GREAT FALLS — Many factors contribute to how successful a small business is, but according to a recent study, Montana is the best state to open a small business. The study done by The Blueprint found that Montana was ranked the number one best state to open a small business in 2021. The factors used to determine Read More…
They’re easy to miss, hunkered down behind laptops in home offices, but remote workers are quietly setting up shop around the Flathead Valley. The COVID-19 pandemic spurred companies nationwide to adopt more flexible, socially distanced operations, so for many of their employees, the home is now the workplace. And for some of these remote workers, Read More…
The COVID-19 pandemic put a halt to the travel plans of many, and Billings Logan International Airport is seeking the effect. The number of passengers traveling through the airport was down nearly 48 percent in 2020 from the previous year, according to the airport’s annual report. The airport saw 248,597 passengers boarding planes in 2020, Read More…
A long-standing real estate company has changed ownership after 61 years. The announcement was made Wednesday afternoon that Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Floberg Real Estate has been sold. Charles and Beth Smith became the owners on Jan. 1, 2021. READ FULL STORY
BILLINGS- A former market president for Rocky Mountain Bank has admitted to fraud and money laundering crimes. A release from the Department of Justice says 46-year-old Stephen Phillip Casher was charged in a 14-count superseding indictment alleging bank fraud and related crimes. The prosecution presented evidence in court records at trial that Casher worked as Read More…
KALISPELL, Mont. — Summer officially begins at Whitefish Mountain Resort this Saturday. The resort will be opening nearly all its outdoor activities, including over 30 miles of mountain bike trails. As snow continues to melt, more trails will open throughout the season. The resort will also be opening three brand-new trails expected to be completed by Read More…
Richland County is among a handful of statewide areas designated as a “Destination Community.” As part of the Phase 2 Reopening of Montana scheduled to begin on June 1, Gov. Steve Bullock announced that 20 counties — including Richland — would be eligible for additional financial assistance through two new initiatives to help protect Read More…
There’s another twist in the years-long legal battle over the operation of a Creston bottled water plant, with the Montana Supreme Court overturning a lower court ruling which had blocked permits. Local residents and conservation groups have been fighting the plans of Montana Artesian Water Company to pump enough water to fill more than 1-billion Read More…
JCPenney has released their list of stores they are closing. The list shows 154 stores that they have decided to close, including one in Montana. The Gallatin Valley Mall JCPenney is the only location in Montana currently set to close. “While closing stores is always an extremely difficult decision, our store optimization strategy is vital Read More…
It’s no secret that the newspaper industry across the country has been facing challenges for the past few years. Falling subscriptions and ad dollars have been attributed to the internet and the current way that many of us consume news and information. Why wait for a morning newspaper when instant info is available 24-7 right on our Read More…
When Joe Unterreiner became the Kalispell Chamber of Commerce president and chief executive officer in 1996, he thought he’d only be there for a few years. But 24 years later, he’s finally decided to transition into retirement starting this October. “It’s been a really great run … I really enjoyed the work, obviously, or I Read More…
KULR (Billings)- It started in a brainstorm session, but evolved into something much larger, all to recognize area high school seniors. Lets face it, being a graduating senior is not the most ideal of situations right now. In a team effort, one Billings commercial print shop is providing area seniors a momento to remember their Read More…
More than 9,600 COVID-19 relief grant applications have been submitted to the State of Montana since applications opened last Thursday. Last week, Governor Bullock announced $123 million in CARES Act funding for nine new grant programs that are designed to address key COVID-19 issues Montanans are facing. As of the beginning of the business day May 13, the Montana Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — Montana Secretary of State Corey Stapleton noted that 11,000 fewer businesses renewed their state registrations by April 15 this year in comparison to last year. The statistic was highlighted in Stapleton’s Montana Business Forecast on Sunday. “The economic, social, and health-related disruptions from the coronavirus are historic,” Stapleton wrote in the emailed forecast. Read More…
“Times are hard and change is coming no matter what we do, but what we can do is be good to those around us. Our neighbors need good neighbors more than ever…” Those were well written words by our friends at KXGN Radio & TV in Glendive, Montana as they shared the news that BNSF Read More…
