every state except for Hawaii. Idaho saw the largest decrease of 16.8 percent, followed by Utah, Wyoming, Alaska and Colorado.

The national average of $2.58 per gallon is about 25 cents less than last year’s prices, and 5 cents less than 2017’s, during the same time period.

Louisianans, Mississippians, and Texans pay the least for gas, at about $2.20 a gallon, compared to Hawaii’s $3.66 a gallon.

The highest gas prices still tend to be in the West, upper Midwest and Northeast, AAA reports, where gas costs anywhere between $2.78 and $3.70 per gallon, and up.