(Editor's note: MTN Sports is featuring a Midland Roundtable Athlete of the Year finalist nightly leading into this year's awards banquet Monday at the Billings Hotel and Convention Center five girls) in the Billings area are nominated annually by coaches and activities directors Roundtable members — a group of longtime sports enthusiasts in Billings — have then voted on one male and one female winner since 1989 BILLINGS — It’s safe to say West High's Malachi Claunch appreciates fashion with his watch and wristbands just scratching the surface I’ve got a couple Bobcat (rubber wristbands) … and then the seven-on-seven team I played on last year “My Dad had his ears pierced when he was in college Claunch has been through three in three years and then this year I was awarded with the No is the football legacy jersey at West honoring former Bears all-state player Michael Guelff Claunch will wear a Montana State jersey after earning a scholarship with the Bobcats He couldn’t be joining the Cats at a better time after MSU’s run to the national title game in January just after seeing what they did last year … to get in that program and hopefully I’ll be able to play someday,” he said this football and track standout says he appreciates learning to be handy he’ll always ask me for help and I kind of enjoy that "Just the other weekend we just got a new fireplace Their next project may be building a bigger closet Although the current one does sound well-organized for a guy who loves Nike “And then in my closet a lot of shoes and a lot of clothes which makes it pretty easy in the morning,” Malachi said with a smile A fully assembled wardrobe to compliment his wristbands 2025 Female finalists: Grace Curnow (West) 2025 Male finalists: Malachi Claunch (West) contact Kory Loberg at KoryL@universalawards.net Tickets are $40 for individual and $300 for a table of eight a custom painter and a group of students are helping transform the neighborhood into a bold celebration of Hispanic heritage Local auto body and custom paint artist and enthusiast Ray Nava III has been obsessed with lowriders for as long as he can remember “The start of the passion was when I was a kid "I’ve always just been enamored about the paint jobs and everything I guess it's always been subconsciously in the back of my mind that that's what I wanted to be." Nava has been painting cars for over 15 years but his next project uses a different canvas than he is used to: his first-ever wall mural "It just adds so much more to the community and stuff and the South side is mainly Hispanic,” said Nava will feature a 1971 Caprice lowrider in vivid red framed by a sunset and the Wells Fargo and DoubleTree buildings The mural is expected to be completed by the end of the month that's all I can really remember is just seeing all my uncles and my cousins just having nice cars And that's where my passion for it grew," said Nava The mural, titled “Rooted in the South Side, Dreaming Under the Big Sky,” is more than public art, but a community statement for Raza Unida a Latino student club in the Billings School District run by teacher "It's always been about bringing kids together and trying to give them a brighter future and trying to help Latino kids see that they can move further than their circumstances as they've grown up," said freshman Ysabelle Ruiz Raza Unida students were hands-on from the start The mural is the club’s second on the South Park pool building features the Lady of Guadalupe and symbols of Latin culture in Billings They hope to begin working on their third mural the transformation is symbolic and restorative “I did grow up in this neighborhood pretty much my whole life South Park has always been looked at as like the bad park and it didn't help that our buildings looked so torn down," said Morales "For the city to allow us to like paint on them and actually help us redo some of it a little bit is actually really nice (...) The South Side is the minority of the town and that's where most of the Latinos live and so the low rider culture over here is more important." the club hosted “On a Sunday Afternoon” at South Park to unveil the mural-in-progress and celebrate Cinco de Mayo a day early in collaboration with Roots of Unity a nonprofit that supports inclusivity and empowerment in the South Side “It's exciting because it mostly you really just see the paintings come up or you just see them after the point watching the process as it goes or even being a part of it priming it and stuff to sketching it to him painting it is awesome,” said Dynesty Peak “I have family in the Rollerz Only club and their cars are just amazing (...) I love old-school cars like these Lowriders are a cultural cornerstone for many in the Hispanic community growing up around them especially during the annual Billings Mexican Fiesta car show Nava and the students hope the display will inspire a new generation and celebrate the rich culture seeing their faces light up when they see the cars and everything like that "I was that kid and I seen a nice car and I was like too,' so I want to be the inspiration for another kid like that.” "There were a lot of stereotypes that were forced onto me and my friends growing up so it was really nice to see some more positives come out of this community," added Ruiz artistry is always such a powerful tool to speak for ourselves and to make ourselves known and not just hide in the shadows so it's really amazing to see how the Hispanic community has brought forth these cars and use them as a way of launching ourselves into a real community.” but in the hearts of local youth who see themselves in the artwork and a larger representation for all of Billings to enjoy "It's a lot more than just Hispanic people and I think that's the beautiful thing about low riding," said Nava It helps me showcase my talents and I feel like this and it's going to be here for my daughter to see It's going to be here hopefully for a long time It's nice to leave my print on the South Side.” A man fights with three others on the Skyline Trail on the Billings Rimrocks Sunday morning the man refused to provide any information Thursday on a highway near Henry’s Lake State Park in eastern Idaho near Island Park Megan Elizabeth McClave Strack died April 24 while being treated at a Billings hospital Customers can buy flour and corn tortillas by the dozen Have You Heard: See what Billings businesses opened Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account BILLINGS — Billings Skyview softball coach Michael Falcon has been with the program for 15 seasons mainly as head coach from 2009-12 and 2016 to the present never has he had more than one freshman in his starting lineup “I did not expect us to have five freshmen make varsity we’d have four of them start,” Falcon said the Falcons have had just one season where the roster was dominated by seniors Falcon has mostly operated with younger rosters including in 2023 when there were just two seniors And though this season features three seniors — Kacie Morris Lexi Johnston and Rebekah Nickisch — the program might be the youngest overall it’s been in a while Eighteen of the 23 players out for softball are sophomores or freshmen “Our older kids have welcomed in the younger kids and helped push them and they’ve really blended in well with the group of girls we have.” have been