The Livingston Enterprise

12/30/2024

Livingston resident Bill Grover, a former Carter Presidential scholar who teaches at Montana State, reflects on the 39th U.S. President upon his death on Sunday, Dec. 29. Jimmy Carter was 100 years old.

“Suddenly, there was an explosive rise not ten feet away, and an eight-inch trout came up out of the water to take one of the airborne mayflies. In all my

12/27/2024

Tim Sheehy, Montana U.S. Senator-elect, documented a Christmas Eve visit to the site of a Park County grassland fire via a video posted to social media platform X. Sheehy insinuates in the video that the "arsonists" who lobbed fireworks at a Sheehy campaign sign were politically motivated.

Emergency responders confirmed fireworks are the suspected cause of the fire on Saturday, Dec. 21, that burned adjacent to I-90 near mile marker 330. The blaze burned 26 acres of grassland and underbrush and scorched some structures, mostly on the Jesson family ranch property.

Investigators obtained video evidence of a subject discharging a firework toward the Sheehy campaign sign from a moving vehicle, which ignited the grass fire. The suspected vehicle continued west on I-90 after lighting the fire, per officials.

"This type of dangerous, reckless violence has no place in Montana," said Sheehy in the X video. "The night these arsonists started the fire, to burn down our sign and start a wildfire, burn grazing land and property...it was just sad that would happen here."

Local firefighters gained control of the fire after about two hours. No injuries were reported from the blaze. Law enforcement is investigating the blaze as a criminal act, per the Park County Sheriff's Office. No arrests had been made as of Thursday.
Read full story below.

Tim Sheehy, Montana U.S. Senator-elect, documented a Christmas Eve visit to the site of a Park County grassland fire via a video posted to social media platform X.

12/23/2024

A 30-foot camper home was destroyed by fire in the Wineglass area southwest of Livingston on Friday afternoon. "A hay bale caught on fire and ignited the camper," said Dann Babcox, fire chief of the Park County Rural Fire District #1. "The hay bales were around the camper and the camper became fully engulfed."

A GoFundMe account has been established for the property owners, Bryce and Brittany Shiver, and their children.

On Saturday, Dec. 21, at 7:40 p.m., local firefighters were paged to mile marker 330 on I-90 to a grassland fire. The fire consumed roughly 26 acres of dry brush, grass, and fence posts along I-90. The blaze burned on the Jesson family land, but all structures were saved. Neighbor Brittney Hampson had a very close call as the fire spread to her property and burned up the backside of her guest house.

"It's the most terrifying thing I’ve ever been through," said Hampson, who lives at 15 West End Road with her two children and pets. "I was sure my house was going to burn down last night. I don’t even know how to say thank you. They saved my house."

A 30-foot camper home was destroyed by fire in the Wineglass area southwest of Livingston on Friday afternoon.

12/20/2024

A 1980 Cessna 340-A airplane co-owned by Dr. Justin Roberts, a Livingston HealthCare general surgeon, crashed 3,350 feet short of the plane's final scheduled destination at Muskogee Davis Regional Airport in Oklahoma on Nov. 27.

A 1980 Cessna 340-A airplane co-owned by Dr. Justin Roberts, a Livingston HealthCare general surgeon, crashed 3,350 feet short of the plane's final scheduled destination at Muskogee Davis Regional Airport

12/20/2024

A light industrial/commercial subdivision of 12 lots has been proposed near the East Interchange of U.S. Highway 89 North.

The project is called the Yellowstone Reserve Major Commercial Subdivision and is being proposed by Bailey Enterprises of Montana, LLC.

As proposed, each lot would be 2 to 6 acres and be served by individual well and wastewater systems, and the property would be accessed by two road approaches off the highway.

County staff have recommended the county commission deny the subdivision. The planning board will consider whether to recommend approval or denial of the subdivision at a later date.

A light industrial/commercial subdivision of 12 lots has been proposed near the East Interchange of U.S. Highway 89 South.

12/19/2024

About 733 acres in Park County near Chico Hot Springs are proposed to be encumbered by a conservation easement to be held by Gallatin Valley Land Trust.

The land, which is along the Absaroka front adjacent to the hot springs, is owned by the Otis Family, which runs cow-calf and haying operations on the property.

