The Livingston Enterprise

05/21/2025

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05/21/2025

City officials have heard extensive public comment tonight on the matter of the flagpole placed this month at the veterans memorial in the city-owned Triangle near Sacajawea Park. The pole was placed by private citizens without city approval. No citizens who addressed the commission during the public comment period advocated for removing the new flagpole. Citizens involved in placing the new pole and American flag expressed frustration over the lack of a flagpole in that location since the old one was removed in 2020 for structural/safety reasons. Members of some local veterans service organizations had lobbied to have the flagpole replaced for the last few years and said they had offered to supply an interim flagpole. The city has been developing a parks master plan with public input since last year that has a bearing on the memorial and is anticipated to be complete by Labor Day. At least one commissioner said he had wanted to find an interim solution for a flag at that location before Memorial Day. Comments from some city officials and members of the public indicated that there may have been challenges in communication between the city and veterans service organizations in recent times.

05/20/2025

Members of the local community came together Sunday to celebrate the coming of age of Jeremy Paul Yoakam and his attainment of the highest rank in Boy Scouts of America.

The 18-year-old Livingston resident was honored at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor at the Livingston Christian Center. With his family by his side on the auditorium stage, Yoakam recited the Eagle Scout Oath, thereby swearing on his sacred honor to take upon himself the obligations and responsibilities of an Eagle Scout. In so doing, he swore to do his best to make his training an example for others and to ensure that his status and influence are turned to the betterment of his community and country.

After swearing the oath, Yoakam received the Eagle Scout medal from his father, Troop 516 Scoutmaster Chad Yoakam.

Members of the local community came together Sunday to celebrate the coming of age of Jeremy Paul Yoakam and his attainment of the highest rank in Boy Scouts of America.

05/20/2025

Gov. Greg Gianforte signed Senate Bill 326 into law last week, giving a financial boost to Montana filmmakers and related businesses through tax incentives and credits. “We are very excited. It was quite an uphill battle,” said Lynn-Wood Fields, executive director of the Montana Media Coalition. “This is the first time Montana filmmakers had led a bill.”

Highlights of the new legislation include:
• The bill extends the existing tax credit program through 2045 but caps the annual credit limit at $12 million.
• Creates sideboards in the bill that will reserve tax credits for expenses such as hiring Montana residents on set, filming in Montana studios, using local vendors and companies, and shooting Montana-based documentaries.
• Offers additional tax credit incentives, including a 30% credit for hiring Montana veterans or enrolled tribal members, and credits for student interns and Montana college campus filming.

Formed in 2024 to educate Montana legislators about the state’s film industry, the Montana Media Coalition has more than 200 members statewide, said Fields. “I’m proud of the work we did this session and super grateful for the legislators that supported us, and the governor,” said Fields. "There are very low incentives in Montana for filmmaking compared to other states like California, New Mexico, New York and Georgia. We are working on education right now for 2027 with outreach to communities and legislators.”

Gov. Greg Gianforte signed Senate Bill 326 into law last week, giving a financial boost to Montana filmmakers and related businesses through tax incentives and credits.

05/20/2025

Members of the local business community recently gathered at the Emigrant Outpost to honor peers who did particularly good work over the past year. The 2025 Livingston Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala on Friday featured cocktails and networking, dinner, and an awards ceremony. The chamber’s board, based on nominations from the community, chose the following award winners:

Business of the Year – Fiesta en Jalisco
Event Venue of the Year – Sage Lodge
Outdoor Recreation Business of the Year – Montana Whitewater Rafting and Zipline
Nonprofit of the Year – Western Sustainability Exchange, which runs the Livingston Farmers Market
Entertainment Business of the Year – The Office Lounge and Liquor Store
Lifetime Achievement Award – Sky Federal Credit Union

Members of the local business community recently gathered at the Emigrant Outpost to honor peers who did particularly good work over the past year.

05/17/2025

Edit: This photo was posted tonight by Landry Harris, of Livingston, and reshared here with her permission. The phenomenon "may be STEVE, but it is looking more and more likely that it was a rocket trail/plume from a rocket launch of six satellites from China that occurred earlier tonight," according to a post by the Facebook account of Meteorologist Ryan Dennis, of KRTV/KXLH.

STEVE, or Strong Thermal Emission Velocity Enhancement, is described by NOAA at https://sos.noaa.gov/education/phenomenon-based-learning/this-is-steve/.

The phenomenon was seen about 11:30 p.m., according to multiple social media posts. In addition to places in Montana such as Livingston, Bozeman/Belgrade, people reported seeing it in Arizona, Idaho, Utah, and possibly elsewhere.

If you snapped a photo of it tonight, please share below!

05/15/2025

Members of Girl Scout Troop 2565, based at Arrowhead School in Pray, have collected more than 1,500 donated items for supporting displaced individuals in domestic abuse situations. Sarah Bouska, a scout leader for the troop, said the girls decided to use the funds from their cookie sales at Town & Country Foods, Albertsons, and Murdoch's, which included $550 in donations, to create care packages to support ASPEN, Livingston's Abuse Support & Prevention Education Network.

"It really exploded in a good way," said Bouska. "Johanna Osborn, Arrowhead School principal, asked if the whole school could be involved. They chose to spend this money on the project. We are very proud of their empathy, compassion and the idea sparked by them."