HELENA- Montana child care providers are eligible for funding through the CARES Act Child Care and Development Block Grants. The $10 million in federal CARES Act funding was announced Wednesday, and is to provide support for existing child care providers, assistance for low-income families participating in the Best Beginnings Scholarship Program and will fund emergency Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — The Kettlehouse Northside location is closing permanently in Missoula due to COVID-19 pandemic. They posted the following on their Facebook page: We have some difficult news to share. We have made the decision to permanently close our Northside taproom in response to the global pandemic we are currently experiencing. As a result of Read More…
A Bozeman construction company last week received a $569 million addition to an existing contract to build about 17 miles of border wall between the United States and Mexico. The U.S. Department of Defense announced the modification to the contract held by Barnard Construction’s subsidiary BFBC LLC on April 13. It was first reported Read More…
The City Commission on Tuesday OK’d the final details of a $3.2 million bond sale needed to repay a developer for its up front costs for public improvements tied to a big project on the west bank of the Missouri River. D.A. Davidson and Co. will handle the bond sale for the city. A portion Read More…
Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic began closing businesses and lowering interest rates, banks in the Flathead Valley are reporting high numbers of phone calls, loan applications and mortgage refinances. Banks have seen a lot of activity through the Small Business Administration’s $349 billion federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), which authorizes forgivable loans to small businesses Read More…
Bozeman, Montana has a population of 48,532, but just like big cities in New York and California, this small city in the southern part of the state has seen the demand for medical masks skyrocket. Located in Gallatin County, Bozeman is home to more than one third of Montana’s confirmed COVID-19 cases, and is by far the hardest hit county in Read More…
BILLINGS, Mont. — A Canadian company said Monday that it’s started construction on the long-stalled Keystone XL oil sands pipeline across the U.S.-Canada border despite calls from tribal leaders and environmentalists to delay the $8 billion project amid the coronavirus pandemic. A spokesman for TC Energy said work began over the weekend at the border crossing Read More…
Even though local public health measures to curb the coronavirus pandemic are barely weeks old, the Whitefish business community is already losing more than $732,000 in daily revenue, according to a study released Tuesday, offering a snapshot of the downturn that local economies may have to endure for months to come. The Whitefish Convention and Read More…
Kampgrounds of America (KOA) finds itself on the front lines dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak. Not only has the coronavirus forced the company’s Billings headquarters into a “work-from-home operation”, but KOA’s network of campgrounds nationwide are front and center as the country fights back against the virus. President and CEO Toby O’Rourke took to the Read More…
BILLINGS — Billings restaurants in the Shiloh Crossing shopping complex are seeing up to a 50 percent loss of sales Saturday following Governor Steve Bullock’s directive to stay at home. “As you can see, around the parking lot, it’s been dead. Our revenue has been cut in half. It’s just been me and my manager doing everything since Read More…
According to the Governor’s Office, unemployment in Montana held steady at 3.5% in February, before COVID-19 reached the Treasure State. Gov. Bullock said in a press release that Montana added 800 jobs over the month and was on par with the U.S. unemployment rate, also 3.5 percent in February. READ FULL STORY
BILLINGS — Businesses and nonprofits in all of Montana and Wyoming are eligible for up to $2 million in disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration, according to press releases from U.S. Sens. Jon Tester and Steve Daines of Montana and Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon. The loans are designed to help businesses stay afloat if Read More…
Industry leaders and educators are hoping to teach the tools of the trades to the next generation of workers. As the Flathead Valley continues to grow, the demand for work in local trade professions like construction has never been higher. But with the aging workforce and fewer new employees entering these fields, local employers have Read More…
MISSOULA, Mont. — On Monday, Missoula City-County Health officials announced an order closing bars and limiting restaurant service starting at 8 a.m. Tuesday through 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 24. The health department is doing this to follow guidelines set out by the Centers for Disease Control. “It’s not just about money, it’s really about the ethics Read More…
The Montana Department of Commerce announced that five Montana communities have been accepted to become affiliate members of the Montana Main Street Program. The program helps Montana communities strengthen and preserve historic downtown commercial districts by supporting economic development, urban revitalization and historic preservation through long-range planning, organization, design and promotion. “The Department of Commerce Read More…
