Last Best News

Recent Posts

Urban Frontier House wins LEED Platinum certification

By: |
Urban house

High Plains Architects has been awarded LEED Platinum certification for the Urban Frontier House, the personal residence of firm founders Randy and Janna Hafer. The house, designed to be totally off the grid, is located at 702 N. 23rd St. It includes self-contained, self-sustaining systems for energy, water, and wastewater, including photovoltaic panels, rainwater collection, DC lighting, composting toilets, a wind turbine and an indoor garden room. Renewable and reclaimed materials are featured prominently throughout the house. (more…) Continue Reading →

Filed under: Billings, News, High Plains Architects, LEED Platinum, Randy and Janna Hafer, Urban Frontier House

Here’s how to learn more about city candidates

By: |

If you’ve been wanting more information on the people running for municipal office in Billings this fall, you’re in luck. Several organizations are sponsoring a series of forums for City Council and mayoral candidates, set for this weekend in a variety of city parks, and Community Seven Television is airing a series of 30-minute interviews with all the candidates. A primary election is scheduled for Tuesday, Sept. 12, and the top two candidates in each race will proceed to the General Election on Nov. 7. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Billings, News, Billings mayor, City Council, Community Seven Television, Primary election

Democrats sponsor city candidate forums

By: |
Hall

With the city primary election set for Sept. 12, a little less than a month away, the Yellowstone County Democratic Study Group, also known as the Democrats Breakfast Club, is offering a few more chances to see City Council candidates in action. The Democratic group has already hosted two events for mayoral candidates and another for Ward 3 City Council candidates. This Wednesday, it will have City Council candidates from Ward 1 — Joshua Kostelecky, Charlie Smillie and Mike Yakawich — as speakers at a no-host breakfast forum at the McCormick Café, 2419 Montana Ave., starting at 7 a.m.

There will be a question-and-answer session and the public is welcome. There is generally enough time for any person to ask specific questions of the candidates. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Billings, Last Best Blog, News, City Council, mayoral race, Yellowstone County Democrats

Affordable senior housing project planned for Heights

By: |
Site

GMD Development of Seattle is partnering with Homeword, a Missoula-based nonprofit, to develop a 136-unit affordable senior rental community, known as Heights Senior, in Billings next year. A neighborhood meeting on the project has been scheduled for Monday from 4 to 6 p.m. at St. Bernard Catholic Church, 226 Wicks Lane, according to a press release from Homeword. (more…) Continue Reading →

Filed under: Billings, News, Billings Heights, GMD Development, Homeword

Panel to discuss ‘Civility in America’

By: |

“Civility in America,” a panel discussion with two professors, a journalist and a minister, is the next entry in the Billings Public Library’s Civil Conversation Series. The topic comes on Election Day for the U.S. House seat vacated by Ryan Zinke that will be filled either by Republican Greg Gianforte, Democrat Rob Quist or Libertarian Mark Wicks. Gianforte and Quist have bombarded the airwaves with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of ads, many of them conveying negative messages about the other candidate. (more…) Continue Reading →

Filed under: Last Best Blog, Billings Public Library, Jolane Flanigan, Mike Mulberry, Samuel Boerboom

State’s dino attractions saw visitor surge in 2016

By: |

The Montana Department of Commerce is reporting that dinosaurs continue to be a big draw in Montana. According to a press release from the department’s Montana Office of Tourism and Business Development, the Montana Dinosaur Trail reported hosting a combined total of 333,151 visitors in 2016, an increase of 15 percent compared to 2015. More than one third of the visitors were from out of state. “People have been fascinated with dinosaurs for generations,” said Trail Coordinator Victor Bjornberg. “Montana is fortunate to be one of few places where important dinosaur discoveries have been and are being made. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Diversions, Last Best Blog, Montana Department of Commerce, Montana Dinosaur Trail

Dates set for 2 House candidate Facebook town halls

By: |

Forward Montana is still waiting to hear from Greg Gianforte, but the other two candidates for the state’s sole U.S. House seat have scheduled Facebook Live town halls. As we reported earlier this month, Forward Montana has teamed up with Last Best News and the Missoula Independent to sponsor the town halls. Democratic candidate Rob Quist and Libertarian candidate Mark Wicks will be featured in hour-long town halls moderated by Alex Sakariassen of the Missoula Independent, who will be asking questions submitted by readers. Some questions have been submitted already, but we could use some more, so please go to https://goo.gl/forms/Y3CN9ZJXPVhf66zm1 and submit yours. Forward Montana, a youth-advocacy group whose slogan is “Not right, not left, but forward,” has not yet been able to schedule a town hall with Gianforte, the Republican candidate for the House seat vacated by Ryan Zinke when he became secretary of the Interior. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Last Best Blog, Forward Montana, Greg Gianforte, Mark Wicks, Missoula Independent, Rob Quist, U.S. House

Library hosts panel discussion of Montana literature

By: |
Liberry

Montana has become known for its rich history of books and writers, but how did that happen? Neighboring states like Wyoming and the Dakotas boast a handful of well-known writers, but with books and stories like “The Big Sky,” “A River Runs Through It” and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance,” Montana established itself early on as a place that produces quality writers. Thursday night, the Billings Public Library will host a panel discussion about some of these writers and books, and panelists will bat around a few ideas of what it is about Montana that inspires such incredible literature. The discussion will start at 6:30 p.m. in the library’s Royal Johnson Community Room, led by local author Russell Rowland. The panel will also feature, High Plains Book Festival founder Corby Skinner, former Montana Poet Laureate Tami Haaland, Last Best News founder Ed Kemmick and MSU-Billings literature professor Rachel Schaffer. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Last Best Blog, Billings Public Library, Corby Skinner, Rachel Schaffer, Russell Rowland, Tami Haaland

Top-chop bluegrass-Americana band to play Billings

By: |
Franks

Two Bit Franks, a Bozeman-based acoustic bluegrass and Americana four-piece band that has played in shows all over the region, will be performing in Billings on Friday, April 21. The concert will be at Harper & Madison, 3115 10th Ave. N. The music will run from 7 to 9 p.m., but there will be a no-host cocktail hour starting at 6, with wine, beer and handcrafted cocktails from the Edgar Bar. Seating is limited to 50 seats. Two Bit Franks features John Lowell on guitar and vocals, Tom Murphy on mandolin and vocals, Jeff Shouse on banjo and special guest Wes Horton on standup bass. Continue Reading →

Filed under: Culture, Diversions, Harper & Madison, Two Bit Franks

High Plains Book Awards has record number of nominations

By: |

A record number of books and writers have been nominated for the 11th annual High Plains Book Awards in Billings. The awards are given out as part of the High Plains Bookfest, which seeks to recognize regional authors and literary works that examine and reflect life on the High Plains. This year’s festival is scheduled for Oct. 20-21. (more…) Continue Reading →

Filed under: Culture, High Plains Book Awards, High Plains BookFest