important pieces to complement the veterans Second baseman Ruby Sheridan and catcher Ella Martin have spearheaded the youth movement and have been in the starting lineup since day one Teammates on a travel-ball team that placed second at a national tournament this past summer Sheridan is batting .468 with 12 stolen bases and is tied with Johnston for the team-high in runs scored with 16 Kaylee Baker has earned the starting designated player spot in the lineup with her .533 average and 13 steals Hadley Moore was the team’s MVP out of preseason camp Falcon hopes to have her back in the regular lineup soon And pitcher Harpar Lindseth is the first in line to back up sophomore pitcher Brooklyn Arce “I think we’ve done pretty well,” Sheridan said but we’re definitely getting better with that.” Consistency is always elusive with young rosters They have had strong showings against some of the teams ahead of them in the Eastern AA standings like a 17-7 win over Billings West or a tight 3-1 loss to Belgrade A recent back-to-back series against Gallatin encapsulated the Falcons’ season They were no-hit on Wednesday by the Raptors’ Olivia Klemann in a 5-0 loss but on the next day they battled back from deficits of 3-1 5-1 and 7-5 to tie the score at 7-7 before eventually losing 13-9 to the same Gallatin team “We could have beaten some of the teams that we’ve lost to because “But I think we’re in a good spot right now.” Johnston leads the team with 20 RBIs to go along with her .340 batting average Junior Taylor Gallardo is hitting .348 with 18 RBIs And Arce has logged 86% of the team’s innings in the circle The Falcons haven’t had a winning season since 2021 when they finished 13-10 they’re fighting to reach the .500 level this season (6-8 4-6 in Eastern AA) and have secured the fifth spot in the conference which means an upcoming state playoff spot Falcon thinks his squad's mix of veteran leadership and newcomers has walked that thin line between rebuilding a program without forgoing the current season “The youth that we have on varsity isn’t there because we didn’t have capable people there,” Falcon said “They’re there because they are the best people at that spot and it just so happened that they are young we really haven’t had to sacrifice being competitive this year Lady Mavericks Alyssa Biteman and Avery Nikirk are all smiles headed to the sideline against Cheyenne at Mavericks Stadium Saturday May 3 Lady Mavericks Sylvia Howard goes to embrace head coach Bri Scholl after being honored as a senior in her final home game at Mavericks Stadium Saturday May 3 The Lady Mavericks honored their seniors before the game Lady Mavericks Madison Bissett (12) passes to McKena Bales (22) against Cheyenne at Mavericks Stadium Saturday May 3 Lady Mavericks Madison Bissett (12) battles on defense against the opponent Cheyenne at Mavericks Stadium Saturday May 3 Bissett finished the game with three total points for the Lady Mavericks Lady Mavericks Danielle Gilbert (25) pushes past the defender against Cheyenne at Mavericks Stadium Saturday May 3 Gilbert finished with six total points in the 13-5 win Lady Mavericks Brooke Alexander (20) focuses on the save on the shot attempt against Cheyenne at Mavericks Stadium Saturday May 3 Lady Mavericks McKena Bales shakes head coach Bri Scholls hand after being honored as a senior in her final home game at Mavericks Stadium Saturday May 3 Lady Mavericks Riley Mudd (21) laughs with assistant coach CJ Scholl before the game against Cheyenne at Mavericks Stadium Saturday May 3 Lady Mavericks' McKena Bales (22) extends for the ball against Cheyenne at Mavericks Stadium Saturday May 3 “It feels like we haven’t been doing this long enough… All of us athletes love it here; we all show up to practice because we want to SHERIDAN — A chance to play in front of the home fans for the first and only time of the season Saturday Sheridan Lady Mavericks lacrosse hosted Billings and Cheyenne The Mavericks celebrated their seniors McKena Bales Alexander and Gilbert concluded a three year career with the Lady Mavericks and were some of the first athletes to help the program grow Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Brendan Saunders started as the sports editor for The Sheridan Press in December 2023. Reach Brendan at brendan.saunders@thesheridanpress.com or 307-675-9977.  Email notifications are only sent once a day View more offers! Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get the latest local headlines delivered to your inbox every afternoon Find out what's happening with the latest events in our community Receive occasional local offers from our website and its advertisers summary of the weather details and news of any severe weather We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen Receive our newspaper electronically with the e-Edition email High school: Huntley Project at Billings Central High school: Billings Skyview at Billings West GOLF — The 2025 PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship: First Round MLBN — Regional Coverage: San Diego at N.Y Yankees (5:05 p.m.) OR Cincinnati at Atlanta (5:15 p.m.) MLBN — Regional Coverage: Seattle at Athletics (10:05 p.m.) OR N.Y USA — English Premier League: Nottingham Forest at Crystal Palace The five boys and five girls selected as Roundtable finalists acknowledged Nickisch is affectionately called "Pucks" by her Skyview Falcons teammates Sovereignty crosses the finish line first in the Kentucky Derby The Finalists gathered together on Monday night The city of Billings is facing a possible money problem The Montana Legislature voted to cut some property taxes The city charter currently limits Billings' tax rate for property taxes the Legislature passed laws that allowed the city to increase that rate “This legislation that passed does give us a path forward for one year to basically reset that cap in our charter,” said Andy Zoeller While the Legislature decreased property taxes to help out home and business owners “It gets made up largely by large industry and large commercial,” Zoeller said “There's going to be tax increases on second homes and short-term rentals.” Without the ability to increase the tax rate the city could lose $8.5 million in tax revenue Property tax revenue of about $55 million pays for police That could potentially mean the loss of around 70 jobs The problem is the city charter and the state law don't line up, and the Billings City Council “We have a charter that says you can levy this tax rate and nothing else,” Zoller said “But the state says you will levy something more than that tax rate are the only two cities in the state whose charters present this challenge It's not known at this time what would be best for Billings and it may have to be decided in the courts “A court gets to decide that a charter is a contract instrument that says the mills are fixed,” said Rep “The Constitution says the state (Legislature) never cedes its right to be able to address this.” says the Legislature amended the bills to take care of Billings and Sunburst “There would be a 4-year hold harmless,” Jones said “There's going to be two legislatures set over that four-year period the state would backfill whatever amount was lost while we determined how to do it different And Zoeller says the finance department needs some direction from the city council on Monday night Senate Bill 542 and House Bill 231 still need to be signed by the governor Personalized news alerts with our mobile app Photos from Billings Central High School at Laurel High School baseball at Thomson Park in Laurel on Saturday Laurel's Ryan Berube attempts to tag Billings Central's Oliver Prill during a baseball game at Thomson Park in Laurel on Saturday Billings Central's Oliver Prill bats during a baseball game against Laurel at Thomson Park in Laurel on Saturday The Billings Central baseball team gathers during a game against Laurel at Thomson Park in Laurel on Saturday Billings Central's Kole Reas pitches during a baseball game against Laurel at Thomson Park in Laurel on Saturday Billings Central's Porter Dahlberg steps up to bat during a baseball game against Laurel at Thomson Park in Laurel on Saturday Laurel baseball fans cheer on the Locomotives during a baseball game against Billings Central at Thomson Park in Laurel on Saturday Laurel's Mason Wilson pitches during a baseball game against Billings Central at Thomson Park in Laurel on Saturday The Laurel baseball team watches from the dugout during a game against Billings Central at Thomson Park in Laurel on Saturday Laurel's Parker Knaub bats during a game against Billings Central at Thomson Park in Laurel on Saturday Billings Central's Porter Dahlberg slides into second base during a baseball game against Laurel at Thomson Park in Laurel on Saturday Both teams believe they are improving and share a passion for the sport Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application As the sun began to set on the evening of April 29 steadfast in his belief that this was not the end for him He often said that we aren’t humans who have spiritual experiences but are spiritual beings who have human experiences was rich in all the ways that matter: He was blessed with many friends and family he had enough challenges in his life to teach him courage and keep him humble and prayerful While he spent part of his childhood in Glendive and in Lewistown went to high school five blocks from where he was born and attended college eight blocks from where he was born During his adult years he did travel quite a bit seeing every part of the country and a few foreign ports Ron started working when he was 12 and retired at 71 During those years he always had at least one full-time job and sometimes one or two part-time jobs in addition and electrical work as well as basic automotive repair Ron joined the Army Reserves after high school and then attended Eastern Montana College but left school in 1962 when he married Chere McVey and went to work full time to support their family and her through her college career Among the many jobs he had over his lifetime – and there were MANY – one of his favorites was as an over-the road truck driver watching the sun come up and just enjoying the open road He had many stories to share of his adventures during the many years he held this job Ron was huddled against his truck where the biting sleet seemed to cut into him as he put chains on the tires to make his way safely over the next few hundred miles it occurred to him then that there had to be a better way to make a living He decided to go into real estate and turned his attention to studying for the licensing exam he was elected president of the Billings Realtors Association and he was elected president to the Montana Association of Realtors He also served as a national director for 12 years Ron became a property manager with his business partner and dear friend For several years after his marriage ended Ron lived in solitude with his hours filled with work church and as much golf as he could get away with Then one day he heard the name of an old friend mentioned and within hours Lana had been a neighbor and good friend in high school and she had moved back to Billings a few years earlier It had been nearly 40 years since they’d seen each other but they met for lunch and found their friendship as alive as when they last met as teenagers That friendship grew into a deep and lasting love one that grew stronger with time and was an unbreakable bond They chose not to marry but referred to each other as “my unmarried spouse” because they were deeply committed to each other but each liked the independence of living alone but at age 60 found his true calling: golf It’s hard at that age to develop the skill to excel at the sport but it was the challenge and the fellowship his new hobby offered that drew him Ron claimed he wasn’t good for much else He spent a great deal of time serving in prison ministry beginning in 1982 He spent an hour every Sunday facilitating a bible study at the Yellowstone County Detention Center (until Covid halted their access) and he participated in ministry in Deer Lodge at least one day every month He and the others in this ministry estimated they traveled over 6,000 mile to Montana State Prison over the years Ron got to know many of the famous and infamous and was always compassionate and looked for the good in everyone.” He was also a powerful supporter of the Cum Christo He graduated to heaven … with honors “Ron’s love for people was unique in many ways He never felt he had to impress anyone with who HE was He liked to make people laugh and was always ready with a witty remark when an opportunity presented itself He lived a life that reflected his deeply held values which could be summed up as “live simply give generously and be thankful.” Ron did give generously of his time Ron is survived by his children: Rhona (Tim) Webb and Chad Ring He was known as Grandpa to Lyndsay (Jeff) VanSteenburgh Mike (Hannah) Glassing and Joe (Shyanne) Ryan and affectionately called Pepparoni (Papa Ronnie) by the Greats: Emma His is also survived by his unmarried spouse deceased) Wirkkala and many cousins and countless friends Leading the heavenly welcome line behind Jesus were his two treasured and very missed children Kim Ryan and Roby Ring and many special family members and close friends There will be a memorial service/rosary on Wednesday night at Michelotti-Sawyers Mortuary (1001 Alderson 2025 followed by the “best after service lunch” by the ladies of the church In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to: Gratitude in Action, 1234 Avenue C, Billings, MT 59102, Montana Rescue Mission, 2822 Minnesota Ave, Billings, MT 59101, St Vincent de Paul, 3005 1st Ave S, Billings, MT 59101 or charity of your choice. https://www.giamt.org    https://www.svdpmt.org/ Ron and Lana wrote the part in parenthesis in 2016 and tucked it away for us to find after he passed Make a donation to one of the following charities in remembrance of Ronald Ring Add to Calendar Complete the form below to get directions for the Vigil for Ronald Ring Add to Calendar Complete the form below to get directions for the Funeral Service for Ronald Ring Add to Calendar Complete the form below to get directions for the "best after service lunch" for Ronald Ring This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Located in Bozeman, MT For questions or comments contact the Ask Us Desk      D2L/Canvas      Missoula's Sean Ramsbacher won the amateur division in the 35th annual Lake City Open Sunday in Polson 8 hole during the Montana State Mid-Am at The Ranch Club Garrett Woodin of Billings won the Lake City Open pro division Sunday in