"The property also provides excellent wildlife habitat, given its adjacency to the National Forest and the transition from densely wooded hillsides down into a mosaic of open grassland, sagebrush steppe, and irrigated hay ground in the valley bottom," reads a letter from the land trust to the Park County Planning Board.

About 733 acres in Park County near Chico Hot Springs are proposed to be encumbered by a conservation easement to be held by Gallatin Valley Land Trust.

12/19/2024

The Montana Supreme Court has upheld a lower court’s ruling in a landmark environmental case that involved a Livingston resident and 15 other youth plaintiffs.

"After almost five years of being a plaintiff in the Held v. Montana case, I can hardly express how exciting and meaningful this win is," wrote Eva Lighthiser in a Thursday email. "The Montana Supreme Court affirms everything the trial court did in a 6-1 decision. Montana is now required to consider climate change when evaluating the impacts of fossil fuel projects, which violated our constitutional right to a clean and healthful environment. Our voices have been heard, and we are now not only on a clear path to a safe and livable climate in Montana, but also setting a precedent for the entire world."

The Montana Supreme Court has upheld a lower court’s ruling in a landmark environmental case that involved a Livingston resident and 15 other youth plaintiffs.

12/19/2024

Big Timber resident Barbara Van Cleve has been inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center 2025 class.

Van Cleve, 89, is a Montana-bred photographer who's work garnered her widespread acclaim and recognition as one of the most esteemed artists depicting contemporary ranch life. Her work was featured in national and international publications including "Photography" and "Western Horseman" magazine. Van Cleve was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame in Fort Worth, Texas, in 1995.

Big Timber resident Barbara Van Cleve has been inducted into the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame and Western Heritage Center 2025 class.

12/18/2024

12/18/2024

City commissioners have finalized various zoning changes pertaining to housing. One of the changes impairs the city’s ability to collect impact fees for accessory dwelling unit projects. Another strips the city of the authority to impose parking mandates for such projects. Another change makes it easier for people to build duplexes.

City commissioners have finalized various zoning changes pertaining to housing.

12/18/2024

An application for a proposed K-12 public charter school in Livingston is pending before the Montana Board of Public Education. Please share your thoughts by taking this poll:

https://www.livingstonenterprise.com/commentary/should-the-state-education-board-approve-yellowstone-experience-school/poll_6b68baec-bd03-11ef-ae20-63554bce594e.html

12/17/2024

The city commission will hold its regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. today at the City/County Complex, 414 E. Callender St.

The city commission is scheduled to consider approving a $89,761 contract for the construction of an equipment building at Mountain View Cemetery.

12/17/2024

Sarah Knoebl and Chris Raley have joined the board of the Livingston Urban Renewal Agency.

Sarah Knoebl and Chris Raley have joined the board of the Livingston Urban Renewal Agency.

12/17/2024

Livingston resident Stacy Bragg suggested the Park County Commission engage in discussion with the Montana Army National Guard for assistance in repairing the southern end of Main Boulder Road in Park County.

Livingston resident Stacy Bragg suggested the Park County Commission engage in discussion with the Montana Army National Guard for assistance in repairing the southern end of Main Boulder Road in

12/17/2024

Roughly 30 community members attended a grand opening and ribbon-cutting for the Mountain Rose Med Spa and a ceremony welcoming the Blend Smoothie Company to the Livingston Area Chamber of Commerce last week.

Roughly 30 community members attended a grand opening and ribbon-cutting for the Mountain Rose Med Spa and a ceremony welcoming the Blend Smoothie Company to the Livingston Area Chamber of

12/17/2024

Complete news coverage of your community. $0.99 for 6 months, then $0.99 / month.
https://bit.ly/49IAuaR

12/11/2024

A St. Vincent Regional Hospital air ambulance and Sweet Grass County deputy rescued a man in his 60s who broke both his legs after falling from a cherry picker while working construction in McLeod last week.
Josh Whaley, a deputy with the Sweet Grass County Sheriff’s Office, responded to the incident at Camp on the Boulder, a children’s camp.
“When I arrived on scene, they had him covered in a thick blanket from one of the cabins, with his head on a pillow,” said Whaley. “He was fairly comfortable if it weren’t for a compound fracture in his left leg and lower break in his right, both close to the ankle. He also sprained or broke his right wrist.”
Read full story below.

A St. Vincent Regional Hospital Air Ambulance and Sweet Grass County deputy rescued a man in his 60s who broke both his legs after falling from a cherry picker while