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Business

News and insights on Montana’s economy, industries, and local businesses. This archive covers market trends, business developments, entrepreneurship, and policy changes affecting Montana’s business landscape.

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a tractor is loaded with logs in a forest

Land Board Meets to Approve Logging Projects in Western Montana

HELENA, Mont. — Montana Secretary of State Christi Jacobsen motioned during the February Land Board meeting to green-light logging operations in Beaverhead, Flathead, and Sanders counties. The motion received unanimous support from her fellow Land Board colleagues. “It’s important for us to manage our forests in Montana responsibly. These projects will reduce fire fuel and…

A sign outside the Hamilton, Montana location for Dr. Surajit Khanna's Returning Youth Initiative named "The Safe Haven"

Is Anything About Surajit Khanna’s Returning Youth Initiative Real?

The Khanna Con: Is Dr. Khanna exploiting Montana’s well-meaning do-gooders for photo-ops, while offering little real help to those he claims to serve?

First Methodist Church, Missoula

It’s Clear As Mud Where The Rubber Hits The Road In Missoula

Investigating Missoula’s church parking lot homeless initiative and its implications for the community and local politics

Freedom Caucus Thwarts Enviro-Socialist Agenda

The defeated bill would have put the government’s thumb on the scale for “hobby project”

Montana Freedom Caucus Legislators Urge “No” Vote on Central Bank Digital Currency Bill

“Oppose Central Bank Digital Currency in Montana”

Montana Freedom Caucus Announces Tax Rebate Bill

The bill distributes revenue back to Montana taxpayers through income tax rebates and property tax refunds and will help pay down state owned long-term debt

America’s Hunger Games

In 2012, Americans flocked to the theater to witness the airing of a new dystopian film called The Hunger Games. In this post-apocalyptic feature, there are twelve districts where one girl and one boy are forced to serve as sacrificial tributes to the Capital of Panem. They are the punishment meted out on the people…

The Left’s Weaponization of Montana’s Economy

This op-ed was originally published in the Substack titled “Brutus” on December 3rd, 2022. Through basic observation, we all know that certain types of industries attract different classes and kinds of people with different beliefs and politics. The oil, mining, and raw material production industries are comprised mostly of conservative blue-collar, middle-class men.  To the…

Roxy Theater Cancels Showing of Documentary Critical of Mayor Engen’s Administration

The Roxy Theater in Missoula cancelled a showing of a forthcoming documentary critical of Mayor John Engen’s 14-year administration titled Engen’s Missoula citing “overbooking.” Three days after signing a contract with the producer at the beginning of December, The Roxy Theater rental coordinator Christina Tripp notified the producer of the alleged overbooking, refunded the deposit,…

UPDATED: Federal Judge Grants Montana’s Request For Injunction On CMS Vaccine Mandate, Benefis Insists on Jab

Montana healthcare workers are protected under HB-702 which adds vaccination status as a protected class.

PHOTOS: Statewide Rallies Against Vaccine Mandates Draw Over a Thousand Across Montana

Update (11/30/2021): A federal judge has blocked CMS vaccine mandates for healthcare workers. Yesterday, over a thousand Montanans showed up for statewide rallies against vaccine mandates imposed on healthcare workers by the Biden Administration. Demonstrators attended rallies in Billings, Bozeman, Glendive, Great Falls, Hamilton, Helena, Kalispell, Miles City, Missoula, and Sydney at 2:00pm in highly…

Missoula Healthcare Workers Join Statewide Protests Against Vaccine Mandates Nov 28th in 10 Montana Cities

Statewide protests against vaccine mandates set for November 28th at 2PM.

Community Hospital To Fire Unvaccinated Workers Despite Losing 26% of Beds Since September

Many nurses and healthcare workers have been seeing the writing on the wall for months now. Hospitals across the United States have been sending notices to their workers, pressuring them to get vaccinated. On Veteran’s Day, Missoula’s Community Medical Center went a step further and told workers that they need to either get vaccinated or…

St. Pat’s and Montana Hospitals Sue to Force COVID Vaccine on Workers

While other states see workers suing their employers over forced vaccinations, Montanan’s have been protected by HB-702, passed by Republicans in the most recent legislative session. HB-702 prohibits discrimination based on a persons vaccination status or possession of an immunity passport. Employers, government agencies, and public accommodations cannot require vaccination status as a barrier to…

Missoula Food Bank Limits Access To Food, Requires Medical Device

Two people was ejected from the Wyoming Street Missoula Food Bank including one man who was escorted by Missoula Police.

Montana Ace Hardware CEO Excoriates Unvaccinated Employees, Cancels Christmas Parties and Meetings

An employee of Montana Ace Hardware shared a letter they received from President & CEO Stewart Weis in July where he writes to employees how “profoundly disappointed” he is with employee vaccination rates and that decisions to not be vaccinated, outside of a physician recommending against a vaccine, are, “rooted in either being uninformed, misinformed,…

Montana Costco’s Will NOT Require Workers Be Vaccinated, Citing HB702

We told you last week about OSHA regulations that make employers liable for any adverse reactions employees have from vaccines if required to take one as a condition of employment. With recently passed HB-702, the Montana Legislature extends protections further to protect Montana workers from being discriminated against in employment based on their vaccination status.…

OSHA: Missoula Businesses Liable If They Mandate Vaccines

The newly passed HB 702 protects Montanans from discrimination in employment based on vaccination status, but it does not take effect until July 1st. Until the new law stands, workers can still resist mandates from employers who want to force vaccination as a condition of employment. According to the Federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration…