Jersey Mike’s 

Jersey Mike’s is now open at 413 3rd St. N.W. next to 5 on Black.

The Electric first reported in March 2021 that the chain was planning a Great Falls location.

Best Donuts

The Best Donut business and building are for sale together or separate.

The owners will sell the building without the business, but not the other way around, according to Travis Manus, the listing agent.

The business owners told The Electric on March 24 that they are still open and their hours are Monday through Friday 6 .m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday 6 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The owners said they are “only seeing if anyone is interested in the property and would also be willing to sell the business with the property if desired.”

Mountain Berry Bowls

Mountain Berry Bowls is bringing a food truck to Great Falls beginning in April.

They started with a truck in Whitefish and is now in Helena, Bozeman, Kalispell, Seeley and Missoula, as well as locations in Idaho and Colorado.

Mountain Berry Bowls serves gluten and dairy free loaded açaí smoothie bowls. Each bowl is blended to a thick perfection, topped with their signature gluten free MBB Granola, then decorated with fresh fruit and toppings.

Jimmy John’s

The new Jimmy John’s location at 1701 3rd St. N.W. has opened. The city issued a certificate of occupancy on March 14.

Home and Garden Show

The 38th annual Home and Garden Show is March 25-27 at Montana Expo Park.

Admission is $5 and children under 18 are free when accompanied by an adult.

The event is noon-8 p.m. on March 25; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. March 26; and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 27.

Cherry Creek Radio

Cherry Creek Broadcasting, LLC said on March 25 that it’s being acquired by Townsquare Media Inc. for $18.75 million.

Cherry Creek is a small to midsize radio company headquartered in Colorado with an office in Great Falls and the acquisition adds the company’s 43 local stations to Townsquare’s portfolio of 321 stations in 67 markets, according to a release from Cherry Creek.

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter of 2022, pending regulatory approval. Kalil and Co.,
Inc. acted as exclusive broker for Cherry Creek.

B&B Loan and Rental 

After 49 years in downtown Great Falls, B&B Loan and Rental is closing the showroom at 201 2nd Ave. S. and heading online.

There’s a storewide sale going on now.

United Airlines adding flights

Beginning June 3, United Airlines will introduce daily mainline aircraft service at the Great Falls International Airport to Denver.

United’s Airbus 319 features 126 seats including a first-class cabin, Wi-Fi and inflight entertainment on your personal device.

Daily Airbus service will accompany a daily morning flight on a 50-seat CRJ-200, giving United a daily capacity of more than 177 seats per day to Denver, according to a release from the airport.

With these changes, United’s summer seat capacity to Denver will be approximately 20 percent more than they operated prior to the pandemic in summer 2019.

United is resuming direct daily flights to Chicago on June 4 through Sept. 3.

The route will be served with an Embraer 175 with a first class and economy cabin.

Direct Chicago flights began in 2016 as a result of incentives offered from the Low-Cost Airfare Initiative which is a community partnership organized by Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce, Great Falls Tourism and the Great Falls Airport Authority.

These direct United Chicago flights are resuming after a two-year hiatus during the pandemic.

City ARPA grant applications

The City of Great Falls is holding a question and answer session relating to the city’s American Rescue Plan Act, or ARPA, application at 3 p.m. March 24 in the Gibson Room of the Civic Center.

Interested parties are encouraged to attend and ask questions related to project eligibility, application preparation, the application review process, and any other related topic.

Vintage Nana’s

Vintage Nana’s is opening a cafe in the former OP this spring.

The OP closed in February and Ryan Pachek, the new owner, is remodeling the space to reopen as Whiskey Falls Casino.

C.M. Russell Museum donation

The C.M. Russell Museum has received the largest cash gift in the museum’s history, a $3 million donation to the museum’s Art and Soul Campaign. With this major gift, the museum has exceeded its $20 million endowment goal to provide the museum financial support well into the future, according to the museum.

Donors Jessie and Gary Van Ness have a long history with the museum. Jessie Van Ness’ family history goes back to her grandfather’s hunting trips around Utica and her father’s camping trips as a young boy during which he met Charlie Russell. More recently, Van Ness has served on the C.M. Russell Museum Board of Directors for more than 20 years, with her brother, George Steiner, having served on the museum board as well. The Van Nesses have been longtime sponsors of the Artists Breakfast at the annual museum fundraiser, The Russell, according to the museum.

Through the historic Art and Soul Campaign, the museum is working to preserve the legacy of the museum’s namesake Charles Marion Russell (1864 – 1926) — the world-renowned “cowboy artist.” The strategic growth campaign fortifies the institution’s financial future and elevates its mission to engage current and future generations in Western art and culture.

