Last Best News (https://montana-mint.com/lastbestnews/author/anna-paige/)
As I drop down Interstate 90 into the river valley that holds the “Magic City,” I swear: I won’t ever live in Billings, Montana. The sun glints off a spawling refinery that dominates the city’s eastern entrance. A sickly sweet smell smacks my face, making my teeth ache and my stomach curl. And they’re processing sugar beets on the South Side. (more…) Continue Reading →
With a calm, collected and often playful attitude, Northern Hotel Executive Chef Tim Freeman took on celebrity chef Bobby Flay in a culinary showdown and came out the victor. The Food Network show, “Beat Bobby Flay,” aired Thursday evening, and the Northern held a special screening party to celebrate Freeman’s victory. As Freeman was declared the victor on national television, the audience belted out cries of enthusiasm and congratulations. (more…) Continue Reading →
Scott Wagers doesn’t like to stay home. You’ve probably seen him on the sidelines of your favorite music venue, snapping photos. In the years Wagers has been enjoying local music, he’s amassed many tens of thousands of images. “I have always liked photography, and I love the local music scene here, so I decided to blend them together,” Wagers said. “I never thought I’d be doing it to the extent I do today.” (more…) Continue Reading →
Tim Freeman, executive chef at the Northern Hotel’s TEN restaurant in downtown Billings, wasn’t a fan of Bobby Flay growing up. In Flay’s television shows and in his best-selling books, Freeman said, he came across as arrogant and cocky. But on Jan.21, Freeman will appear on Flay’s cooking show, “Beat Bobby Flay,” on the Food Network. (more…) Continue Reading →
Dog lovers know all too well the pouty eyes of a dog who has to be left at home alone. Whether dog owners are going to work, running errands or heading somewhere where their canine pals can’t come, there are times when Fido just has to hang at home alone. When musician Taylor Brown got his first dog, Nala, she started showing symptoms of separation anxiety. The sweet young French bulldog would tremble and cry when Brown would leave, and she was surprisingly destructive for her tiny size when left alone. (more…) Continue Reading →
Hip hop artist Supaman (Christian Parrish) began TEDxMSU Billings by asking audience members to turn to their neighbors, shake hands and connect. That quest for connection was threaded throughout Montana State University Billings’ first organized TEDx event, held Saturday on campus and featuring 11 speakers from Billings and the surrounding area. Speakers, selected by committee, were asked to make presentations on the theme of “Innovation in Action.” Though talks varied from music to math to the medical field and more, each propelled the concept of community and the mission of TED, a nonprofit organization dedicated to ideas worth spreading. TEDx events are self-organized, combining live speakers and TEDTalks videos to spark deep discussion and connection. Amanda Green, TEDx organizer and a graduate of MSU Billings, said the event included a mix of speakers, music and performers in order to offer a robust look at innovation. Continue Reading →
Just in case you didn’t have enough photos from the Montana Folk Festival in Butte this weekend, here’s another collection of shots, these from Anna Paige, a Billings photographer and freelance writer. Some are of the musicians and some are of people taking in the music, busking and walking the streets of Butte. Continue Reading →
