Eric Dietrich

Among the key drivers of that growth was last year's announcement that German industrial equipment company VACOM had chosen Lewistown as the site for its first U.S. manufacturing center, a development that the company has said could create 200 jobs in the 6,000-person city as soon as 2027. Montana Free Press spoke with VACOM Montana General Manager Marcel Klessen, who relocated his family to Lewistown earlier this summer, about the company's plans and how it hopes to fit its operation into the rural Montana community. Our conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Lewistown was until recently sheltered from many of the winds that have driven the flames of land use debates in other communities. As that changes, city leaders hope a new

Candidates across Montana's political spectrum expect the state's 2023 spike in residential property tax bills to be top of mind for many voters as they head to the polls this November. As such, Republican and Democratic factions are floating a variety of strategies for providing property tax relief to homeowners as candidates compete for support from frustrated voters this year.

Montana homeowners have until Oct. 1 to apply for the second of two rounds of property tax rebates authorized by last year's Montana Legislature, potentially getting as much as $675 back on their 2023 tax bill.

HELENA — Among nearly two dozen suggestions included in a report released this week by Gov. Greg Gianforte's housing task force is a proposal that, if adopted by next year's Legislature, could prevent Montana's four largest cities from requiring that parking spaces be included with new multifamily housing developments.

A recommendation in new report would prevent Billings, Missoula, Great Falls, Bozeman and Helena from enforcing parking requirements for new development in an effort to spur home construction.

The Montana Supreme Court has overturned a lower court order temporarily suspending two pro-construction housing laws passed by the 2023 Montana Legislature, ruling Tuesday that the laws can take effect as a challenge brought by a Bozeman-based homeowners coalition is litigated.

Counties with the highest unemployment rates in Montana using Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Nonprofit tax records indicate that his family foundation gave $57 million to charities and social issue nonprofits between 2017, the year Gianforte was first elected to public office as a Montana congressman, and 2022, the most recent year for which detailed data is publicly available.

Montana’s governor, Republican Greg Gianforte, is among the state’s highest-profile political figures. He’s also a major philanthropic force.Nonprofit tax recor