Polson Woodin tees up as he poses for a photo at Hilands Golf Club in Billings Garrett Woodin (left) of Billings won the pro division and Sean Ramsbacher (right) of Missoula won the amateur division in the Lake City Open this weekend at Polson Bay MISSOULA — Missoula's Sean Ramsbacher and Billings' Garrett Woodin were the big winners in the two-day Lake City Open this weekend at Polson Bay Golf Course a former standout player for Montana Tech and Missoula Sentinel rallied Sunday to win the amateur division in the 35th annual tournament with a 9-under score of 67-68-135 Former University of Providence (Great Falls) golfer Ben Kaul finished second with an 8-under score of 68-68-136 Nate Gage of Polson held a lead for part of the day Sunday but settled for third at 64-74-138 A total of 126 amateurs signed up for the tourney Woodin rallied past fellow Billings player Joey Moore to win the pro division and earn a check for $3,500 Woodin carded a 13-under score of 65-66-131 and Moore Woodin played his college golf at Montana State Billings and was the first men's player from that school to reach the NCAAs in 2021 Moore broke a tournament record by shooting 62 on Saturday A total of 30 golfers competed in the pro division Ryan Malby of Kalispell won the senior pro division by eight strokes with an 8-under score of 65-71-136 Bill Speltz is Missoulian sports editor. Contact him at bill.speltz@406mtsports.com or on Twitter @billspeltz Hunter Loesch broke the Corvallis school record with his final javelin throw Friday Seeley-Swan junior Lillian Boyd is hungry for State C gold in the discus after finishing second twice She owns the state's best mark this spring he could be a breakout receiver for the Montana Grizzlies this fall Billings Senior grad and Montana Griz star back home in the Magic City preparing to report to NFL who starred as Missoula Loyola completed a basketball 3-peat are ranked first and second in Class B in triple jump Grace Curnow, a senior and three-sport athlete at Billings West High School in Montana, has been named a finalist for the Midland Roundtable Athlete of the Year, according to SWXLocalSports.com reports who also played basketball and competed in track and field is a defensive MVP and a three-time all-state defensive selection in soccer She was also a member of the Golden Bears’ state championship team in 2021 The senior will continue her soccer career at Rocky Mountain College, an NAIA program that competes in the Frontier Conference. Curnow signed with Battlin’ Bears women’s soccer in November last year The top five male and female graduating athletes from Billings West and Lockwood high schools are considered for Midland Roundtable Athlete of the Year, according to a description which recognizes athletic accomplishments and community involvement goes to one male and one female student-athlete The Midland Roundtable Athlete of the Year banquet is scheduled for Monday To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App © 2025 ABG-SI LLC - SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Riley Wolery hosts his fifth annual fine art show at The Northern Hotel in downtown Billings Have you heard what happened in the world of Billings business through the month of April Here's what's coming and going in Billings this month Coco Cherie Creamiez is moving their delightfully pink dirty soda shed to the Rimrock Mall parking lot Michelle’s Pantry is kicking off craft beer week with expanded summer hours Michelle’s Pantry will be serving global bites Tuesday through Friday Local Kitchen & Bar debuted an all-new dinner menu in April The Local is now open five days a week: 9 a.m Beer started pouring in April at 105 Brewing in the Heights The two-fold brewery business opened its coffeehouse menu in January along with their drive-thru window The brewery’s pergola-covered patio opened officially in April as well but regularly hosts a variety of food trucks on Monday through Saturday There’s a new venue taking event bookings in downtown Billings with a total of 16,000 square feet of venue space and an array of rentable options The Paper Mill located in the historic industrial building at 2019 Montana Ave that most recently featured Liberty & Vine was dubbed by owner Teresa Larsen as homage to the Carpenter Paper Company Disco Kitten a curated secondhand boutique popped up inside Escentia Salon The boutique residency there is happening through Monday Madison Love-Tomme’s carefully curated collection of funky fashionwear is available for purchase at Escentia Salon every day from 11 a.m Fresh tortillas can’t be beat. Fresh white corn and flour tortillas are rolling out at Colima Tortilleria daily Rubi and Miguel Murillo opened the tortilla bakery at 2213 Grant Road in April complimenting their adjacent Mexican store and bakery The tortilleria boasts a newly installed tortilla-making machine capable of producing 2,800 tortillas per hour an imported piece of equipment rarely seen in the states with an all-day grand opening event Friday Celebrations start with a ribbon cutting with the Billings Chamber of Commerce at 10 a.m The day ends with a happy hour party from 4 p.m “We are super excited to expand our selection of local and sustainable goods into the downtown Billings community,” Tiffany Miller-O’Brien of Frae Everyday Goods said “You’re going to love what we’ve been working on.” Frae Everyday Goods was the winner of Downtown Billings Association’s 2024 Battle of the Plans’ expanding business category Miller-O’Brien's second Frae location downtown will have an expanded store concept enhancing vendors’ booth space within Frae The first Frae Everyday Goods opened in Shiloh Commons, at 115 Shiloh Rd., in 2022. Customers can also shop Frae online with free local delivery for orders $50 and over Residents of the West End may see their own Spitz Mediterranean Street Food restaurant by the end of May. Peter and Jenna O’Brien, owners of the popular Spitz location in downtown Billings, are working hard to get their second location up and running and ready for summer sangria and street cart fries weather at Shiloh Crossing in the previous Pita Mill spot A new Spitz Mediterranean Street Food location is under construction at Shiloh Crossing on Wednesday because it’s a different world over there… We’re growing… Billings is the land of opportunity,” Peter O’Brien said before this (downtown) location opened up.” their new spot at 1001 Shiloh Crossing Blvd will be just a few steps from entertainment and they'll be set up for all the hungry — and thirsty — moviegoers coming out of the AMC Shiloh 14 theater Craft beer and wine will be available at the second location The West End Spitz will offer all the same dining services Artist Devon Paulson paints the interior of the new Spitz Mediterranean Street Food location at Shiloh Crossing on Wednesday The Sassy Biscuit Co. downtown Billings’ brunch restaurant with southern flair after years of detrimentally low sales following the COVID pandemic of 2020 It breaks my heart,” owner Jilan Hall said and I am thankful for my time in Montana.”  