Local developer Mick Ruis is planning to build a major mixed-use development in downtown Columbia Falls. Ruis’ plan will go before the Columbia Falls City-County Planning Board on March 10 at 6:30 p.m. and then the Columbia Falls City Council on April 6. If approved, Ruis believes it would be a transformative project for Nucleus Read More…
BUTTE – NorthWestern Energy’s Montana customers are reporting a scam demanding money for a meter change. The criminals leave a phone message saying the customers’ meter will be changed shortly with instructions to call a phone number. When the customer calls the number, they are told there is a fee and service will be disconnected Read More…
WinCo and the owners of the proposed grocery store location paid union members $15,000 to settle a lawsuit against the city of Bozeman, according to court documents. While the lawsuit was between the United Food and Commercial Workers Local 4 and the city of Bozeman, the city did not pay any money in the Read More…
DILLON, MT — How do you show a perspective employer what you can do or show examples of work you’ve done? Those are very difficult if not impossible with a traditional resume. However, work on-going at Montana Western in Dillon is making all of that possible. It’s called micro-credentials and Montana Western recently received a Read More…
GREAT FALLS, Mont. — It’s not what you would expect to find in Montana’s heart land. But for more than 50-years, a Tiki bar in Great Falls has been captivating customers from all over the world. In our Montana Moment, we visit the Sip ‘n Dip at the O’Haire Motor Inn. Here on a Wednesday night, “Piano Pat,” Read More…
As baby boomers transition into retirement and new job markets evolve in a strong economy, Montana is following the nationwide trend of a workforce shortage. With Montana’s jobless rate at 3.4% as of December 2019, just below the national average of 3.5%, employers are struggling to fill job vacancies due to a low unemployment rate, Read More…
This year, WaterStreet Company is celebrating its 20th year of business in the Flathead Valley. The Kalispell technology company has quietly grown to include 80 local employees and software clients across the country. In 2020, they expect to eclipse the 100 employee mark. “We’re hiring like crazy,” said WaterStreet’s Vice President of Marketing Erica Schatte. Read More…
Montana West Economic Development is assisting the property holder of the Gateway Community Center in Kalispell by assigning an employee to serve as interim property manager to help “set the direction for sustainability” at the nonprofit campus. Kim Morisaki, MWED’s director of business development and marketing, began on Feb. 3 and will serve the role Read More…
BILLINGS — Economists with the University of Montana touted Billings’ economic health during a Tuesday luncheon at the Northern Hotel. Patrick Barkey, the University of Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research director, said Billings has had good construction activity, a healthy real estate sector and financial institutions that are doing well. “Billings is the Read More…
Berkadia secured $30.3 million in financing for Talus Apartments, a 288-unit garden-style multifamily community in Great Falls, MT. Seattle-based Investors Capital Group, LLC, was the borrower. The 10-year Freddie Mac loan features a full-leverage loan with partial-term interest-only. Located at 2100 26th St. S, the community was constructed in two phases from 2015 to 2018. Read More…
Two decades ago, four Montana hospitals tried something new. They bankrolled a company to compete with the most powerful insurer in the state. The hospitals wanted to challenge what they described as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Montana’s “dominating presence.” So they founded insurer New West Health Services in 1998 to cover hospital employees and Read More…
SHELBY, Mont., Jan. 27, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — The Port of Northern Montana has recently confirmed that it has a significant amount of low-cost renewable electrical power available at its Data Center Development Park in Shelby. In particular, as a result of a cooperative arrangement with NaturEner USA, there is approximately 10 megawatts (MW) of renewable electrical power currently available at the Shelby Data Center Read More…
BUTTE – United Airlines estimates it would need $1 million in guaranteed revenue over two years from Butte before it would consider adding a second flight from Bert-Mooney Airport to Denver. This more than the $380,000 Butte’s Tourism Business Improvement District, or TBID, was asked to raise. TBID officials are planning to send a survey Read More…
JCPenney announced Friday that the retailer is planning to close its location at Southgate Mall. The department store is expected to close in April 2020. In a press release sent Friday afternoon, Washington Prime Group, the owner of Southgate Mall said prior to the JCPenney closing announcement they executed an agreement to gain control of Read More…