The Livingston Enterprise

12/22/2025

Park County Commissioners voted unanimously last week to allow the Yellowstone Gateway Museum Foundation to use 20 acres east of town for a museum to replace the one in Livingston.

The museum would be funded by private monies and competitive grants, according to Mark Brammer, Yellowstone Gateway Museum executive director. The museum has a small full-time staff, a board of directors, and a foundation board of trustees.

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen a more dedicated group of people to the museum,” said District 2 County Commissioner Bryan Wells.

Park County Commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to allow the Yellowstone Gateway Museum Foundation to use 20 acres east of town for a museum to replace the one in Livingston.

12/22/2025

Local artist Abby Pittman found her niche in painting colorful, witty wild animals. But she goes one step further and gives the animals in her paintings whimsical names.

“I pick old-people names,” she said in a recent interview. “I just think it’s funny to name it and have it be a part of the piece.”

Some of the names she has used are Bertha, Ingrid and Frankfurt. She jokes that it might be morbid, but she likes to look for old names in cemeteries.

Local artist Abby Pittman found her niche in painting colorful, witty wild animals.

12/22/2025

Kratom, often advertised as a mood-enhancer, energy-booster and pain-reliever, is popular in gummies, energy drinks and supplement-style pills. The product is sold over the counter at gas stations and convenience stores nationwide.

Starting Jan. 1, those products will have to be taken off the shelves in Yellowstone County for any place with a retail food license. Billings is the county seat of Yellowstone County, which is the first county in the state to take action on the supplement. The Blackfeet Indian Reservation previously banned kratom in September.

In Montana, at least 29 people have died to kratom overdoses since 2000, according to health officials.

Starting next year, those products will have to be taken off the shelves in Yellowstone County for any place with a retail food license.

12/22/2025

The year Livingston resident Ken Spalding came into this world, Calvin Coolidge was elected President of the United States, Native Americans were granted citizenship, Adolf Hi**er was released from prison, George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” premiered, Franz Kafka passed away, the USSR gained international recognition, and Vladamir Lenin died.

It was Dec. 3, 1924, when baby Ken was born in Livingston in a house on C Street, where local women commonly went to give birth. Spalding, a World War II veteran, turned 101 years old on Dec. 3. He is shown here with two of his granddaughters.

The year Livingston resident Ken Spalding came into this world, Calvin Coolidge was elected President of the United States, Native Americans were granted citizenship, Adolf Hi**er was released from prison,

12/22/2025

Park High senior Coen Braham is the starting point guard for the Rangers varsity boys basketball team. Through four games, Braham is averaging 20 points per game and is the leading scorer for Park High, which has started the season 2-2 with big wins over Hardin at home and over Corvallis at a neutral site.

Last week, Braham was named the Montana High School Association Male Player of the Week for his performance against the Hardin Bulldogs on Dec. 12, in which he scored 23 points, dished out 6 assists and had 5 steals in a comeback victory at home. Regarding the award, MHSA wrote this about Braham. “His leadership, work ethic, and commitment on and off the court have helped spark a turnaround at Park, making this victory a meaningful step forward for the program.”

Park High senior Coen Braham is the starting point guard for the Rangers varsity boys basketball team. Through four games, Braham is averaging 20 points per game and is the

12/19/2025

Livingston construction leader and custom homes builder Chris Salacinski is leading the current project to renovate and restore the 135-year-old building on Main Street that formerly housed The Sport Bar and Grill.

Construction activity has ramped up significantly over the last few months after sitting stagnant for over a year.

Salacinski, construction veteran and long-time Livingston resident, is working with Houston oil-and-gas billionaire Russell Gordy on the renovation project. A part-time Montana resident for more than two decades, Gordy purchased The Sport building and assets in February 2024 from Livingston attorney Karl Knuchel.

When Gordy bought the place for less than $1 million through an entity called Massacre Hill LLC, he hired Salacinski, owner of C&L Builders, as the lead contractor. Plans were announced to remodel the spot and launch a fresh barbecue restaurant by summer of 2024, with a casual lunch menu, upscale dinners, and Sunday brunches.

Once Salacinski started uncovering the foundation and framework of the wooden-and-brick building, which was originally built in 1890, he realized the structure was in very bad shape.

“There were a lot of issues with it,” said Salacinski. “A lot of dry rot and bad wiring. The foundation needed to be shored up. We thought it was a remodel job, then the issues started. It almost needed to be condemned.”

Read full local business story at link, if you subscribe to the Livingston Enterprise. Or in Saturday’s print edition.

Livingston construction leader and custom homes builder Chris Salacinski is leading the current project to renovate and restore the 135-year-old building on Main Street that formerly housed The Sport Bar

12/18/2025

The power came back on in parts of Livingston around 3 p.m. on Wednesday. The strongest gust recorded in Livingston so far is 88 mph, per NWS, during the current wind storm that began last night.

The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory until 11 p.m. tonight.

HIGH WIND WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM MST THIS
EVENING...

* West winds gusting near 80 mph occurring.

* Beartooth Foothills and Livingston area.

* Until 11 PM MST this evening.

* IMPACTS...Strong crosswinds will make travel difficult, especially for high profile vehicles, on Interstate 90 from Livingston to Big Timber and roads along the Beartooth Foothills. The highest gusts may cause damage to trees, power lines and some structures. Secure loose outdoor items.

* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Another period of strong winds are expected Thursday night into Friday morning, with gusts of 60 to 70 mph.

Source: NWS in Billings

12/17/2025

Three hours later, the power is still out in downtown Livingston. Some businesses are closing for the day and night.

12/17/2025

At 2:15 p.m., the power remains out at most businesses and residences in Livingston as Northwestern deals with severe damage to a main transmission pole caused by the windstorm.

12/17/2025

Update from the hospital on power outage. ER services are still open.

🚨 Countywide Power Outage Update 🚨

Due to a countywide power outage, please note the following updates at Livingston HealthCare:

• Urgent Care is closed for the remainder of the day
• Shields Valley Clinic is closed for today
• Emergency Department remains open and fully operational

All current patients at Livingston HealthCare are safe, and there has been no disruption to patient care.

At this time, scheduled Clinic patients should not be affected. We will provide updates if anything changes.

Thank you for your understanding as we navigate this situation.

12/17/2025

Fierce winds knocked out power in Livingston about 11:30 a.m. on Wednesday.

Businesses on Main Street were left incapacitated as no power meant no electronic transactions. “I’m taking cash only,” said Kenny at the Office convenience store.

A spokesperson at Northwestern Energy could not be reached.

Livingston’s City Manager Grant Gager said he was informed by NWE officials that a main transmission line was down in Big Timber and it has affected the entire region.

“NWE says they lost a main line, could be a while,” texted Gager. “Hoping NWE gets it going again soon."

Sustained winds were blowing at 50 mph in Livingston on Wednesday morning with 70 mph gusts, according to the NWS.

12/17/2025

Livingston city commissioners voted unanimously this evening to propose a name for the large recreational facility under construction: Livingston Gateway Wellness Center.

Livingston city commissioners voted unanimously Tuesday to propose a name for the large recreational facility under construction: Livingston Gateway Wellness Center.