The Yellowstone Business Coalition, formed in 2016, representing more than 400 businesses and landowners in Paradise Valley, Gardiner and Livingston, is mobilizing in response to recent Yellowstone National Park staff reductions. These layoffs could affect both park operations and the local economies that depend on them. The coalition initially came together to protect the local economy from two proposed gold mines near the northern entrance of Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone maintains around 300 permanent employees and hires more than 200 seasonal workers each year.

Seven years ago Andy and Kailey Armor opened Compass Chiropractic in Whitefish. Demand for the chiropractic practice has grown, leading to the February opening in downtown Kalispell. The new location is located on 1st Ave. E in Kalispell.

The nonprofit ski area, Bridger Bowl, rolled out a master development plan to the community in recent weeks. The plan includes ideas such as increased snowmaking, more parking, base-area improvements, new lifts and night skiing. When it comes to a plan for future development options at Bridger Bowl some skiers are concerned with keeping the feel of Bridger Bowl.

Montana FWP has released a draft environmental assessment in order to solicit comments about a new campground slated for an area near the Gunner’s Ridge trailhead. It is about 1/2 mile into Makoshika State Park. The campground will add 16 RV sites with electric hookups, four primitive hiker and biker tent sites, day-use facilities, latrines and a playground to the lower half of the park. Construction on the project is tentatively expected to begin between the middle of May or early June this year, with completion planned for this fall.

The Williams County Commission has approved a conditional use permit for Ramsey Hill Exploration to construct and operate a frac sand facility. The facility will be located in the Hofflund Township. The processing facility’s purpose will be to aid in oilfield production by locally storing frac sand needed for operations. The property spans approximately 1,109 acres, but Exploration Company made it clear it only intends to utilize 593 acres of the land.

A study commission in Butte-Silver Bow County wants the current commission to consider big changes in the way local government is run here. They are suggesting a city manager position overseeing day-to-day operations of the county. Voters did authorize a study commission in 2024. Nine people were elected to serve on the commission. The group has through most of 2026 to decide on what, if any, changes it wants to see in local government. Recommendations will go before voters in the November 2026 election.

The Helena Public School District is considering multiple proposals for long-term planning and dealing with aging school facilities. One plan would potentially close Hawthorne Elementary at the end of the academic year.

At a Feb. 25 board work session held at Bryant Elementary School, some community members spoke up about their worry regarding the possible closing of a neighborhood elementary school, Hawthorne.

Toyota of Helena has announced plans to move the dealership to 3135 Prospect Ave. Some work to the old Nissan location. There will be a complete Toyota dealership in about 10 weeks.

Highway 55, a Butte burger restaurant, closed in early January less than a year after it opened. The owner is searching for a new tenant for the practically brand new building on Harrison Ave. Butte-Silver Bow County designated more than $240,000 in taxpayer funds toward the project.

A new coffee stand called Glacier Peaks Bagels and Espresso is opening in Missoula. It will be located in front of Westside Lanes bowling alley.

VIM & VIGR, a Missoula-based company that sells compression leg wear, is building a new 14,000-square-foot warehouse near the Wye. Company founder Michelle Huie recently announced the expansion, stating the need for a larger space.

Opportunity Bank of Montana has opened a new branch location in Missoula.

Tractor Supply Co. is planning Helena and Butte locations. Both set to open in November. They will be TSC’s ninth and 10th locations in Montana. The Tennessee-based company sells power tools, pet supplies and the titular tractor parts and accessories plus other farm items.

A new journal focusing on the economic and entrepreneurial trends that shape Northwest Montana’s business communities will make its debut in April. Hagadone Media Montana is launching Insights with an eye toward connecting the economic hubs that are Flathead, Lake, Lincoln, Sanders and Mineral counties.  This five-county region is home to more thousands of businesses and a growing labor force with 200,000 consumers.

The City of Miles City Public Service Committee voted to recommend a change to the city ordinance that deals with liquor liability coverage at city parks. The committee voted unanimously on recommending the revision to the City Code of the City of Miles City, Section 17-114, and requiring liability insurance in specified amounts prior to issuance of a Park Use permit.

A private home on the banks of McDonald Creek in Glacier National Park can remain standing. The court ruled in favor of John and Stacy Ambler of San Diego, who built a house on a slice of land on lower McDonald Creek. Once the home was largely built, the Flathead Conservation District, responding to a host of complaints about the structure, found the home was in violation of the Montana Streambed Protection Act and ordered it removed. The court ruled the conservation district lacked authority to enforce state law inside of Glacier National Park. 

Amazon is hiring workers for its future facility in Belgrade. People seeking the position need to be able to lift up to 49 pounds. Schedules may include 40-hour weeks, 30- to 36-hour weeks or 20 hours or less with the option of working additional hours if needed. Pay per hour is $18.50.

Field & Stream Bozeman will open it’s hotel in Bozeman in May. The old Holiday Inn at 5 Baxter Lane, just off Interstate 90, was renovated as the new Field & Stream Bozeman. The hotel will have 179 rooms and suites are available for booking at an introductory rate for $289 per night. Summer rates will range from $400 per night to $800 per night.

