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| IBI responds Wed, 14 May 2008 17:24:02 +0000 In a story that ran today, the New Jersey company in question, IBI Secure Transport, didn’t respond to my requests for comment in time. They’ll likely be sued by Yellowstone County and Hanser’s for failure to pay a huge cleanup bill from a Jan. 1 chemical spill. It’s unfortunate that I couldn’t get IBI’s comments into [...] |
| Comment on IBI responds by Mid Town Wed, 14 May 2008 22:24:13 +0000 State law allows Fire Departments to bill responsible parties for hazmat response and clean up operations. As far as I know, Lockwood Fire and Rescue does not have the rank of Battalion Chief. Billings does though. |
| Comment on Watch out for those discs by jmcalear Wed, 14 May 2008 03:59:47 +0000 what the heck is disc golf?! |
| The union speaks Thu, 15 May 2008 17:17:55 +0000 The firefighters union, Local 521, issued a statement earlier about the hiring of Dextras. Here it is: 5/15/08 Billings, MT '''''Press Release''''' The Billings Firefighters Local 521 welcomes new Fire Chief Paul Dextras to the community. We are hopeful to maintain the good working relationship we have experienced as of late with Interim Chief John Staley, and will continue [...] |
| Paul Dextras as new Billings Fire Chief Thu, 15 May 2008 16:28:05 +0000 City Administrator Tina Volek just announced the hiring of Paul Dextras as Fire Chief. He replaces Marv Jochems, who retired in December. Interim chief John Staley, the other finalist for the job, said he has no plans to leave the department and wants to help Dextras settle into the job. But he also said he [...] |
| Comment on Paul Dextras as new Billings Fire Chief by Sarah Fri, 16 May 2008 14:45:18 +0000 This was an interesting comment under the Gazette's opinion piece of several weeks ago: prophetic? FYI for Gazette: Admin. Volek has postponed the naming of new fire chief to wait while results of this letter "cools" down. if that doesn't show her childish ways-as well as the lack of knowledge for the best for the job. ever since the lawsuit ff vs. city (which was won 7-0 in the highest of courts) there has been a blasphemic attitude coming from city hall to the fire department. No increase of budget; charging the fire department payback of a 10-year loan to pay the lawsuit; no hiring of the promised number of new employees; fleecing the ENTIRE citizen-tax payers of billings on the 2 safety levies--while it goes to the "general fund;" FYI: did you know 100 + members of the fire department voted to give up COLA raises for two years (6% a piece total) to help the city....now look. something is fishy...real fishy. may need some new investigation. |
| Comment on IBI responds by Dave Bovee Fri, 16 May 2008 05:54:56 +0000 Maybe they think the county is just like the chamber council, who fold like a cheap suit whenever one of their developer friends waves the phonebook Attorney listings at them. |
| Comment on Watch out for those discs by becca fisher Mon, 19 May 2008 16:28:07 +0000 As an avid disc golf fan from Wyoming I can empathize with a community trying to legitimize disc golf as a sport and promote courses being kept, or created in parks. While disc golf may seem dangerous to an average observer, for the most part, I've known disc golfers to be generally respectful of other park users, and attempt to avoid hitting objects, and of course people at all times. For people walking, biking, or just enjoying the open park areas, it's important to understand that there are many forms of recreation, and limiting access to one form simply because you are not familiar with it sets a precedent for future regulation of recreational activities which you may enjoy. As far as urinating in public, this seems like a problem t6hat needs to be dealt with on a separate basis, instead of assuming that ALL disc golfers would expose themselves in public. For the commenter above: here are some links to find out more about the sport of disc golf, which you may have not known actually has a professional association http://www.pdga.com/information.php http://www.discgolf.com/ |
| Comment on IBI responds by Bill Sun, 18 May 2008 05:08:21 +0000 I wonder where they got the idea that Lockwood Fire Dept. is a volunteer fire dept. It also seems to me that it was more like a week that they were cleaning up the spill and dirt involved. Not to mention the fence and signs that needed replaced. |
| Comment on The union speaks by Mid Town Sat, 17 May 2008 17:30:06 +0000 Wait until Dextras finds out that Local 521 is the policy making body of the Fire Department..LOL |
| Comment on Watch out for those discs by Dave Bovee Fri, 16 May 2008 22:24:16 +0000 People watch their kids tear limbs off of live trees there. Families get up from tables and walk away, leaving their fast-food garbage for someone else to pick up (lot's of trash cans available). Residents take their dogs there, and to all the parks, to crap and leave it there. Suddenly we're surrounded by concerned, responsible citizens? |
| Comment on Paul Dextras as new Billings Fire Chief by Mid Town Fri, 16 May 2008 19:27:32 +0000 Dextras has numerous qualifications and certifications that John Staley Doesnt including a masters degree. John was a good candidate and is a great guy but the bar is a little higher thses days. He might have made it 20 years ago. |
| Shoots keeps them honest Tue, 20 May 2008 23:31:10 +0000 We’re in the middle of budget season at City Council meetings, so there’s not a ton of news coming out of those sessions, but they’re highly informative for me. It’s interesting to learn how much various city departments spend each year. I was told that it takes five years to really understand the city budget process, [...] |
| Crash on the radio Fri, 23 May 2008 22:05:17 +0000 Whenever there’s a big event, such as last night’s tragic plane crash, the newsroom scanners really get active (we’ve got at least 4, plus most of the photographers carry them too). It’s hard to listen to the chatter when you know that someone has probably died, but it’s interesting to listen to how quickly the [...] |
| Comment on Crash on the radio by Mid Town Sat, 24 May 2008 17:15:52 +0000 City Police Detectives have absolutely no business tromping around the scene. The NTSB is in charge and its their scene. All BPD detective can do is contaminate the scene and destroy evidence. |
| Comment on Shoots keeps them honest by Dave Bovee Sat, 24 May 2008 01:33:09 +0000 The other "representatives" look miffed because the chamber council has a decades-long tradition of questioning no expenditures to the usual beneficiaries and of withholding any sort of free information whatsoever from the rest of us. The rest of us being the one hundred thousand non-constituants. Asking for details can come close to disclosure of information to which the rest of us are legally and morally entitled. That would just be bad. |
| Comment on Crash on the radio by Dave Bovee Mon, 26 May 2008 22:26:13 +0000 Objectively, Mid Town, that may be true on a federal level, after the immediate danger is mitigated onsite. However, I would hope that any public safety personel, even our famously inept BPD, would try to locate survivors or any further fire or toxic or explosive hazards. |
| Council angry with SD2 Wed, 28 May 2008 16:15:20 +0000 A few months back, Billings city Councilman Vince Ruegamer convinced the council to try to meet with School District 2 trustees on a quarterly basis. The idea was that the two bodies (or representatives) could sit down, figure out what issues they shared and then make sure they were up-to-date on what each group was [...] |
| Peterson wants condemnation on Shiloh Tue, 27 May 2008 23:30:12 +0000 State Rep. Ken Peterson, R-Billings, sent a letter to Gov. Brian Schweitzer on May 22 suggesting that the state begin condemnation proceedings on some of the holdout landowners on Shiloh Road. You can read the letter here. You can read more about the whole issue here. Peterson, who said he’s been doing condemnation work for 30 years, [...] |
| Comment on Peterson wants condemnation on Shiloh by GHills Wed, 28 May 2008 12:19:20 +0000 But, in the year 2000, almost everyone in the State said that condemnation and taking of private property is NOT the way we do business in Montana! Were they lying to us? Why aren't unions, businesses, and the Chamber of Commerce fighting this like they did then? |
| Comment on Peterson wants condemnation on Shiloh by SpeaksTheTruth Wed, 28 May 2008 03:21:00 +0000 Personally I don't really care when or if they enlarge Shiloh. But if you want to see it actually done then Rep. Peterson has an excellent suggestion. |
| Like the Florida recount in 2000 Tue, 03 Jun 2008 02:45:43 +0000 Well, election day in Montana probably won’t be as heated as things were in Bush v. Gore back in 2000, but Montana won’t see another primary like this for a long time. To add to our nominal national status (Obama will be celebrating his likely Montana victory in Michigan), election administrators are a little worried about [...] |
| Comment on Like the Florida recount in 2000 by Dave Bovee Tue, 03 Jun 2008 04:59:24 +0000 I got a call yesterday, asking me to be a poll watcher or something, for the CI-100 opponents. I stopped doing that for anyone a few years back, after deciding that tracking those who did or didn't vote wasn't really contributing to a free election. This group was turned down, even though I am against this repressive, authoritarian initiative. Personal freedom and civil rights are still to be supported, even with the present administration. |
| Comment on Peterson wants condemnation on Shiloh by fidlr Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:17:42 +0000 Considering who is holding out and their business plans, the state could simply threaten to dump the whole Shiloh expansion project. The hold-outs would be the biggest losers if Shiloh is not improved. Some of these people are not only "of means," but will never have enough money to be happy. |
