Last Best News (https://montana-mint.com/lastbestnews/category/news/page/41/)
The day after GE Capital announced what had long looked to be inevitable—that it would be closing down its Billings operations and laying off 60 people—Steve Arveschoug was working on what comes next. Arveschoug is the director of Big Sky Economic Development, the agency that built a 40,000-square-foot “Center of Excellence” for GE Capital in 2009. (more…) Continue Reading →
Compared with the coal-fired power plant in Colstrip, the Huntley Generating Station in Tonawanda, N.Y., was not all that large. At its height, when all six units of the Huntley plant were operating, the power station could generate up to 598 megawatts of electricity—compared to a capacity of 2,094 megawatts at Colstrip’s four units. (more…) Continue Reading →
One Big Sky Center, a proposed development that would create the tallest building in Montana as the centerpiece of a $165 million project in downtown Billings, won the grudging support of the City Council Monday night. On a 6-2 vote, with two absences and one abstention, the council approved a memorandum of understanding with the project developers, giving them until June 30 to work with city staff and the city’s legal and financial consultants to come up with a final development agreement. (more…) Continue Reading →
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 →
The dramatic footage from Amy Goodman’s Sept. 3 “Democracy Now!” show brought up images of 1963 Birmingham, Ala., when deputies under the orders of segregationist Sheriff “Bull” Connor attacked civil rights protesters with dogs and fire hoses. “To many people, the military tactics being used in North Dakota are reminiscent of the tactics used against protesters during the civil rights movement some 50 years ago. And I believe that there are similarities there,” said Standing Rock Sioux Chairman Dave Archambault II. (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 →
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 →
Almost anything can be better, but Gary Brockel wanted to create a confection of which there would be none better. Make that Nun Better. That was the name chosen for a new confection from Brockel’s Chocolates he concocted to help the Billings Catholic School Foundation raise money for its new K-8 school, now under the first phase of construction on Colton Boulevard. (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 →