I kept injecting cash in the hope something would change I probably would have lost everything before I gave up But sometimes things aren’t meant to be and as hard as that is to accept Gift cards will "unfortunately not" be refunded There’s a variety of Billings businesses for sale currently Überbrew downtown is available for purchase for $150,000; Dana Motors for $2.4 million; Let’s Glow Putt is for sale for $1.4 million; Prerogative Kitchen in Red Lodge has an asking price of $999,999; the three Cold Stone Creamery locations in Billings and Missoula are listed at $589,000; and the Exotic Pets Store is for sale One Billings business that has been on the market since December was sold and transitioned to new owners recently Twenty years of ownership concluded in April as Bryan and Susie Layton passed on the Great Harvest Bread Co Heather Lamont’s first day as the new owner/operator of the Great Harvest Bread Co. on Poly Drive started in the early morning hours As she connected with the bakery’s craft and customers Wolery Artwork’s Legacy 2025 fine art show is coming to The Northern Hotel in downtown Billings Legacy 2025 will feature 15 regional artists who will be showcasing their original artwork for purchase at the event plus Clinton Lesh from Bozeman and Chris Chapman from Missoula The show has previously featured Kevin Red Star and other regional artists The evening will include live and silent auctions with 50% of the proceeds dedicated to the benefit of the Veterans Navigation Network in Billings Apsáalooke Nation Lady Warriors will present the colors paying tribute to veterans’ service and sacrifice with a cash bar available during general admission May 22 is World Goth Day, and Billings is joining in this year. Billings’ inaugural Goth Day Celebration is Thursday This gothic-centric celebration will feature activities “We felt that this is something that is missing here in Billings as far as representation,” Co-founder Katie Harrison said “Our vendor and performer lineups filled up in two shows the excitement and desire for something like this.” and attendance in goth attire is encouraged Tickets are $10 online and $15 at the door and the community is hungry for it,” co-founder Madison Love-Tomme said Last Chance Pub & Cider Mill was recognized with the People’s Choice Award at Cross Culinary 2025 the annual cross-country skiing event paired with delectable culinary delights crafted by local chefs hosted at the Red Lodge Nordic Center in February Cross Culinary announced the People’s Choice winner in April in a social media post “Chef Joe and Chef Jerika served up their delicious and juicy Montana Angus Beef Burger as a slider and wowed the crowd,” Cross Culinary said “Big thanks to all of our 2025 culinary artists for featuring your tastes & talents at The Red Lodge Nordic Center this February.” cake and a heartfelt speech from Gordy himself We set a plastic sign up on the sidewalk; open They had no idea how many people we knew,” he said Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly Randall said she plants frost-sensitive crops such as tomatoes and summer squash during the first week of June Food Truck Fuel: Summer is the season of food trucks and Pops Tots is kicking off a summer of food truck features BILLINGS - A Billings man accused of murdering his wife was arraigned Friday appeared in Yellowstone County District Court after prosecutors upgraded a previous attempted deliberate homicide charge following the death of his wife six days after she was assaulted in the couple's home on Wyoming Avenue Strack is now charged with deliberate homicide A not guilty plea was entered on his behalf and bond was maintained at $500,000 Newly filed court documents state the victim died on April 24 at a Billings hospital after being removed from life support An autopsy determined the woman had trauma injuries throughout her body "M.S.'s fatal injuries included a large hematoma on her forehead and the back of her skull and a bisected carotid artery," court documents state The case began on April 18 when officers responded to the couple's residence for a report of an overdose victim Officers found the woman in a basement bathroom next to a tub with the water running She did not have a pulse and was not breathing Medical staff later told investigators the woman's injuries were consistent with an assault Struck allegedly said his wife's injuries were most likely caused by a fall and that she had hit him several times Struck "then appeared to try to bargain" with a detective regarding what charges would be brought against him Struck suggested the detective "could charge him with manslaughter," court records state Further investigation revealed the couple's residence had a home security system that captured video of the events inside just prior to police arriving The video clips "show the Defendant and M.S fighting in the hours leading up to her death not going somewhere with the Defendant and ordering an Uber instead Strack is heard at one point yelling at the woman appears back in camera and falls to the ground after the Defendant pushed or threw her The Defendant can also be seen slapping M.S Police also learned there was video footage that was deleted from the home security system and are working to recover that footage Billings man faces murder charge after assault victim dies Billings man charged with attempted murder for attack on his wife Read through the obituaries published today in Billings Gazette passed away peacefully at her home in Billings Genevieve Webb Anderson Kuck was born during the Great Depression on September 25 the Central Christian Church in Billings aimed to sell around 80,000 donated books to members of the community “It’s estimated that we get somewhere between probably 200 and 300 books a day all year round," said a member of the church and volunteer is one that avid reader Caitlin Hale of Billings looks forward to every year Hale said she has attended this spring's book sale every day and has stayed the entire time the church was open "It's good reading and good people," Hale said Hale has purchased 200 books from the sale Hale's presence at the book sale is one that Riesinger looks forward to ‘cuz we bring new books out all the time," Riesinger said ‘cuz they have no place to take books in this town.” Both Riesinger and Hale say the book sale is about a lot more than just pages in a book "This thing has grown to where it’s not just the book sale anymore Riesinger told MTN when the book sale began the community has become extremely involved in the event with donations coming to Central Christian Church every day RELATED| Central Christian Church book sale in Billings back and bigger than ever the profits from the book donation are used in the community the church has donated money to Eagle Mount and helped contribute to the playground at Rose Park "We don’t know where they’re gonna come from You can’t really count on who’s gonna give us books but it seems to always fill the shelves," said Riesinger The church will be selling books from 10 a.m BILLINGS — A new formal dress shop has opened in the magic city, Ain't No Blonde's Chic Boutique located at 819 16th Street West in Billings Marissa Reichle and Jasmine Velazquez opened the boutique in hopes of bringing "Cinderella moments" to women on all budgets Ain't No Blonde's Chic Boutique has everything needed for a formal event for those on a tight budget "I'd like it to be a place that's for the regular people and be able to afford it," Reichle said at the grand opening The store had its grand opening on Saturday The mother and daughter duo told MTN the boutique