Last Best News (https://montana-mint.com/lastbestnews/category/news/page/56/)
LIVINGSTON—Michael McCormick brought a long career in corporate marketing to his post-retirement job as director of the Livingston Food Resource Center, which used to operate as a simple food pantry. It didn’t take him long to determine that the old model—raise money, buy food, hand it out, repeat—didn’t make any sense. He turned to his background to find a new model, one that is heavy on business, on training and promoting economic development. (more…) Continue Reading →
When Crow elected officials raised a new flag at the Apsaalooke Veterans Park last week, it immediately raised eyebrows—and the ire—of some tribal members. Flying alongside flags representing the state of Montana, the Crow Nation, the United States and the U.S. military was the Israeli “Star of David” flag. (more…) Continue Reading →
Royal Johnson, a longtime state lawmaker who was also known as a statesman, will be honored Thursday at the first of what is intended to be an annual series of forums at the Billings Public Library. The first forum, “Knowledge is Power,” will feature a panel of three experts on the role of money in politics, including Alan Simpson, a former U.S. senator from Wyoming. (more…) Continue Reading →
The family of a Sidney man who was found dead near the oil storage tank he was inspecting near Keene, N.D., has filed a lawsuit in federal court in Billings, blaming the death of Blaine Otto on the negligence of the company that owned the oil well. The same attorney who filed that suit represented Dustin Bergsing, a 21-year-old oilfield worker from Edgar, Mont., who died under similar circumstances, and whose family reached a confidential settlement with Marathon Oil in 2013. The terms of that settlement were not disclosed, but a pretrial statement said a computation of damages put the value of the case “in the seven-figure range.” (more…) Continue Reading →
HUNTLEY—The Yellowstone River will soon have a study worthy of its stature. A summary of the study, still in draft form, was delivered at a public meeting in Huntley on Wednesday night, and the final report is scheduled to be released during a two-day conference in Billings next March. (more…) Continue Reading →
As the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers gathers public comment this week on a huge study of the Yellowstone River, this is a good time to be reminded of the impressive progress that has been made in cooperatively managing another Montana river. That would be the Musselshell, which rises near Martinsdale and flows about 350 miles before joining the Missouri River north of Mosby. Like so many other high plains rivers, the Musselshell seems perpetually to have been either rampaging in times of flood or barely trickling along in times of drought. (more…) Continue Reading →
RED LODGE—Main street merchants in this mountain town, already steamed over a seemingly endless state construction project in the heart of downtown, got more bad news Thursday meeting. At a community meeting called by Mayor Ed Williams, they were told that the Montana Department of Transportation, responding to complaints over how sidewalks were rebuilt, would like all “obstructions” removed from downtown sidewalks. (more…) Continue Reading →
A gray sky spits cold drizzle as a dozen protesters gather on a gritty road shoulder in north Bozeman. They take up signs—”COAL KILLS” one reads—and wave to passing traffic. But their attention is mostly on the railroad tracks a hundred feet away. (more…) Continue Reading →
I want to make this clear from the beginning: In no way does the fact I consider singer-songwriter John Prine one of the greatest musical artists to ever grace this planet influence what you are about to read. Well, maybe a little. (more…) Continue Reading →
Editor’s note: Montana’s newborn screening program depends on speed to save babies from a plethora of deadly disorders at birth. But the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services fought for 10 months to keep hospitals’ performance records hidden from public view, before finally agreeing to release the data with hospital names. The results are not good, highlighting the importance of transparency and accountability to ensure an effective newborn screening program for Montana families. (more…) Continue Reading →