With six girls in the troop submitting Bronze Awards applications from their project participation to the Girl Scout Council by May 30, the half-dozen members could receive their awards at the State Capitol building in Helena on June 16. The Girl Scout Bronze Award is the highest achievement for 4th and 5th grade Junior Girl Scouts, rewarding troop members for their involvement in a team effort to address a community need or issue.

Some 16 members of Girl Scout Troop 2565, based at Arrowhead School in Paradise Valley, have collected more than 1,500 donated items for supporting displaced individuals in domestic abuse situations.

05/15/2025

Three Montana Army National Guard members face criminal trespassing charges from the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks after a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that they were flying in allegedly landed on private property on May 4 in the Crazy Mountain foothills of Sweet Grass County. While on the ground, the helicopter crew allegedly took elk antlers from the private ranch land, according to witnesses and officials.

Charges of "Criminal Trespass To Property" were filed against the three defendants in Sweet Grass County Justice Court on Tuesday, May 14. The incident happened on the the afternoon of May 4 near Billy Creek, west of Melville. The three guardsmen and defendants are Michael Vincent Bray, 30, from Helena, Perry Wray Woodland, 30, from Great Falls, and Deni Lynn Draper, 36, from Clancy. The men are accused of "entering posted private property for the purpose of elk antler retrieval," reads the citations. Bray's citation also reads: "landed [a] military helicopter on private property."

The defendants are ordered to appear in court on May 28 in Big Timber. Montana law specifies a person convicted of criminal trespassing could be fined $500 or less, and/or be imprisoned in the county jail for six months or less.

An official statement from Major General J. Peter Hronek, adjutant general of the Montana National Guard, was released Wednesday. "I am aware of an alleged incident involving a Montana Army National Guard helicopter landing on private property without authorization," reads the statement from Hronek. "An internal investigation is underway, and appropriate adverse and/or administrative action will take place if the allegations are determined to be true. If true, this behavior does not align with the values of the Montana National Guard. Misuse of military equipment erodes the trust we strive to uphold with the people of Montana. Every member of the Montana National Guard is expected to uphold the highest standards of integrity, responsibility, and respect for the law.”

Three Montana Army National Guard members face criminal trespassing charges from the Montana Department of Fish, Wildlife and Parks after a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter that they were flying in

05/14/2025

The Park High Rangers battled to the end on Monday in a tight baseball game vs. East Helena at home in Livingston. The Rangers won 9-8 over East Helena on a walkoff wild pitch. Ben Cipriani scored the winning run in the 7th inning as the Rangers won a very close game. Park High's Carter Anderson picked up a key hit in the 7th inning to spur the comeback win. Cipriani pitched in relief to get the win. Next up: The Rangers play Friday at home at 4 p.m. vs. Butte High.

The Park High Rangers battled to the end on Monday at home in Livingston.

05/14/2025

Three entrepreneurs have opened a new coffee shop on Lewis Street in Livingston called The Gem. The java joint opened last week after five months of renovations, according to co-owner and Livingston resident Colin Frazier. The other co-owners are Taylor Wallace and Dave Tolliver, two partners who also own Bozeman-based Roly-Poly Coffee Co., a coffee roasting business. “We saw a need for a neighborhood coffee shop that is kind of off the beaten path,” said Frazier. “Our place is a hidden gem. It’s not on Main Street, but we hope people will find us and fall in love.”

Three entrepreneurs have opened a new coffee shop on Lewis Street in Livingston called The Gem.

05/14/2025

The Livingston Consolidated Land Use Board will meet Wednesday to consider which zoning district to recommend for some property off Loves Lane where a 22,609-square-foot office building is planned for the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The property contemplated for zoning as mixed use is a 2.439-acre tract at 38 Loves Lane that includes a single-family residence and several accessory structures, according to a city staff report to the board. The board advises the city commission on various matters including zoning. The office building would replace the existing USDA office at 5242 US-89 South to 38 Loves Lane, according to the staff report.

The new USDA facility would have about 60 employees and would be tied into the city’s water and sewer mains, according to a memo from the developer to the city. The plans for the new office building also call for a parking lot and storage area. The 38 Loves Lane property is owned by Bozeman-based Goich Tiera Property Management LLC, which is under contract to sell to LaTerra Partners. LaTerra will have the property developed and will lease it to the USDA, according to City Manager Grant Gager.

The Livingston Consolidated Land Use Board will meet Wednesday to consider which zoning district to recommend for some property off Loves Lane where a 22,609-square-foot office building is planned.

05/14/2025

Gov. Greg Gianforte has signed into law a bill that encourages peace officers to check and report immigration statuses during lawful stops. The bill, HB 278, changes statute 46-5-401 to add a section that states, “A peace officer who has lawfully stopped a person or vehicle under this section may make a reasonable attempt, upon reasonable suspicion and when practicable, to determine the immigration status of the person, except if the determination may hinder or obstruct an investigation.”

The bill is necessary due to a court case 10 years ago that “limited or severely stifled” highway patrol officers’ authority to check immigration status, according to the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Nelly Nicol (R-HD 53).

Gov. Greg Gianforte has signed into law a bill that encourages peace officers to check and report immigration statuses during lawful stops.