Business Bites: NorthWestern Energy certification; Karma Coffee closing; data center meeting; CCSO hiring blitz; disaster expo; new exhibit at The Square; road closure; trivia at Giant Springs; and more
NorthWestern Energy certification
NorthWestern Energy’s Great Falls-area hydroelectric system—encompassing the Black Eagle, Rainbow, Ryan, Cochrane and Morony facilities, and the Rainbow maintenance facility—has earned Voluntary Protection Program Star certification from the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration for the first time.
The recognition highlights the facilities’ safety performance and strong culture of employee engagement, according to the company.
“This recognition is a direct result of our employees leading the way on safety every day,” Jeremy Butcher, NorthWestern Energy’s manager of power generation, said in a release. “VPP is built on employee involvement, and our teams at these facilities have taken ownership of creating and sustaining a culture where safety is everyone’s responsibility. Their commitment and leadership made this achievement possible.”
The VPP Star is OSHA’s highest recognition for workplace safety and health excellence. Facilities that earn this designation go beyond compliance by implementing comprehensive safety systems and fostering active employee involvement in identifying and preventing hazards, according to NorthWestern.
The Great Falls hydro projects demonstrated excellence across the four core VPP principles:
- management commitment and employee involvement
- worksite analysis
- hazard prevention and control
- safety and health training
“This recognition reflects years of dedication by operations, maintenance and support staff who prioritize safety in every aspect of their work. The employees at these hydro projects have worked collaboratively to build and sustain a proactive safety culture that protects both workers and the communities they serve,” according to a NorthWestern release.
Statewide, there are 12 VPP Star-certified worksites, including NorthWestern’s facilities at Hauser, Holter, Thompson Falls and the Madison/Hebgen hydro facilities.
CCSO hiring blitz
The Cascade County Sheriff’s Office is holding a second one-day hiring event on June 27.
This time, the event will expand beyond detention officers to include deputy sheriff positions
According to CCSO, law enforcement resignations and retirements have increased in recent years and agencies are facing declining applicant rates and shrinking detention staff.
“These trends have created staffing gaps that make it harder to keep jails and communities safe,” according to CCSO, which held a one-day hiring event for correction officers in April.
“That event proved our community is ready to step up, so we’re taking the next step by including deputy positions. This isn’t about cutting corners; it’s about streamlining the hiring process so qualified people can start serving sooner. Every applicant will go through the full range of testing, interviews, and background checks in one day, and those who meet our standards will receive a conditional job offer before they leave. It’s a rigorous process, but it allows us to bring good people on board quickly,” Sheriff Jesse Slaughter said in a release.
Applicants must check-in at CCSO between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., with testing and interviews continuing through the afternoon.
Participants should expect to spend the entire day on-site.
The event will include written exams, physical-ability testing, panel interviews, and comprehensive background reviews. CCSO staff will be available to discuss pay, benefits, and training opportunities, and new hires will learn about career paths in both detention and patrol.
Disaster Expo
The Great Falls Area Amateur Radio Club is hosting a Disaster Response Expo on June 27 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Great Falls College MSU.
The event will showcase the roles that various agencies play in community resilience and response.
Agencies from Cascade County and the City of Great Falls are participating.
More information is on the website link above or the event Facebook page.
Paris Gibson Square exhibit
On view beginning June 26 through October 24: “In Mythos & Fairy Tales: Works by Tawni Shuler” opens at the Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art on June 26 through Oct. 24.
Shuler’s exhibit includes fable-based large scale black and white drawings on thick, heavy fiber paper that are sophisticated in technique to express universal themes such as joy, heartbreak, jealousy, pride and aggression. The works take shape as visual stories of animals in a variety of imaginary settings that serve as metaphors for the human experience.
A public reception will be held on Aug. 28, from 5:30-7:30 p.m.
Road Closure
The west, southbound lane of 9th Street North between 2nd Avenue North and 1st Avenue North will be temporarily closed on June 29 for the safety of the public and NorthWestern Energy’s crews working on a natural gas infrastructure project in the area.
Traffic will be directed around the work zone. The closure is expected to last one day, weather and construction conditions permitting.
This closure is associated with continued work on a NorthWestern Energy natural gas infrastructure project underway in the area.
Drivers, cyclists and pedestrians should use caution when traveling through the area and follow all posted signage and directions from onsite personnel.
Data Center Task Force meeting
The Great Falls Development Alliance is hosting its fourth data center task force meeting from 5-6:30 p.m. July 6 in Heritage Hall at Great Falls College MSU.
