Last Best News (https://montana-mint.com/lastbestnews/category/diversions/page/28/)
What do you do when you find yourself without tequila on Cinco de Mayo? Go to the liquor store of course—but wait, it’s Sunday. This was the predicament we found ourselves in one fateful afternoon in May 2013. We set out on a mission to find a bottle, and a small bar a few blocks away came to the rescue. The Tap Inn intrigued us with its dim lighting and cinderblock walls, but alas we had margaritas to make and to consume and we didn’t stick around. Continue Reading →
I’m a big fan of Alexis Bonogofsky’s photography. She has great affection for the eastern half of Montana and a real knack for taking photographs that capture the spirit of this place. Her “2016 East of Billings” calendar brings together a striking collection of her photographs—of the Tongue and Yellowstone rivers, Otter and Rosebud creeks and lots more. You can read about it, and how to order it, at Alexis’ blog, also called East of Billings. (more…) Continue Reading →
BUTTE, America, 1967—In nearly a century of existence, the Mining City was no stranger to labor strife, and when Christmas came in 1967, Butte was living through its longest-ever strike. Underground miners there and smeltermen from Anaconda had been off the job since mid-July and would stay out until the following April. As a show of support, members of the Oil, Chemical and Atomic Workers Union at what then was the Farmers Union Central Exchange refinery south of Laurel put together a pre-Christmas caravan for their Butte brethren. (more…) Continue Reading →
The former director of the Michigan Audubon Society has been hired as the new director of the Montana Audubon Center in Billings. Jonathan Lutz, who headed the Michigan society for the past seven years, took over at the Montana Audubon Center on Dec. 1. He succeeded Darcie Howard, the longtime director who resigned last summer with plans to return to her East Coast roots. (more…) Continue Reading →
THERMOPOLIS, WYO. — The holiday season is a key sales period for retailers across the country, but Christmas Day marks a major milestone for one Wyoming small business. That’s when “The Hateful Eight” hits movie screens, offering audiences an extended look at a custom bison coat created by Thermopolis native Merlin Heinze. (more…) Continue Reading →
If you’re looking for less negativity in your life, please stop reading right now—there are plenty of uplifting cat memes you can read. If you’re looking for an honest impression of a sub-par establishment, please read on. (more…) Continue Reading →
In the classroom, Billings Senior High science teacher Craig Beals knows how to get his students’ attention. Things that go boom are always popular, and you really can’t go wrong with fire. This Monday, Beals will see if he can capture the interest of nationwide television viewers with a show featuring some of those same attractants, only on a much bigger scale. (more…) Continue Reading →
I’ve been paying attention to what many governors in our United States have been saying about not allowing Syrian refugees into the states they govern. I’ve also heard with interest the plans to build a taller and longer fence along the Mexican border to protect us from the infiltration of illegal immigrants. (more…) Continue Reading →
So many rumors have been flying about the future of Harper & Madison, a popular café and bakery on the edge of downtown Billings, that owner Joanie Swords thought it was time to spill the beans. But about those rumors: “The biggest one is that we’re closing,” she said. “I also heard I sold it. But no one knows who I sold it to, and I haven’t seen a check.” (more…) Continue Reading →
Chan Romero is pleased with a new double-album (yes, vinyl!) compilation of early Montana rock ‘n’ roll. Romero has the first song on “Long Time Comin’—Lost Sounds from the Treasure State,” a 27-song collection painstakingly assembled by Dave Martens, a 32-year-old Havre resident. The album covers the period 1958-1969 and features bands from across the state. (more…) Continue Reading →
