Billings

Last Chance Pub & Cider Mill opens to public next week

By: |
Duo

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. Continue Reading →

CapreAir_Variable
Culture

Big show, sad news mark Magic City Music Awards

By: |
Silverbow

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. Continue Reading →

Montana

Crow tribal members bring complaints to Billings protest

By: |
Protest

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. Continue Reading →

Billings

Brockel’s ‘Nun Better’ boosts Catholic schools campaign

By: |
Pari

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. Continue Reading →

Montana

Crow coal tax changes, other issues, set stage for protest

By: |
mine

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. Continue Reading →

Opinion

More media bias: Just what America needs

By: |
DC

The news media are more biased than ever—as well they should be. Whoever said the media ought to be above petty partisanship, blatant favoritism and payback shenanigans had it all wrong. We do expect some professionals to be above bias. Doctors should mend the homeless as conscientiously as they stitch up millionaires. Court-appointed attorneys, underpaid and overworked though they may be, ought to be as conscientious defending a homeless vagrant as a debutante shoplifter. Continue Reading →