Last Best News (https://montana-mint.com/lastbestnews/author/edkemmick/page/44/)
The owner of a new downtown coffee shop, facing threats of a boycott over his hate-filled racist and sexist rants on Facebook, apologized Sunday, calling his comments “the biggest mistake I ever made in my life.” “I completely apologize,” Larry Heafner said. “It was the dumbest thing I ever did. … I’m not going to sit and try to excuse my derogatory or negative comments, because it was ridiculous. I do want to say, I’m not racist by no means, and I’m not a woman hater.” Continue Reading →
Three weeks ago in this space, I urged readers of Last Best News to vote for Gov. Steve Bullock and Montana Supreme Court candidate Dirk Sandefur, and in favor of Initiative 182, loosening restrictions on medical marijuana. I won’t claim one iota of credit, but I will admit that on an otherwise dismal Election Day, I was buoyed by the victories of Bullock, Sandefur and the proponents of I-182. (more…) Continue Reading →
Randy Sitzman is not one for bragging. Left to his own devices, he probably wouldn’t have gone out looking for publicity when the big news broke last month—that he and two other managers for the First Financial Equity Corp. were buying out the founder of the corporation. (more…) Continue Reading →
With just a few details left to attend to, the Last Chance Pub & Cider Mill is almost ready to open on Montana Avenue, in what must be one of the more spectacular indoor spaces in Billings. The new business, which is leasing the old United Glass building at 2203 Montana Ave., is being developed by Sam Hoffmann, owner of Red Lodge Ales. It will be serving a variety of hard ciders made on the premises, as well as some guest ciders, wine on tap and all the beers made at the Red Lodge brewery. (more…) Continue Reading →
The 16th annual Magic City Music Awards on Sunday drew big crowds, threw off waves of youthful energy and included a sad, shocking announcement from Jared Stewart, the guitar master who has won more of the awards than anyone else. The evening also included a tribute to Norrine “The Outlaw Queen” Linderman, who has been singing, yodeling and playing guitar in these parts since the late 1940s. She was this year’s recipient of the Freeman Lacy Award, established to recognize musicians with a long history of contributing to the Billings music scene. (more…) Continue Reading →
Election Day used to be a lot more fun, and I’m not just talking about the choices we had at the top of the ballot. To be in a newsroom on election night in the days before the internet was an exhausting, exhilarating experience. You couldn’t just look at your phone and get instantaneous results on local, statewide and national races. (more…) Continue Reading →
Crow tribal members protested in front of the Billings office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs on Thursday, asking for a say on decisions being made by the executive and legislative branches of the Crow Nation. Backed by a handful of nontribal supporters, about 20 Crow Indians gathered on the sidewalk in front of the building at 2021 Fourth Ave. N. that houses the BIA’s Rocky Mountain Regional Office. (more…) Continue Reading →
In life, Trenton Meyer stayed active. He worked as a sheepherder, backcountry guide and miner before starting his own oil field service business. He was also a fanatical archery hunter, and then, after taking up arm wrestling relatively late in life, he won four world championships in that sport. (more…) Continue Reading →
The Crow Nation Legislature, responding to threats by Westmoreland Resources to shut its Absaloka coal mine on the Crow Reservation, recently reduced the tribal gross proceeds and severance taxes on mined coal. The decision apparently could cut coal-related revenue flowing into the tribe’s general fund by more than $8 million a year, though Crow Tribal Chairman Darrin Old Coyote told the Big Horn County News that the reductions would add up to only about $11 million over three years. (more…) Continue Reading →
Here’s some very good news: the 2017 Montana Folk Festival is a go. George Everett, director of Mainstreet Uptown Butte, the lead organizer of the festival since 2008, made the announcement in a press release this morning. (more…) Continue Reading →
