Montana Highlights

A new rest area off of Interstate 90 opened recently, one year after it was originally suppose to open. The Headwaters Rest Area in Three Forks is near U.S. Highway 287 and the Bridger Brewing Facility. It was built by a local developer, who constructed the new rest stop facility in exchange for acquiring the old rest area property off of North 19th Avenue in Bozeman.

Recently two sections of road in Yellowstone National Park have opened to non-motorized vehicles. Since last week 49 miles of U.S. Highway 89 have been available for cyclists, providing paved recreational opportunities from the West Entrance to Mammoth Hot Springs with travel thru Madison and Norris Junctions.

The operators of the Séliš Ksanka QÍispé Dam got the go-ahead in last month to keep more water in Flathead Lake this spring. This is an effort to avoid a repeat of last summer’s low water levels. Energy Keepers, Inc., the company that oversees the dam on the south end of Flathead Lake, had previously petitioned the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to deviate from the lake’s Flood Risk Management Plan. While the lake is usually lowered to make room for spring runoff, the Corps determined that the risk of flooding is minimal, according to Energy Keepers.

Glacier National Park officials expect construction on the Going-to-the-Sun Road and the Upper McDonald Creek Bridge to end this year. Other projects, like water infrastructure and road improvements in the Swiftcurrent developed area will be beginning. New construction projects slated for 2024 include the installation of fiber optic lines, the rehabilitation of roads near park headquarters and a dust mitigation treatment in Many Glacier. Park officials One of the largest upcoming projects includes the construction on the Swiftcurrent Water Distribution System and road rehabilitation, which will begin after the Swiftcurrent Motor Inn, Many Glacier Hotel and Many Glacier Campground close for the 2024 season.

Dozens of people showed up to a Bozeman city commission meeting recently to push the city to stop a development proposed for the city’s midtown area. The “Guthrie” building is proposed for the corner of North 5th Avenue and Villard Street. Developers HomeBase Partners are proposing to build a five-story, 111-unit building that will include half of the units as affordable housing. The units will be a mix of one-bedroom and studio apartments, and the half affordable units will be restricted to 80% of area median income, which ...

Stockman Bank has been recognized by S&P Global Market Intelligence as one of the top 50 best-performing U.S. community banks of 2023, among banks with $3 billion to $10 billion in assets.

S&P Global Market Intelligence ranks institutions based on returns, growth and funding but places a premium on the strength and risk profile of balance sheets. The rankings were launched in 2011 to assess...

By Kevin Bessler, The Center Square

Saying it’s too much, too soon, numerous groups are denouncing the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s recently announced emission standards, with the Illinois Corn Growers Association being one of them.

On March 20, 2024, EPA announced a final rule, Multi-Pollutant Emissions Standards for Model Years 2027 and Later Light-Duty and Medium-Duty Vehicl...

Rudyard Kipling

Owning Yourself

By Evelyn Pyburn

Few quotations strike closer to home during the current era than this, especially as it pertains to speaking truth as we see it.

I understand the reasons. In my youth I used to feel quite intimidated at having to speak in a public setting of any sort. I doubt that I was unusual in that. But as with so many things in life, I learned t...

Yellowstone Valley Electric Cooperative (YVEC) had a really big year last year, having grown by 500 additional customers and adding to the utility’s infrastructure to keep ahead of such phenomenal growth. Such was the big news that crowned the annual membership meeting last week.

“The Energy to Thrive” was the theme of the 85th annual membership meeting at the Pavilion at Metra Park on Marc...

A new rest area off of Interstate 90 opened recently, one year after it was originally suppose to open. The Headwaters Rest Area in Three Forks is near U.S. Highway 287 and the Bridger Brewing Facility. It was built by a local developer, who constructed the new rest stop facility in exchange for acquiring the old rest area property off of North 19th Avenue in Bozeman.

Recently two sections ...

Par Montana Gets Safety Award

Par Montana, a subsidiary of Par Pacific Holdings, Inc., was recently honored for its 2023 safety performance by the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufactures (AFPM).  The award is part of the refining and petrochemical industry’s ongoing commitment to enhance and recognize outstanding...