took about two months to arrange and decorate "I think it's a great thing to have affordable options that you can actually try on in store and try to see which one fits better," said Velazquez Velazquez said that's because inventory comes from donations and sample dresses from other dress stores both Velazquez and Reichle have full time jobs the two plan on efficiently running the business from Mondays to Saturdays On weekdays the store will be open from 12 p.m Normally we're all so busy we don't get to visit," said Reichle The two decided to open the business after their own experience being unable to afford luxury dresses They said everyone deserves to have a magical dress moment "When I was on the hunt for my wedding dress there was no affordable options in my budget around town," Velazquez said The next plan for Ain't No Blonde's Chic Boutique "We just wanted to get this going as fast as we could and put it all online so every body can see what's there Montana and Wyoming were able to enjoy plenty of sunshine and warmth on Saturday under a ridge of high pressure We will have another quiet and relatively mild night under a mostly clear to clear sky Lows Sunday morning will range from the lower 40s to the lower 50s and the afternoon will be about as warm as Saturday A Pacific storm is already moving into the Pacific Northwest and it will be affecting the far western part of Montana tonight Its cold front will push over Montana and Wyoming late Sunday afternoon through Monday morning and that will bring an abrupt halt to all of our warmer than average weather Showers and thunderstorms are possible late Sunday Monday and Tuesday will be our coolest days by far over the next 7 days Many areas will be 30 degrees cooler Monday afternoon compared to Sunday Highs will be in the 40s and 50s Monday and Tuesday As 715 students mark the completion of their academic careers at Montana State University Billings on May 3 I reflect on the powerful link between our community and your university MSU Billings has played an integral role in the education and employment of Yellowstone County residents MSUB graduates are well-prepared to enter the workforce or take on continued education to make Montana a better place Since beginning my role as chancellor five years ago I continue to witness the passion and dedication demonstrated by our faculty and staff while serving our students our students demonstrate incredible determination or are dealing with the unexpected challenges of life while pursuing their degrees More than 60 percent of MSU Billings students call Yellowstone County their home Another 1,126 students are from other Montana locations meaning 90 percent of the total student body are Montana residents our data shows that most MSU Billings graduates stay in the area and contribute to local workforce growth 60 percent of City College graduates found work in Yellowstone County and 42 percent of University Campus graduates were employed locally Many have started businesses in the Billings community as well I am proud that Yellowstone County sees MSUB as their local university of choice and we will harness its power to help our students Our strength is being a student-centered university and our dedication is to meet the needs of our students Stefani Hicswa is chancellor at Montana State University-Billings letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly BILLINGS — Among a culture accustomed to streaming and binging one Billings business is offering a different kind of experience — one that comes with the familiar yellow and blue of a bygone video store era Sean Osborne, owner of Keep It Alive Antiques and Collectibles has created a new retro-themed room inside his store meticulously designed to resemble Blockbuster Lined with old clamshell cases and rows upon rows of VHS tapes the room houses more than 2,000 VHS titles alongside other formats — including DVDs Osborne estimates he has spent more than 200 hours designing the space “I really dive into attention to detail because I don’t wanna be ‘that thrift store.’ We’re not a thrift store,” said Osborne Much of the inventory consists of titles that are increasingly hard to find in today’s streaming libraries they’re not on Netflix or anything like that,” said Osborne it is about more than just the tapes — it is about what those tapes represent “(Customers are) buying it because ‘my dad loved this movie.’ They’re buying it because ‘my little brother and I used to watch this and my parents didn’t know about it,’” said Osborne The recreated store is designed to offer that exact emotional pull — a chance to revisit a one's own memories when weekends were events “When I stand back and watch people with their reactions — that’s exactly why I’m in this business,” said Osborne show your kids what you used to do on the weekends.” Keep It Alive will be holding Free Comic Book Day events tomorrow from 10 a.m A Celebration of Life will be held at 2:57 p.m To share memories and condolences with … Pops Tots food truck is parked next to AMC Classic Billings 10 Theater at 2414 Central Avenue When Ron Myler set out to open a food truck he was thinking of the best vessel on which to serve his mom's prized sausage gravy recipe "I’m not making homemade biscuits in a food truck," he remembered thinking "So I had to come up with something that would go good with it." And Mom’s Breakfast Tots came to be: a bowl of hot A breakfast bowl includes a family gravy recipe and freshly cooked bacon over a bowl of hot crispy tots as Ron and Vance Myler operate the Pop's Tots food truck at 2414 Central Avenue While momma Bobbie William’s recipe for sausage gravy is the star of Pops Tots’ menu She’s also the inspiration and motivation behind Myler’s food truck itself “This whole truck is actually in honor of my mom,” Myler said Myler’s mom passed away two years ago in July He was bartending at Fiddler’s Green Kitchen Bar & Casino on Southgate Drive at the time and decided to turn his food truck dreams into reality Ron and Vance Myler operate the Pop's Tots food truck at 2414 Central Avenue I threw all the money she gave me for my inheritance in the food truck,” Myler said “I painted it bright orange and purple — those are her favorite colors — and told her I was going to make her sausage gravy famous.” which translates to Pops Tots’ cooking methods He doesn't make the tots in house — they come frozen — but everything that they’re loaded with is made from scratch “Anything and everything that’s made on this truck has to be up to the quality of my mom’s," Myler said "That’s why we cook everything from scratch that’s why we cook in lard and bacon grease — we do everything the old-fashioned way.” Pops Tots’ menu includes Mom’s Breakfast Tots berry delight tots with an option to turn any into a burrito Dessert tots are covered in powered sugar and syrup as Ron and Vance Myler operate the Pop's Tots food truck at 2414 Central Avenue Myler’s first full year was filled with festivals The chili that tops his chili cheese tots took 1st place in the traditional category of the 2024 Magic City’s Best Chili Cookoff and was also people’s choice the Pops Tots food truck as a whole snagged its own prize as the savory winner of the Battle of the Food Trucks at the 2024 Billings Fun Con “I decided to try making my own homemade chili the guy that ran the Magic City