This meeting features Betsey Hale, CEO of Cheyenne LEADS, which has been at the forefront of data center recruitment since construction began in 2012 on Wyoming’s first Microsoft data center.
Currently, Cheyenne LEADS has 10 data centers operating, five under construction, and nine in due diligence or planning.
Attend in person or via Zoom, link will be sent after registration.
Register here.
There are no current data center proposals under consideration by either Cascade County or the City of Great Falls.
Karma Coffee
Karma Coffee Brewing Co. is closing. Their last day will be Aug. 1.
“As many of you know, we’re both Great Falls boys, we have been here our whole lives. We’re not going anywhere. This community is our home, and we plan to keep it that way,” the owners wrote in a social post. “It’s no secret, running a small business has become increasingly challenging. Between rising costs, last year’s construction challenges, and the fact that apparently being in the coffee business became really popular over the last couple of years, it’s become harder and harder for local shops like ours to make the numbers work and we’ve reached a point where it’s time for us to move on to new opportunities and new goals.”
Karma gift cards should be redeemed by Aug. 1.
Trivia in Giant Springs State Park
Keep your mind sharp this summer by bringing your thinking cap along with a team of seven or fewer players to Giant Springs State Park to enjoy Trivia Night, a fun and competitive event of random-category, family-friendly questions.
Trivia Night is every Tuesday night in the park in July and August, beginning July 7 and running through Aug. 25 in the grassy area adjacent to the springs and fish hatchery.
Prizes will be awarded to the top three scoring teams.
Bring a lawn chair, food, and drink to stay comfortable while competing in four rounds of trivia, each with 10 questions.
Pre-registration is not required to participate, but players should arrive before 7 p.m. to register their team.
Fish barrier
Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks is proposing to build a fish barrier as part of a larger project to help restore native westslope cutthroat trout in the Little Belt Mountains of central Montana, and has released a draft environmental assessment for review and provide an opportunity for anglers and the public to comment.
The documents and more information is available here.
Public comment ends July 22.
For more information, contact Alex Poole at alex.poole@mt.gov or 406-454-5845.
Missouri Breaks events
Rangers with the Bureau of Land Management’s Missouri Breaks Interpretive Center invite the public to attend family-friendly fun activities during July at the BLM’s Upper Missouri River Breaks National Monument.
- July 7 and 21 from 1-2 p.m.: Stop by the Chouteau County Library, Fort Benton Branch, 1518 Main St., for their kids’ summer reading program. Monument rangers are partnering with the library for a series of programs focused on the monument’s natural and human history.
- July 10 and 17 from 1-2 p.m.: Stop by the MBIC, 701 7th St. in Fort Benton, for “Birding in Montana and along the Missouri River.” Bring your sturdy shoes, as this interpretive program includes a short, guided walk along scenic trails near the center.
- July 14 from 2-3 p.m.: Stop by the Chouteau County Library, Big Sandy Branch, 60 Johannes Ave., for a special ranger presentation on cell phone photography. Bring your device and learn how to get the most from your camera app when documenting your life and adventures.
- July 24-25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.: Come see monument rangers at the Montana State Fair. Find them in the Nature’s Den building at the Montana Expo Park, where visitors can learn more about the monument and its abundant wildlife.
The MBIC is open Monday through Saturday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., including holidays, all summer long. Admission is free for all ages.
Malmstrom rescue
The 40th Helicopter Squadron provided supporting air capabilities to the Butte-Silver Bow County Sheriff’s Office during a search and rescue operation near Butte on June 24.
After receiving a request for assistance from the sheriff’s office, the 40th launched an MH-139A “Grey Wolf” helicopter from Malmstrom Air Force Base at about 3:30 p.m.
The crew successfully located the missing party and guided local ground search teams to the location of the five individuals.
“We hope this rapid response serves as a blueprint for fostering even stronger partnerships with all law enforcement agencies across our vast missile field and state,” Col. Daniel Voorhies, 341st Missile Wing commander, said in a release. “While the advanced technology of the aircraft and the readiness of its crews are built and maintained primarily for the nuclear surety mission, this successful rescue shows our commitment to mutually benefit our local partners, too.”
MDT stormwater plan
The Montana Department of Transportation has updated its Storm Water Management Program, available here, and is asking for public feedback to further protect Montana’s water quality.
This program is intended to reduce the discharge of pollutants from transportation infrastructure into local surface waters. MDT’s program is intended to be refined throughout its implementation to improve program effectiveness.
The 30-day comment period begins at 8 a.m. June 29 and runs through 3 p.m. July 29.
