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MICROBREW MONTANA

As near as I can figure, after visiting 20 of Montana's 23 microbreweries, Montana Brewing is unique. The company's owners have offered craft beer fans something that comes about as close to a brewpub as possible under Montana's archaic liquor laws.

Instead of a small brewery with a small taproom, which is the case with most Montana breweries, Montana Brewing is three businesses in one--a microbrewery, restaurant and sports bar, all separated but connected, right in downtown Billings. [more]

From The New West Blog

Edra Blixseth has officially taken over 50 percent ownership of the elite Yellowstone Club from her estranged husband, billionaire timber baron Tim Blixseth, Forbes reports.

It's the result of a messy divorce settlement struck in early July that was delayed. [more]

From The New West Blog

Secretary of State Brad Johnson announced today that supporters of Ralph Nader gathered enough signatures for him to qualify as an independent Presidential candidate in Montana's primary election. Nader was nominated with Vice-Presidential candidate Matt Gonzalez. [more]

affordability in missoula

My partner and I bought our first home in June, a small but airy and bright bungalow on Missoula's Westside. Our experience, however fraught with fears of financial overextension, had a fortuitous, small-town quality to it: the home was for-sale-by-owner and one of the owners, it turned out, my partner knew through the University. They accepted our offer even though they were offered more. My coworker's wife wrote up the contract. And our lender gave us the kitchen table and chairs packed away in her basement.

We bought because the math finally worked. It would seem as Missoula's housing market slows -- potentially closing the gap between the low median household income and high median home price -- that the math might begin to work for other lower-income and first-time homebuyers, too.

But that may not be the case. [more]

Real Estate and Development in the Northern Rockies

We're very pleased to announce that author and New York Times columnist Tim Egan will be joining us for a keynote session at New West's 3rd annual Real Estate and Development in the Northern Rockies conference, Oct. 23-24 in Missoula. Egan, a long-time correspondent for the Times and one of the nation's most astute commentators on Western issues, will lead off an Oct. 23 session on political transformation in the region - a topic that will undoubtedly be on many peoples' minds just in advance of the presidential election.

Egan joins economist Chris Thornberg, Plum Creek CEO Rick Holley and a host of other luminaries for the two-day event, which is expected to draw more than 400 people. For more information check out the conference Website at www.newwest.net/realestate08, or click here to go straight to the registration page.

THE FORCE IS WITH YOU

If you know how government works (or doesn't) and followed last week's quick reversal of a Montana Department of Revenue (DOR) proposed rule to limit taproom hours, you might be as amazed as I am.

Government officials usually dig in deep and don't like to admit mistakes, but in less than a week, we saw a rapid and decisive turnaround by the DOR and even an admission that the agency hadn't properly thought out the proposed rule before throwing it out into the public arena.

You might be saying, "No Big Deal," but for me, this little skirmish has a big back story. [more]

From The New West Blog

Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer will speak at the Democratic National Convention later this month in Denver, and said he will likely use the platform to talk about energy issues, Matt Gouras of the AP reports.

"I am probably going to talk about American energy, produced in America, by American engineers," Schweitzer said. "And, probably, talk about Montana's role in the middle of the most important energy corridor on planet." [more]

From The New West Blog

Americans drove 12.2 billion fewer miles in June than the same month a year earlier, a 4.7 percent decline, according to the Federal Highway Administration, as reported by the AP. Some of the biggest declines were among Western states.

"Western states with wide-open spaces were also part of the trend — down 7.7 percent in Montana, 6.9 percent in Washington, 6.8 percent in Wyoming, 6.7 percent in Nevada, 6.2 percent in Kansas and 6.1 percent in Alaska." [more]

alternative energy projects

Dr. Paul Williamson, director of Alternative Energy Technologies at the University of Montana, shows Senator Jon Tester a Chevy S10 pickup he developed that runs entirely on electric power.

Tester visited the Forest Service Technology Development Center in Missoula today as part of his tour of alternative energy projects across Montana.

"This is early generation stuff. It is only going to get better," said Tester. "It is probably the only pick-up in town that runs on chips," he added. [more]

From The New West Blog

Silicon Valley software mogul donated $3.9 million to the Trust for the Public Lands this week, with specific requirements that is goes to protecting the open space and agricultural heritage of the Madison Valley in Southwest Montana.

Roger Lang, owner of the Sun Ranch, is hoping to protect 1 million acres of the Madison Valley under conservation easement, driven by his “love for the region,” reports Daniel Pearson from the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.

The Sun Ranch, also located in the Madison Valley, is an example of a new development model for land conservation, where 95 percent of the 11,000 acres is placed under conservation easement while 10 lots are available, priced between $5 million and $8 million. All the money raised then goes back into buying more land and land easements.
[more]

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