Best Chili Cookoff came and ordered breakfast bowls maybe I can enter next year.' He took a bite and said Award winning chili and tots are a favorite as Ron and Vance Myler operate the Pop's Tots food truck at 2414 Central Avenue Myler is debuting two tot specials for Cinco de Mayo in May Myler operates Pops Tots with his son Vance His granddaughter is their littlest tot and biggest fan Pops Tots can be found regularly parked on food truck row next to the AMC Classic Billings 10 Theater at 2414 Central Ave. Truck hours can vary depending on weather. Pops Tots is active on their Facebook page, which is where they post their most up-to-date hours and location Big Sky Economic Development's retired director Steve Arveschoug and Visit Billings Director Aly Eggart disc… Heather Lamont’s first day as the new owner/operator of the Great Harvest on Poly Drive started in the early morning hours but did you know Montana was almost named something else We gathered some of the most interesting facts about our state If you were trying to invent a duck call for teenagers and the 85 kids gathered at the Billings Depot on Wednesday afternoon were all too willing to accommodate his request Stewart is one of the most decorated high school basketball coaches in recent Montana history He led the Lodge Grass boys to a pair of Class B titles and is now at Billings Central It’s his job to shepherd teenagers through the cacophony But he wasn’t at the Depot as a basketball coach Stewart was guiding these kids as cultural consultant for Unreserved storytelling and more in an attempt to get students to open up about their struggles and realize they’re not alone Approximately 85 local high school students work on art projects during the Unreserved art workshop at the Depot on Wednesday Stewart’s role at the Depot was to lead the kids through an exercise where one student would try to coach another student through an impromptu obstacle course of chairs and the entire assemblage of other kids is screaming meaning the coach has to yell over the noise to get the coachee to not run strait into an obstacle laying out a thesis statement for what they’d just done “You’ve got to watch out for the negative voices.” Or you could just have fun screaming and watching your friends knock their shins into chairs who spent the exercise laughing and cheering will lean back on this experience in the years to come “You have to tune in the good voices,” Stewart said “I believe you guys have greatness in you.” The project is a lot of fun — it has to be if you want a room full of teenagers to pay attention all day — but there’s something deeper there if you search for it there are structures learned here that can help you for a long The basic tenants are this: each student is given a piece of white paper with a circle on it The spaces are labeled “heritage,” “hurdle,” “happiness” and “hope.” Local high school students display a series of art projects during the Unreserved art workshop at the Depot on Wednesday students fill out their quadrants with things that remind them of those four words some just draw basic figures and write long descriptions next to them The art table at the Depot event was overflowing with markers and a big parcel of “odorless and nontoxic” gel sticks that promised a “soft buttery texture.” And there were just boxes and boxes of crayons — the 96 packs with colors you’ve never even heard of before carroty orange) and hot magenta (pink that’s even pinker than normal pink) Some of the projects made by Billings students as part of Unreserved because the main funding for the project comes from the PD Jackson Family Foundation the charitable organization spearheaded by NBA Hall of Famer Phil Jackson Way before he coached Michael Jordan to the most dominant title stretch in American sports history maybe the type who might benefit from taking part in Unreserved Unreserved’s founder and director Dani Phillips has hoops in her blood first started thinking about the ideas behind Unreserved over a decade ago when she spent three years as the director of operations for Montana State University’s women’s basketball team Maybe that’s why she doesn’t think of this as an art project And an Unreserved session doesn’t just stop when the markers run out of ink the participants split into smaller groups and go around the circle splitting students apart from those they might usually sit with and making them listen to someone new “This project is a tool,” Phillips explained “It’s a connection tool in our time when the screen time and anxiety for students is on the rise.” Unreserved Director Dani Phillips works with local high school students during the Unreserved art workshop at the Depot on Wednesday When the kids are working on their Unreserved projects They’re working out a part of their brain that can go dormant if it’s not used “We have an inner universe that is our own,” Phillips said or we get to express it out into the world.” Phillips was at Montana State University to get her education degree she taught English at Browning High School and Hardin High School Unreserved got its start in earnest in 2019 when Phillips worked with an English teacher at Fergus High School in Lewistown in an effort to bring together students from Fergus and Hardin What we didn’t have was an itinerary,” Phillips remembered She settled on the current template and format although it’s always shifting and every Unreserved is informed by the ones that came before it was something of a trial run for how to do this project with bigger groups from more populated areas you have to be constantly aware of what the other nine players are doing Phillips wanted her students to feel that same way The depot event also featured a panel staffed by a pair of students and a variety of Billings businesspeople In between the smaller sharing circles happening throughout the room each panelist went through their project and spoke about it One panelist demonstrated his heritage by showing a photo of a castle in Germany that bear’s his mother’s maiden name Another teared up when remembering her twice widowed immigrant grandmother while taking about heritage and the tears really started flowing when she talked about her father’s death when she was just a child a loss that precipitated a familial collapse She wasn’t the only panelist moved to tears during the discussions The Unreserved template does resemble a basketball the four-quadrant circles constructed by many Native American tribes especially those that live on the Great Plains There’s a prominent Medicine Wheel atop the Bighorn Mountains it’s a part of something an awful lot deeper than any of us “It’s a connection opportunity,” Phillips said “And it’s an opportunity to get the best of you out onto the table.” Receive the latest in local entertainment news in your inbox weekly We gathered some of the most interesting facts about o… In what is effectively a national holiday for all local writers Jason Isbell is playing the Alberta Bair on Wednesday The 22-year tradition that turns downtown Billings into an open-air concert venue for some of the hottest acts around is back Leslie Budewitz's new book "All God's Sparrows" is about one of Montana's most larger-than-life personalities who is both part of his father Willie's family and his legendary backing band Chrissy Houlahan and CNN Political