The Bobcat Nation

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.ph ... room_x.inc


After living in these places in order Minneapolis, Bozeman, Glasgow and now Billings I have found this series of articles very interesting. Over the last year or so I have sat in on a number of meetings regarding the current situation that Eastern Montana is faced with. The articles that I have read so far are very interesting, and I think that the article to follow will also be very enlightening. What do you all think?

I've also been following the articles and find them very interesting. Being from northeastern Montana, it makes me sad to know that my high school will most likely be a thing of the past in the next 10-20 years.

Cat-theotherwhitemeat wrote:I've also been following the articles and find them very interesting. Being from northeastern Montana, it makes me sad to know that my high school will most likely be a thing of the past in the next 10-20 years.

You went to High School?????????? Who'd a thunk it?

As I was born in Glasgow and my parents migrated to the Gallatin after a couple of years in Billings and I'm related to all that remain in Valley, Daniels or Roosevelt Counties either by blood or through marriage, I chuckle at the tone of these articles Many of my relatives need airplanes in order to check their fencelines in one day and their places continue to get larger. What's kind of neat about this is the number of folks who have put their places into CRP and found out they can live in the Gallatin or the Flathead if they choose to remain in Montana and still get their checks or if they're older winter in Arizona

Yeah, we'll probably see Fergus County land approach the same prices as the fringes of the most highly sought after locations near HUGE amounts of forest service or National Park Land, but...some (maybe all the regulars in here) can remember when southeastern Montana had the first oil boom and Billing's population exploded and then fell about the same time the mines in Butte shut down. That was a huge migration out and away from Montana.

What surprises me in many of my conversations with folks from eastern Montana that went to classes that other place downriver from Butte who give directions to employees going on road trips: They tell the people not familiar with Montana that Glacier Park, Kalispell and even Flathead Lake are over by Mazzola???? Growing up, we used to refer to that part of the state as Northwestern Montana. Oh well. For what it's worth, after coming back to this part of the state, I can understand why may parents talked so badly about this area although I don't compeletely agree with all their negative comments. Sure 55 below is cold and six months later 105 is hot...

gtapp wrote:

Cat-theotherwhitemeat wrote:I've also been following the articles and find them very interesting. Being from northeastern Montana, it makes me sad to know that my high school will most likely be a thing of the past in the next 10-20 years.

You went to High School?????????? Who'd a thunk it?

And God willing, this year I'm going to graduate. I just need a D+ on my last History exam.

Meat I was wondering if you might know the answer to this question, what is going on in Deer Lodge? It was really the only county that was losing population in Western Montana. I realize that the prison is there, but that can't be the only issue that they are faced with? You know what is happening over there?

mquast53000 wrote:Meat I was wondering if you might know the answer to this question, what is going on in Deer Lodge? It was really the only county that was losing population in Western Montana. I realize that the prison is there, but that can't be the only issue that they are faced with? You know what is happening over there?

I don't really know what's going on in Deer Lodge. However, since the last official census, Beaverhead and Silver Bow have also been estimated as losing population. In this state you either have business/industry (i.e. Billings), a beautiful area in which to live (i.e. Bitterroot Valley), or both (i.e. Bozeman). Deer Lodge isn't all that bad for scenery, just not as pretty as the booming places, and the prison is about all they have for industry. Certainly not an industry I'd want to build a town structure around.

By the way, I noticed you started "slumming" it over at egriz. Play nice now, OK?

The problem is that it is too quite at the office... I have been waiting for my 4pm meeting all day, and need to pass the time... If it was football season I wouldn't have to go over to the dark side, but damn I am bored!

mquast53000 wrote:The problem is that it is too quite at the office... I have been waiting for my 4pm meeting all day, and need to pass the time... If it was football season I wouldn't have to go over to the dark side, but damn I am bored!

Brand new job and it's already quiet?? yikes.

Brand new job and it's already quiet?? yikes.

New kid on the block, no one wants to give me any good projects to run with… It will get better here real soon. This meeting kind of marks the first big responsibility that I will get! Yippee!

mquast53000 wrote:

Brand new job and it's already quiet?? yikes.

New kid on the block, no one wants to give me any good projects to run with… It will get better here real soon. This meeting kind of marks the first big responsibility that I will get! Yippee!

At least you found a job in Billings. I have yet to find anything.

CTOWM: What kind of computer work do you do? Send me a PM.

Deer Lodge the town is in Powell County. Deer Lodge the county, which is shrinking has Anaconda, which is shrinking still from the loss of the copper industry. Silver Bow, too, is dropping and even though I love Butte, it probably isn't too easy on the eyes of future big businesses looking for a good place to locate.

When is the gubment going to decide to jump-start the Butte economy by doing the simplest, most-obvious thing they could:


FILL IN THE DAMN HOLE!!!!!!


(preferably with griz fans...)

iaafan wrote:Deer Lodge the town is in Powell County. Deer Lodge the county, which is shrinking has Anaconda, which is shrinking still from the loss of the copper industry. Silver Bow, too, is dropping and even though I love Butte, it probably isn't too easy on the eyes of future big businesses looking for a good place to locate.

Thanks for the clarification. I thought that mining might play a role in those counties that were losing population in the West.

El_Gato wrote:When is the gubment going to decide to jump-start the Butte economy by doing the simplest, most-obvious thing they could:


FILL IN THE DAMN HOLE!!!!!!


(preferably with griz fans...)

I resemble that remark!

HelenaCat wrote:CTOWM: What kind of computer work do you do? Send me a PM.

Send me one too Whitemeat...

catatac wrote:

HelenaCat wrote:CTOWM: What kind of computer work do you do? Send me a PM.

Send me one too Whitemeat...

Are you guys trying to find me a job? Need I remind you that I am a nasty Griz fan.

...and we'll remind you of your promise to do our favorite cheer the weekend before the playoffs You know the game where the whole stadium will be chanting "Poor Grizzlies, Poor Grizzlies..."

The articles seem to be getting better...

http://www.billingsgazette.com/index.ph ... e-land.inc

Meat you still around, or did they find you a job that keeps you of bobcatnation?