Billings, MT April 2021

A P R I L 2 02 1

Local Success Story: Frederick Wilburn LI F E + C U LTU R E B I L L I N GS ' EN ERGY I N D US T RY K EEPI N G T H E L I G H T S O N HOME + DESIGN T H E U N TAP P ED EN ERGY O F T H E M IS SI N G M I D D L E

GET INSPIRED EAT + DRINK SHOP LOCAL City Lifestyle YOUR DIGITAL DESTINATION FOR LOCAL LIVING

LIFESTYLE LETTER

APRIL 2021 PUBLISHER

Robert Saunders | robert.saunders@lifestylepubs.com Jessica Bickham | jessica.bickham@lifestylepubs.com

The Energy of Spring In Montana

AD DESIGNER

Rachel Chrisman L AYO UT DESIGNER

Emily Lisenbee

SPRING MUST BE ONE OF MONTANA'S BEST SEASONS. As the days lengthen,

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

the temperature increases, and our spirits lift, we suddenly find new strength and

Mary Muncy

motivation for everything from exploring nature to spring cleaning. So, our theme

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

for this issue is energy, of all kinds. April is a special month; it brings a number of

Christopher Cross

important days - Earth day and one of our publishers' birthdays, for starters. Its birthstone, the diamond, is the cardinal gem and, of course, intimately tied to the most magical of all energies: love.

We will have a success story: someone who harnessed the energy and determination to become a self-made person. While on the subject of energy, we will take a little look at one of Montana's core industries, and learn why Montana's power grid stood firm when so many others failed during the deep freeze this winter.

So let's get out there and celebrate the magic and energy of spring in the Magic City, such an important part of our Billings lifestyles.

CORPORATE TEAM CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson AD MANAGER Chad Jensen REGIONAL SALES DIRECTOR Eric Williams WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

514 W 26TH ST., KANSAS CITY, MO

ARIZONA | CALIFORNIA | COLORADO | CONNECTICUT | FLORIDA | GEORGIA IDAHO | ILLINOIS | KANSAS | MARYLAND | MASSACHUSETTS | MICHIGAN MINNESOTA | MISSOURI | MONTANA | NEVADA | NEW JERSEY NORTH CAROLINA | OHIO | OKLAHOMA | OREGON | PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH CAROLINA | TENNESSEE | TEXAS | VIRGINIA | WASHINGTON

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

Proverbs 3:5-6 Billings Lifestyle™ is published monthly by Lifestyle Publications LLC. It is distributed via the US Postal Service to some of the Billings areas’ most affluent neighborhoods. Articles and advertisements do not necessarily reflect Lifestyle Publications’ opinions. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in any form without written consent. Lifestyle Publications does not assume responsibility for statements made by advertisers or editorial contributors.

Information in Billings Lifestyle™ is gathered from sources considered to be reliable, but the

4

Billings Lifestyle | April 2021

accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

March is finally here! That means BASEBALL! Well at least traditionally, March is baseball in the Valley of the Sun. For full disclosure, this ad was designed in late January to meet production requirements, so we don’t know what Spring Training will bring this year, but we hope it will be back in full “swing”. You might recognize the background photo as the Billings Mustangs logo from a few years ago. I photographed the Mustangs action shots, baseball cards, and team photos for a few seasons.

It is still a great time to invest in Arizona real estate with interest rates at historic lows and the Arizona housing market projected to continue to climb in value. Spring is a really beautiful time to be in Arizona. The spring cactus flowers are blooming, providing color everywhere! The temps are warm and there is so much to do!

If you are considering an investment property or planning your retirement housing options, I am here to help you explore the Arizona lifestyle.

Contact me today so you can discover all the surprises Arizona has to offer!

Paul Hartman — Realtor 480-586-8833 Call or Text paulsazre@live.com www.paulsellsazhomes.com Your Montana Source for Arizona Real Estate

8388 E Hartford Dr., Ste 100 Scottsdale, AZ 85255

SOURCING LOCAL FOOD

+

SUPPORTING THE LOCAL COMMUNITY

These Are The Building Blocks We Provide For Your Children!

Creativity and Imagination

Positive Self-Image

Develop

Independence

Positive Thought Process

Teach Respect

Learn Values

WE ARE A YEAR ROUND SCHOOL tiffany.vandever@gmail.com I 2316 Rehberg Ln. I 406.661.3568

1 43 0 CO U N T RY M A N O R B LVD, B I L L I N G S 406.534.8601



LOCALBILLINGS.COM

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

5

INSIDE THE ISSUE APRIL 2021

FEATURES 08 Local Success Story The Opportunities Created by Oil and Gas

18 Monthly Birthstone: April Diamonds are Everyone's Best Friend

22 26

22 The Land of Our Childhoods Can We Really Go Home?

18

08

DEPARTMENTS 4

Lifestyle Letter

8

Local Limelight

32 Healthy Lifestyle

N E W AT T H E RU S T I C !

