All posts by Big Sky Headlines

Amazon invented a neighborhood to serve its Seattle headquarters, but the restaurants it lured there are failing

When Amazon chose downtown Seattle for its massive urban campus, John Schoettler, Amazon’s vice president of global real estate, wanted to create a thriving “18-hour” neighborhood. To some extent, Amazon has succeeded. In a decade, nonstop development has transformed Seattle’s South Lake Union and Denny Triangle from a sea of parking lots, car rental agencies, Read More…

Sessions nixes Obama-era rules leaving states alone that legalize pot

Attorney General Jeff Sessions on Thursday rescinded a trio of memos from the Obama administration that had adopted a policy of non-interference with marijuana-friendly state laws. The move essentially shifts federal policy from the hands-off approach adopted under the previous administration to unleashing federal prosecutors across the country to decide individually how to prioritize resources Read More…

Flipping blue states to red

Lost in the Democratic, media driven catharsis of what happened in state legislative races in Virginia this week, and last November, is the series of recent Republican victories in places as cobalt blue as Massachusetts in recent weeks. Even this week, Republicans won a special election outside Tampa, where Democrats hold a higher registration advantage. Read More…

Wyoming lawmakers are going to consider live streaming meetings

CHEYENNE, Wyo – Wyoming legislative leaders are considering proposals that would implement a pilot program for live video streaming of legislative meetings during its interim months. The Legislature’s Management Council voted Tuesday to consider contracting with Wyoming Public Broadcast System and another company to broadcast interim meetings. READ THE FULL STORY.

UW computer science student project gets real-world

LARAMIE – As the fall semester wound down, University of Wyoming students taking Computer Science 2030 found themselves facing each other to explain the success or failures of creating an essential data structure used in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, cryptocurrency and electronic voting. Pretty heady stuff for freshmen and sophomores, many of whom were unfamiliar with Read More…

‘Mapping the Swamp’ report finds 30,000 feds earn more than any governor

Tens of thousands of federal employees earn more money than any U.S. governor, according to a new report that reveals some eye-popping stats on government spending for the federal workforce. The 40-page report, titled “Mapping the Swamp” and released by government watchdog group OpenTheBooks, focused on the “size, scope and power” of the federal government Read More…

Southwest and American Airlines celebrate the GOP tax plan with $1,000 bonuses for employees

Southwest and American Airlines have joined a handful of corporate giants that have announced $1,000 employee bonuses following the GOP tax overhaul that President Donald Trump signed into law last month. In a pair of press releases on Tuesday, both airlines specifically cited sweeping new tax reforms that passed Congress on December 20. Among other Read More…

Human trafficking hits home

Some of the most vulnerable people in our society are at risk of becoming a casualty of a disturbing crime. It could start as innocently as a young person befriending a stranger on the Internet, or a teenager feeling entrapped and looking for a way out. The criminals might use flirtation, or psychological manipulation, to Read More…

New Montana laws for 2018 include higher vehicle fees, apprenticeship tax credit

(HELENA) With the start of the new year, drivers in Montana will be paying more to register their vehicles. During last year’s state legislative session, lawmakers approved increased fees to help fund the Motor Vehicle Division. The changes came as part of a broader highway and transportation funding package. Starting Jan. 1, MVD will add Read More…

Jesus edges out Mickey Mouse in Cherokee County: The best write-ins from the Alabama Senate special election

Alabamians retained some levity during a bruising special U.S. Senate election that pitted an underdog Democrat against a Republican facing accusations of sexual misconduct with teenagers. For example, Jesus got two votes in Cherokee County in northeast Alabama from voters who chose to write-in their vote instead of picking one of the listed options, Democrat Read More…

Chief Justice Roberts promises review of sexual harassment policies in federal courts

Chief Justice John Roberts has ordered a “careful evaluation” of the judiciary’s standards of conduct and policies, saying the federal courts are not immune to the nationwide focus of sexual misconduct in the workplace. The remarks came in Roberts’ annual year-end report Sunday on the third branch of government, which he heads as chief justice. Read More…

Amazon is planning a push into digital advertising in 2018, challenging Google and Facebook

Amazon has been quietly experimenting with various advertising products across its portfolio and off its website, according to interviews with half a dozen ad buyers and technology partners. And it’s getting ready to make waves in 2018. Most of the conversations are focusing on new ad opportunities on Amazon’s e-commerce search and video products, sources Read More…

ND state senator says focus on cyber hurt chancellor’s reputation in Legislature

GRAND FORKS — North Dakota legislators “scramble” to avoid university system Chancellor Mark Hagerott, Sen. Ray Holmberg, R-Grand Forks, said Tuesday, Nov. 28. Holmberg was speaking to allegations made more than a week earlier by Lisa Feldner, a former vice chancellor of the university system fired by Hagerott earlier this fall. Feldner, who also served Read More…

Oasis looks to expand oil ambitions beyond North Dakota’s Bakken

By Ernest Scheyder HOUSTON, Dec 21 (Reuters) – Oasis Petroleum Inc, the last major oil producer operating exclusively in North Dakota’s Bakken shale formation, is heading south to the nation’s largest oilfield, pursuing a pricey expansion as investors worry about maturing shale fields. Oasis shares have tumbled 21 percent following last week’s disclosure, pointing to Read More…

New name for Cody Hospital

CODY, Wyo. – West Park Hospital is adding a new name, to reflect it’s network in Northwest Wyoming. The hospital and its clinics will not be called Cody Regional Health. CEO Doug McMillan said expansion over the past 15 years has made West Park more than a hospital. He said the organization now includes Spirit Read More…

Study: Montana lost $240 million in tourist spending due to fires

The fires that charred large swaths of Montana over the summer discouraged hundreds of thousands of tourists from visiting the state, resulting in a $240 million loss in visitor spending, according to a new report. Preliminary data released by the University of Montana’s Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research estimates that tourists in Montana spent Read More…

Montana jobless rate at 4.0% in November

HELENA – Gov. Steve Bullock reports that Montana’s unemployment rate has remained steady for most of 2017, saying workers and families are heading into the holidays with a strong economy driving growth in local communities across the state. Gov. Bullock’s office says the unemployment rate was 4.0% for the month of November while the U.S. Read More…