Commentators Ashley Allison and Kristen Soltis Anderson discuss Trump saying he doesn’t know if he has to uphold the Constitution as well as growing concerns over his handling of the economy — President Donald Trump is circumspect about his duties to uphold due process rights laid out in the Constitution saying in a new interview that he does not know whether U.S citizens and noncitizens alike deserve that guarantee President Donald Trump holds a document with notes about Kilmar Abrego Garcia as he speaks with reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on April 18 in Washington He also said he does not think military force will be needed to make Canada the “51st state” and played down the possibility he would look to run for a third term in the White House interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press" came as the Republican president's efforts to quickly enact his agenda face sharper headwinds with Americans just as his second administration crossed the 100-day mark according to a recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research made clear that he is not backing away from a to-do list that he insists the American electorate broadly supported when they elected him in November Here are some of the highlights from the interview with NBC's Kristen Welker that was taped Friday at his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida and aired Sunday Critics on the left have tried to make the case that Trump is chipping away at due process in the United States they cite the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia a Salvadoran man who was living in Maryland when he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador and imprisoned without communication Trump says Abrego Garcia is part of a violent transnational gang The Republican president has sought to turn deportation into a test case for his campaign against illegal immigration despite a Supreme Court order saying the administration must work to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S citizens and noncitizens both deserve due process as laid out in the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution I don’t know,” Trump said when pressed by Welker The Fifth Amendment provides “due process of law,” meaning a person has certain rights when it comes to being prosecuted for a crime the 14th Amendment says no state can “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said.” He said he was pushing to deport “some of the worst most dangerous people on Earth,” but that courts are getting in his way “I was elected to get them the hell out of here and the courts are holding me from doing it,” Trump said The president has repeatedly threatened that he intends to make Canada the “51st state.” Fareed assesses the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term with Jon Meacham Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential biographer Before his White House meeting on Tuesday with newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Trump is not backing away from the rhetoric that has angered Canadians told NBC that it was “highly unlikely” that the U.S would need to use military force to make Canada the 51st state He offered less certainty about whether his repeated calls for the U.S to take over Greenland from NATO-ally Denmark can be achieved without military action “Something could happen with Greenland,” Trump said we need that for national and international security economy is in a “transition period” but he expects it to do “fantastically” despite the economic turmoil sparked by his tariffs He offered sharp pushback when Welker noted that some Wall Street analysts now say the chances of a recession are increasing some people on Wall Street say,” Trump said Some people on Wall Street say that we’re going to have the greatest economy in history.” He also deflected blame for the 0.3% decline in the U.S “I think the good parts are the Trump economy and the bad parts are the Biden economy because he’s done a terrible job,” referring to his Democratic predecessor Trump doubled down on his recent comments at a Cabinet meeting that children might have to have two dolls instead of 30 denying that is an acknowledgment his tariffs will lead to supply shortages “I’m just saying they don’t need to have 30 dolls The president has repeatedly suggested he could seek a third term in the White House even though the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution says that “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” Trump told NBC there is considerable support for him to run for a third term “But this is not something I’m looking to do,” Trump said “I’m looking to have four great years and turn it over to somebody Trump's previous comments about a third term sometimes seem more about provoking outrage on the political left The Trump Organization is even selling red caps with the words “Trump 2028.” he has suggested he was seriously looking into a third term Vice President JD Vance waves waves as he departs Charleston after touring Nucor Steel Berkeley in Huger Trump said in the interview that Vice President JD Vance is doing a “fantastic job” and is “brilliant.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio whom Trump last week tasked to simultaneously serve as acting national security adviser But Trump said it is “far too early” to begin talking about his potential successor He is confident that his "Make America Great Again" movement will flourish beyond his time in the White House The limited-edition nutcrackers titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," is seen at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman works on nutcrackers of a cowboy at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman uses hairspray to fixe the hair on a nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg manager and owner of the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory Fabrics for nutcracker costumes are stored on the shelf at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg Nutcrackers are displayed at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg The desk of the limited-edition nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," is seen at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A nutcracker commemorating the coronation of Britain's King Charles III stands alongside other nutcrackers at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A man walks on the road near the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A man works on a lathe in the carpentry of the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg Two limited-edition nutcrackers titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," are seen on a table at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman fixes a coat on a nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg An Uncle Sam nutcracker with an American flag stands between other nutcrackers at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg nutcrackers showing Britain's King Charles III Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam are displayed at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman combs the hair on a nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg Guacamole has been spared from tariffs for now and Kristen Soltis Anderson discuss Tru…