B&F Excavating, of Columbia Falls has sold to Integrated Securities Solutions of Kalispell.
The Northern Rockies Coordination Center, which is part of the National Interagency Fire Center, put the estimated cost of fighting the 75 large wildfires Montana in 2020 at $55 million. Those fires burned a combined 335,242 acres of land.
The expansion of Headframe Spirits whisky making capacity will require a $1.8 million capital investment to expand distilling and whiskey-storage capacity. The company will become by far the largest producer of American single malt whiskey. Over the next six years, they expect to make 20,000 barrels, using Montana barley. The whiskey will be made and aged at the company’s Kelley site for a large distilling company that will anonymous, To live up to the terms of the contract Headframe will produce 24 to 30 barrels a day.
The state health department will be forced by the legislative budget subcommittee to leave the former Montana Development Center campus in Boulder. The Legislature passed a bill in 2015 to close the center within two years. The state-run institution housed people with developmental disabilities.
Governor Gianforte recently got a firsthand look at the material that will go unused to build the Keystone XL pipeline. The Governor also talked with construction heads, energy managers and local officials who voiced their concerns about the president’s decision.
Acela Truck Company, the Belgrade company which makes mobile morgue trailers has begun making mobile vaccine trailers.
The state of North Dakota’s eight commercial airports posted a total of 42,238 airline boarding’s for January 2021, a 57 percent decline in passengers from the same month last year.
George Willett has sold Showdown Montana ski area to his daughter, Katie Boedecker, Willett has owned the ski area for 47 years.
In Bozeman, the number of new real estate listings decreased 4.8% in January compared to last year, from 105 to 100. Pending sales were down 10%, going from 120 to 108. The number of closed sales decreased 23.8%, from 101 to 77. The average days on market decreased 62.7%, from 75 to 28. Median sales price increased 24.4% from $450,000 to $560,000. Sellers received 99.7% of their list price, up from 97.5% last January. The inventory of available homes dropped 66.8%, from 364 to 121, while, the months’ supply of inventory fell 70.4%, from 2.7 to 0.8.
In a study of 24 institutions of higher learning in Montana, Montana State University I Bozeman was ranked as the top college in Montana by intelligent.com for 2021.
Longtime Great Falls business JJ’s Bakery has announced that it will close in April. Owners John and Erin Williams thanked their customers and staff saying. They plan to focus on their other business, The Burger Bunker, at 24 5th St. S.
Bob Rowe, president and chief executive officer of NorthWestern Corporation announced changes. Brian Bird is to become president and chief operating officer; Crystal Lail is to become chief financial officer; Jeanne Vold, vice president – technology; Stephen Adik and Julia Johnson are retiring from Board; and Dana Dykhouse is to become chair.
Following the Governor’s lifting of the face mask mandate, the city of Whitefish, enacted an emergency measure to re-impose, for 90 days, the mandate locally. Emergency Ordinance 21-01 requires that “all businesses, government offices, or other persons responsible for indoor spaces open to the public shall require and take reasonable measures to ensure people wear a face covering that covers their mouth and nose at all times while entering or remaining in any indoor spaces open to the public.”
Montana’s pulse producers received some good news last month when it was announced that a major processing plant has reopened in Glacier County. A newly formed joint venture called AgroLink, LLC announced in early January that it is resuming operations at the Pardue Grain processing facility 12 miles west of Cut Bank. Pardue Grain elevators had been in operation on the 35-acre site since 1959.In 2018, the company completed an $8.25 million expansion project adding a food grade pulse processing plant and warehouse; however, Pardue Grain was forced into bankruptcy just a year later after U.S. exports of pulses — field peas, lentils and chickpeas — plunged due to excess global supply and the imposition of new import tariffs by China and India.AgriLink purchased the Pardue Grain plant last September at a lender ordered auction for an undisclosed price. AgriLink is a joint venture between Singapore based Agrocorp International and LinkOne Ingredient Solutions, a major producer of high quality pet foods based in Missouri.
Great Falls, too, is hoping to land a medical school. The private, nonprofit Touro College hopes to partner with Benefis Health System for a medical school. Montana University System has approved New York-based Touro’s plan to offer post-secondary degree programs in Montana, and is working to attain accreditation for the new location through the American Osteopathic Association’s Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation.
WinCo Foods has opened two employee-owned 24 hour locations in Missoula and Bozeman. Last year, the Bozeman location started construction in June and, it took four weeks for employees to stock the new shelves.
Last week, Governor Gianforte signed into law SB 61, which makes fishing free on Mother’s Day weekend. Senator Pat Flowers (D-Bozeman) introduced the bill which got approval of the State Legislature.