Snowpack monitoring done by federal agencies shows above average amounts of snow in and around Lewistown. Amounts range from 167% of normal in the Snowies to around 137% of normal in the Little Belts. The National Weather Service does not measure snowfall at the Lewistown Airport.

Clydesdale Creamery opened in Whitefish in September, offering menu items from over-the-top milkshakes to a scoop of ice cream. The shop also features a full coffee bar, fancy s’mores and Liege waffle sandwiches. The owner, Arnold-Ladensack, along with his partner Benjamin, own Clydesdale Outpost near Whitefish. Whenever possible the ingredients are sourced locally.

The new license year opens March 1. That is the day you can buy your 2025 hunting, fishing and conservation licenses and begin applying for permits and special licenses. The deadline to apply for deer and elk permits is April 1. Applications for most species – deer, elk, antelope, deer B licenses, elk B licenses, antelope B licenses, moose, sheep, goat and bison – can be made beginning March 1.

The Dawson County local government study commission is continuing in its mission to determine whether to put a fundamental change in the form of county government on next year’s ballot. Some attendees were in favor of establishing a commission-manager form of government, saying it would create accountability in the person of a manager position to be established by the county board of commissioners. Under the commission-manager and commission-executive forms of government allowable under Montana Code Annotated, there is a specific line item describing the manager or executive’s “duties”, whereas under the straight commissioner form there is no such language.

An area, commonly called “Egg Mountain,”  southwest of Choteau, has been named an International Geoheritage Site. The site has been noted as the home of many fossil discoveries, including ones by paleontologists from Montana State University’s Museum of the Rockies. The designation identifies such sites “as being of the highest scientific value. They are sites that served to develop the science of geology, particularly its early history. The science organization awarded the designation to the “Cretaceous Dinosaur Nesting Grounds of the Willow Creek Anticline” at its international congress last summer.

A Whitefish fitness and wellness center, Peak Fit, has opened a second location on East Idaho Street in Kalispell.  The new location features an outdoor space that the owners hope to turn into a community space where outdoor workouts, coffee hours and more can take place. It is a way to expand the community aspect of their usual workouts.

The Custer County Commissioners approved a counter offer to the proposal by the City of Miles City for continued ambulance service from Miles City Fire Rescue and Ambulance Service to the entirety of the county. The City of Miles City is proposing the county provide $200,000 for the cost of sharing its ambulance service with the county for Fiscal Year 2025. The counter offer from the county was to pay a total of $350,000 to last through fiscal June 30, 2026.

Over the past several months Williston has been without locally stationed air medical transportation services. The region’s most recent provider discontinued operations in July of 2023. Shortly the Williston’s area air medical transportation services will return thanks to a collaboration between the City of Williston, CHI St. Alexius Health Williston, and Williston Care Flight.

Community Hospital of Anaconda was recently recognized as a 2025 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital by the Chartis Center for Rural Health. Chartis annual Top 100 award program recognizes outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals. CHA, a 25-bed critical access hospital, is located at 401 W. Pennsylvania St., in Anaconda.

Red Lodge Mountain will host its first Total Archery Challenge event from June 27-29, 2025. This three-day outdoor archery event promises to deliver an unforgettable experience for participants of all skill levels. The Total Archery Challenge is an archery event featuring professionally designed courses with over 100 lifelike 3D targets. Archers are tested on their marksmanship as they adjust for varying distances, angles, and natural obstacles. This event is designed to challenge and entertain archers from beginners to professionals.

The Wood Duck Project in the Big Belt Mountains. has been challenged by several environmental and wildlife organizations. The suit asks the court to declare that the project violates the law and to vacate the project decision or stop implementation of the project. The plaintiffs say it is in a wildlife corridor that is critical for the recovery of grizzly bears, and highly desirable for elk hunting. The project is on 1,241 acres and will consist of logging activities and road reconstruction.

During January, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks staff captured 52 elk in the Crazy Mountains northwest of Big Timber. None of the elk tested positive for exposure to brucellosis. Sixteen of the captured elk were outfitted with GPS collars that will be active for one year to help wildlife managers understand their seasonal ranges, migration routes and potential mixing with other elk herds.

Barrett Hospital & HealthCare of Dillon has opened a second clinic in Butte on Busch St. The clinic focuses on urological care.

A Madison County commissioner has floated possible eminent domain for the seizure of the privately held Jack Creek Road that connects Ennis and the Madison Valley to the peaks of Big Sky. The commissioner made the comment at a recent state Senate taxation committee hearing on a bill that could potentially be detrimental to the county. The threat of eminent domain may be nothing more than a political position since, it would likely cast Madison County into a lengthy and expensive legal battle against one of the state’s wealthiest communities.

The U.S. Postal Service announced recently that it will continue some local mail processing at the Missoula postal facility. It means that a single piece of mail that is sent from Missoula to be delivered in Missoula won’t travel out of Montana to be processed. A previous Postal Service decision would have shifted all Missoula mail processing operations to Spokane.

Sampling last year found that an overwhelming number of trout from rivers in the upper Missouri River Basin were healthy according to a news release recently from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks about field work conducted in 2024 by FWP and Montana State University. FWP reported that of the nearly 8,000 adult trout captured in the fall, only three exhibited signs of an infection.