| Comment on Peterson wants condemnation on Shiloh by Dave Bovee Mon, 02 Jun 2008 01:25:59 +0000 GHills; Consider corporate profit, Billings' ruling ideology. |
| Comment on Council angry with SD2 by Dave Bovee Mon, 02 Jun 2008 01:24:03 +0000 That's what happens when you suck up to somebody that's not going to pay you off. |
| The start of something big? Wed, 04 Jun 2008 05:28:04 +0000 Carol Muessig, the winner of the Democratic primary for Clerk of District Court, received 12,714 votes. That means more than one in three votes cast in Yellowstone County went for her. She received 3,200 votes more than all of the Republicans in the race combined. She even received more votes than Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton! She [...] |
| County race over Wed, 04 Jun 2008 04:34:08 +0000 It looks like a Laura Brent v. Carol Muessig matchup this fall. Muessig easily defeated Marris Harris on the Democratic side, while Laura Brent looks to win the Republican primary over Corky Harkins and Myrna Henschel. Right now (10:30 p.m.), it looks like a surprisingly close race on the Republican side. Combined, Brent’s two challengers have [...] |
| Early results in… Wed, 04 Jun 2008 02:12:18 +0000 The first results of the night have been posted over at the Yellowstone County Election office. On the Democratic side, it looks like Carol Muessig is cruising to victory over Marris Harris in the race for Clerk of District Court. On the Republican side, Corky Harkins is making a strong, surprising run against incumbent Laura Brent [...] |
| Election and more Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:47:38 +0000 It’s 6:42 p.m. on election night and we’ve got a beefed up crew in the newsroom tonight. I’m here, along with Ed Kemmick, Tom Lutey, Zach Benoit (our regular night reporter) and a bunch of editors. These election nights are always fun, but plenty busy too. I’ll try to post some stuff throughout the night, in [...] |
| Comment on The start of something big? by Ed Hostettler Fri, 06 Jun 2008 13:37:05 +0000 Matt: I have only one problem with your analysis. If I vote on the Democratic ballot in the primary, I am unable to vote for any person on the Republican ballot. Which party had the most ballots in Yellowstone County on Turesday? If the Democratic Party had more ballots, no person on the other ballot could possibly have obtained more votes. You could not vote two ballots. Sincerely, Ed |
| Dehler Park is on the road trip list — July 1 Tue, 10 Jun 2008 04:42:06 +0000 Councilman Vince Ruegamer was quick to point this out at Monday night’s City Council meeting. I doubt Dehler Park will be overrun by road trippers, but you never know… |
| Comment on Dehler Park is on the road trip list — July 1 by Mid Town Tue, 10 Jun 2008 13:56:50 +0000 I'll bet people will start lining up at 4pm maybe earlier. A lot of people are going to want to be there for this historic first game. |
| It’s bargaining time Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:46:42 +0000 So the firefighters are talking with city administration about a new contract. I’ve been covering the talks, which are mostly pretty cordial. But both sides are pretty far apart, and it’s clear that the firefighters will be working without a contract come July 1. The firefighters can’t — and have said they won’t — strike, which [...] |
| The club takes on a life of its own Sat, 21 Jun 2008 00:02:29 +0000 It’s great when these stories gain legs and themselves start creating news. Below is an e-mail sent out by Lisa Harmon, executive director of Downtown Billings, Inc., and Greg Krueger, director of the downtown partnership. It looks like it’s turning into a fun council meeting Monday night. P.S. Someone left a comment on the story saying [...] |
| Aphrodite’s Inferno to open tomorrow? Thu, 19 Jun 2008 23:26:09 +0000 I was all set to publish the blog posting below when I was tipped off to an update to this strip club story. Check The Gazette’s Web site for the full details. And get your singles ready, because you might be able to use them downtown as soon as tomorrow night… As usually happens with goofball [...] |
| The city defines nudity Wed, 18 Jun 2008 16:09:33 +0000 If my reading of the city’s new sexually oriented businesses statute is correct, the city council will be voting on an official definition of nudity. In the new ordinance, which can be seen here, the underlined parts indicate new language. About halfway down, the code defines nudity as: (10) Nudity or a state of nudity means (a) [...] |
| Comment on Aphrodite’s Inferno to open tomorrow? by SpeaksTheTruth Fri, 20 Jun 2008 22:27:07 +0000 By the way, you have to be a little suspect about finding fresh sushi this far from the ocean. So no loss there. |
| Comment on The city defines nudity by Evil Twin Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:03:46 +0000 Maybe MSU-B was listed because of the models used in the life drawing classes. If a credit union had naked employees, you wouldn't have to worry about them stealing the money, at least not much of it. |