To further advance the Art and Soul Campaign, the museum continues to accept cash gifts, art acquisitions, and bequests. Supporters can visit artandsoulmt.org to learn more about Russell’s legacy, the campaign, and giving areas.

McLaughlin Research Institute internships

Applications are now open for the summer 2022 internship program at the McLaughlin Research Institute.

Since 1954, summer research internships for Montana students have been available at the Institute, making science accessible for local and statewide students.

Students in their junior or senior year of high school, or freshman through senior year of college are eligible. Students should be on track for four years of math, biology, chemistry and/or physics. Through the generosity of board members, stipends are paid to all participants; but the institute does not provide housing for interns.

Preference will be given to local high students.

Due to liability concerns, we will not accept out-of-state high school students unless they have housing arrangements with a chaperone to accompany them for the duration of the internship, according to the institute.

Students over 18 years old can apply regardless of current location without preference.

Successful applicants will spend eight weeks in the laboratory of one of the institute’s faculty or in the Animal Resource Center actively engaged in a current research project under the direction of the scientist, postdoctoral fellow, or research assistant. In addition to providing hands-on experience in investigatory science, the students will observe and interact with other high school and college students in a laboratory-learning environment rather than a classroom. Journal clubs and seminars supplement the research experience. Each student will give a formal presentation at the end of the 8 weeks summarizing his/her project.

The internships run June 22 through Aug. 17.

Selected interns to the program must agree to fully commit 8 weeks of their summer to the internship.

To apply, include a letter of application highlighting your interest in science, a resume, official transcripts, ACT or SAT scores (high school applicants only), and two letters of recommendation (in sealed envelopes signed across the flap), preferably from instructors in the science/math disciplines.  If emailing your application, recommendation letters should be sent from the recommender’s email address and written on the recommender’s institutional letterhead.

Applications must be received by April 15. Please scan and email to admin@mclaughlinresearch.org or mail to: McLaughlin Research Institute, Attn: Student Intern Program, 1520 23rd St. S., Great Falls, MT  59405

Friends of the Library sale

The Friends of the Great Falls Public Library are accepting your gently used books, CDs, DVDs and audiobooks for their upcoming sale.

Collection dates are every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The final collection day is May 7.

The sale is May 12-14 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, call 406-453-0349.

Malmstrom contract

The 341st Contracting Squadron has awarded a $95,368 task order change to James Talcott Construction, Inc. to repair roof vents on Building 1840.

The performance of the project is 133 calendar days after the issuance of the notice to proceed.

City parking board vacancy

The City of Great Falls is seeking applications for the Parking Advisory Commission.

The appointment will be for the remainder of a three year term through April 30, 2023.

The commission consists of five members, appointed by the City Commission, and an ex-officio member appointed by the Business Improvement District.

Experience or interest in the Great Falls central business district is helpful but not necessary.

The commission advises the City Commission, city manager, and planning and community development staff on matters related to parking issues within the downtown parking district.

Applicants must reside within the City of Great Falls. Members serve without compensation.

For more information, contact Craig Raymond at 455-8530.

Applications are available at the City Manager’s office, Civic Center, Room 201, by calling 455-8450; or may be obtained from the advisory boards section on the city’s website.

Application deadline is April 12, 2022, by 5:00 p.m.

Laundry Day

Junior League of Great Falls is sponsoring a free Laundry Day on March 26 at Falls Cleaners Laundry Center, 614 9th St. S., from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Any person or family in need of a free load of laundry is encourage to come and participate. Participants will receive a free small load of laundry along with detergent and dryer sheets.

Cascade tree removal

The Town of Cascade has been awarded a $5,500 grant from the Montana Urban and Community Forestry Association to remove and replace five hazardous trees.

Most of the trees will be in North Railroad Park.

The town asks locals not to park on the east side of Front Street between Central Avenue and 1st Avenue North from March 23-25.

Night Out for Science

Great Falls College MSU is holding its Night Out For Science fundraiser on campus March 26 beginning at 5 p.m. with science-based demonstrations from students and faculty.

It’s the first time the event has been held since 2019 and this year’s theme is “Living It Up!”

A catered dinner begins at 6 p.m. in Heritage Hall followed by liquid nitrogen ice cream served in the college’s newly expanded dental clinic.

The night, sponsored by McLaughlin Research Institute, raises scholarship money for students studying in science-based fields.

Night Out For Science has raised $41,000 for student scholarships since its inception in 2015.

Great Falls College is located at 2100 16^th Avenue South.

Great Falls Animal Shelter donation

The Black H3arts Motorcycle Club recently donated $1,000 to the Great Falls Animal Shelter’s Guardian Angel Fund.

The club held a poker run to raise the money for the shelter’s fund that is used toward medical care for shelter animals.

For more information on the shelter and donating to the Guardian Angel Fund, go to the city website or call the shelter at 406-454-2276.