Comments may be submitted online using the public comment form, emailed to mdtms4datamanager@mt.gov, or in writing to Montana Department of Transportation, Attention: Tom Gocksch, Environmental Engineering Section Supervisor at PO Box 201001, 2701 Prospect Avenue, Helena, MT 59620-1001.
The public may contact Tom Gocksch, environmental engineering section supervisor, at 406-444 9412 with any questions.
To request an alternative accessible format of this document, contact MDT’s ADA coordinator at 406-444-5416, Montana Relay Service at 711, or by email at mdtaccessibilityrequest@mt.gov.
CMR Track and Field
Brian Greenwell, the head track and field coach at C.M. Russell High School submitted his resignation and is retiring from that position to better focus on his health, according to GFPS.
Greenwell has served on the CMR track staff for 34 seasons, including the past five as head coach.
Greenwell will continue to teach at CMR and possibly continue coaching in some capacity, according to GFPS.
During his tenure, Greenwell primarily worked with jumpers, including the horizontal jumps (long and triple jump) and the high jump. I
n those events, he coached eight individual state champions and numerous other state placers for both girls and boys.
“The GFPS Athletic Department and administrative team at C.M. Russell thank Coach Greenwell for his years of dedication to the athletes of C.M. Russell and the sport of track and field. For parts of four decades, there have been a few constants in the CMR track program–Coach Greenwell is one of them. He took tremendous pride in C.M. Russell, the track and field program and the athletes with whom he worked. He brought his best to all of them every day and, in turn, got the best out of them. He will be missed in his role as head coach,” Mike Henneberg, GFPS athletic director, said in a release.
The vacant position will be advertised beginning July 1 on the GFPS website and be open until filled.
Henneberg said the district hopes to have a new coach in place for the start of the school year.
NorthWestern Energy donations
NorthWestern Energy supported two local nonprofits with a total contribution of about $6,000 following its “Make a Basket, Make a Difference” activity at the Great Falls Home and Garden Show and Sale in March.
During the event, attendees stopped by NorthWestern Energy’s booth to take part in a pop‑a‑shot basketball game, where each basket made contributed to the final donation total.
NorthWestern Energy is also donating in recognition of the more than two dozen employees who volunteered at the event. The effort resulted in donations to both Family Promise of Great Falls and the Great Falls Rescue Mission, reflecting the strong participation and generosity of the community.
Family Promise of Great Falls has worked for more than a decade to end childhood homelessness, providing direct support to families in need. In 2025, the organization provided $8,500 in assistance to help families with energy bills.
The Great Falls Rescue Mission, a nonprofit Christian organization that has served North Central Montana for 63 years, works to meet the needs of those experiencing hunger, hardship and homelessness.
Ballot initiative
The Transparent Election Initiative announced last week that Initiative 194, is set to qualify for the November ballot after an all-volunteer campaign collected nearly 50,000 signatures from voters in all 56 Montana counties in just 13 weeks — surpassing Montana’s 30,121-signature statewide qualification threshold.
To qualify for the ballot, I-194 must receive 30,121 verified signatures statewide and meet Montana’s geographic distribution requirement by collecting signatures equal to at least 5 percent of the vote cast for governor in 34 state House districts. As of June 10, the Montana Secretary of State verified 34,906 of the 37,475 signatures processed to date — already exceeding the statewide threshold — with about 10,000 signatures still awaiting review. The campaign is confident it has also met the geographic district requirement.
“This campaign has been powered by Montanans from the very beginning,” Jeff Mangan, initiative founder, said in a release. “To the out-of-state corporate and special interests trying to spread disinformation about who we are and what we’re trying to accomplish: look at the power of this volunteer army. More than 500 Montanans gathered signatures in all 56 counties, without a single paid signature gatherer, and blew past the 30,121 signatures needed to qualify. That is what grassroots democracy looks like.”
The Montana Plan, I-194, is a proposed ballot initiative designed to restore democratic integrity by addressing corporate and dark money influence in elections. The measure draws a clear distinction between natural persons — real human beings — and artificial persons, such as corporations, that are created by the state. Supporters say the measure gives Montana voters a direct opportunity to strengthen election transparency and reaffirm the principle that democracy should be accountable to the public, according to the initiative.
“We know the road to November will be a tough fight,” Mangan said. “This is David versus Goliath. Corporate and special interests are going to spend millions of dollars on TV ads, mailers, and scare tactics trying to make Montanans afraid of their own power. But the way we win is the same way we got here: real Montanans, in real communities, having real conversations.”
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