| Comment on It’s bargaining time by Mid Town Tue, 17 Jun 2008 23:22:25 +0000 Nothing new. Few fire departments have the budget to meet national standards for staffing and none in Montana do to my knowledge. |
| Coming armed with lawyers Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:08:37 +0000 I recently received an 11-page fax from Victoria Lindley’s lawyer that lays out her case for her club. It’s an interesting legal document, complete with the (somewhat obscure) histories of pole, fire and lap dancing and the legal questions surrounding the council’s actions. I’m no lawyer, but it seems that Lindley’s lawyer has a point when [...] |
| The inferno has been lit Mon, 23 Jun 2008 05:39:25 +0000 It sounds like Victoria Lindley opened up Aphrodite’s Inferno tonight (Sunday night) for an invitation-only opening. So by opening before the City Council meeting Monday night, she seems to have bested the council, at least for now. It’s shaping up to be a very interesting meeting… |
| Comment on The club takes on a life of its own by Dave Bovee Mon, 23 Jun 2008 21:59:18 +0000 Full liquor service at the Yellowstone Art Museum. Liquor at The Alberta Foxbat Theater. Across the street at the Travel Cafe, as well. In the last twenty years, the chamber council has approved liqour at many locations that violated the 600 feet zoning rule. Drunks stumbling out of bars or penniless from free booze while gambling in the casinos owned by chamber council buddies. Self-appointed moral authorities need to demonstrate objective, measurable, and consistant moral standards and actions before they get to tell the rest of us how to behave. Lying, cheating, thieving, drug dealing, financial predation, violence, bullying everybody with giant trucks and SUV's, these constant degenerate Billings activities are just so common that insiders need to seek headlines from a completely imaginary threat? Nothing personal, Lisa and Greg. |
| Comment on The inferno has been lit by Dave Bovee Mon, 23 Jun 2008 19:42:32 +0000 As usual, all the drug dealers (three houses down from me, reported to the do-nothing BPD in 1995, still fat and active), predatory casinos, dives serving drunks that walk out and drive away, tens of thousands of irresponsible, violent halfwits that endanger all of us when they drive, the robberies, the assaults, all the rest of typical Billings life, are of no consequence to the chamber council. I understand that their corporate owners keep them in very secure pens, so they can be untouched by real life. |
| Opposites for sure Wed, 25 Jun 2008 22:33:05 +0000 The other night, as soon as the City Council voted to approve an interim zoning ordinance on sexually oriented businesses, most of the crowd at the meeting headed for the door. It had been three hours since the meeting began, and for nearly all of the spectators and participants, it was three uncomfortable hours on [...] |
| Weeds online Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:32:28 +0000 The city’s new Web site now features a place for people to tell on their neighbors for not mowing the lawn. Weed complaints keep the city’s code enforcement division busy in the summer, so they decided to put the complaint form online. According to city officials, complaints go directly to a code enforcement officer. There’s no [...] |
| Relay for Life BBQ Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:17:52 +0000 For a mere $6, you can join Bill, John and Jim Monday on the Courthouse lawn for a barbecue to support Relay for Life, the annual fundraiser that raises money to fight cancer. The three county commissioners will be the celebrity chefs at the event, which runs from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. For six bucks, [...] |
| Comment on Opposites for sure by Chuck Rightmire Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:44:16 +0000 It striikes me that this whole thing is a tempest in a wind storm. It certainly won't hurt downtown which is already suffering from angle parking and ugly street decorations and dangerous (in summer) brick flower pots that take away what little parallel parking still exists. Not to mention the gruesome yellow trim on the uglified Gazette building. |
| An interview with Jesus Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:32:32 +0000 Newspapers tend to get a lot of interesting letters from a lot of interesting people. One such letter, which we received recently, was passed on to Ed Kemmick. But since Mr. Kemmick no longer has the City Lights blog, he kindly passed it on to me. It’s from a man named Greg Cannon in Oklahoma. The [...] |
| The Inferno gets its first celebrity visitor Tue, 01 Jul 2008 18:23:15 +0000 Jaci Webb, our well-connected entertainment reporter, told me that comic Lily Tomlin made a special stop to visit Aphrodite’s Inferno on Friday night. Apparently, Tomlin decided to hit the town with a few people and heard about the new, ahem, “theatre” just down the block from the Alberta Bair Theater. Words like “seedy” were thrown around [...] |
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