Naturally beaded rows are hand tied extensions that are installed with luxurious hand tied wefts from ISLA .

This type of extension is amazing for any hair type, including thin, fine hair and is so easy to hide and be styled in any way. This is an amazing service that we are so excited to bring to Billings.

B O O K YO U R A P P O I N TM E N T TO DAY !

406. 652 . 5412 824 Shiloh Crossing Boulevard Billings, Montana 59102 T H E R U S T I C MT.C OM

Upscale menu and service at an affordable price .

BullMountainGrille.com

Hand-Cut Steaks

Bringing the Best Of Montana to your plate since 2009 with Montana-grown product!

Shannon | Restaurant Manager (406) 254-2855 2376 Main St Ste 818 | Billings, Montana CityLifestyle.com/Billings

7

LOCAL LIMELIGHT ARTICLE ROBERT SAUNDERS | PHOTOGRAPHY CHRISTOPHER CROSS

ENERGY CREATING OPPORTUNITIES

PART OF THE MAGIC OF BILLINGS’ ECONOMY COMES FROM OUR DEEP AND DIVERSE BASE OF INDUSTRIES. One of the largest is Energy, dominated by Oil and Gas. Yellowstone County is one of a small number of counties in our nation with three oil refineries and has experienced the benefits of the industry for decades. As with Billings’ other major industries - Healthcare, Finance, Agriculture, among others - there are a number of ways to quantify the value that the industry brings to the region. We might look at the number of jobs created: in 2019, Montana had 16,207 Energy jobs, with 6,000 of those in Fossil Fuels. Roughly 5% of the Billings workforce works in Energy or a related field. Billings’ three oil refineries alone employ around 1,000 people, mostly full-time workers. We could also look at the annual economic output generated by the industry. In the case of Billings, this is again dominated by oil and gas, with the three refineries alone injecting around $120 million every year between salaries, taxes, and fees.

While this type of information is useful and relevant, sometimes a more intimate perspective is helpful - a look at the opportunities for prosperity the industry affords local individuals and families.

Frederick Wilburn is a third-generation Montanan.

His family moved from Alabama to Montana in 1949 for, as he says, “obvious reasons”. A dozen of his ancestors - grandparents, great-grandparents, aunts, and uncles - underwent a multi-stage journey from the Deep South to the West in hope of a better life.

Railroad jobs were the initial draw; the family had heard that starting salaries were double their wages in Alabama. Family and friends pooled their money and eventually the family made it to Hardin, where they stayed for a year before moving to Billings. Frederick’s

8

Billings Lifestyle | April 2021

Success S t o r y: Frederick Wilburn

Still Remembers the Sledgehammer and Hardhat Days

grandparents and uncles soon found work on the railroad, at the Stillwater Mine, and mining coal.

The rumors were true, and their hopes for a better life proved founded: “My family went from dirt floors in Alabama to linoleum floors in Montana.” Along with financial improvement came another lifestyle upgrade: social and emotional health and well-being. As Wilburn’s grandparents transitioned from dirt to linoleum, they also went from being known as “boy” and “girl” in Alabama to “sir” and “madam” in Billings. Montana has had the same approach to new arrivals for a very long time: treat everyone fairly, but respect must be earned. Everyone has to earn respect here, anyone can earn respect here.

Entitlement for none, opportunity for all. Given initial fair treatment and an opportunity, Wilburn’s family set about earning respect and quickly integrated into the city, becoming a part of the community’s life from the South Side to the Heights to the West End. In 1969, Wilburn’s grandfather ran for Billings City Council. Wilburn says: “He ran as a black Independent and he lost the race. But he won. He shook hands with a white man on the front page of the newspaper.” No one was surprised that a political newcomer, especially one neither explicitly nor implicitly affiliated with a major political party, lost a race. What was unusual for Wilburn’s family was the opportunity to run in a fair election and be treated with dignity regardless of the outcome.

As many people who grew up here know, simply being in Billings brings no guarantee of comfort, and the same is true of Frederick Wilburn. While his family experienced improvement, his life had plenty of challenges. His parents separated when he was 5, and his stepfather was dealt with drug addiction.

With the Family

CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

9

LOCAL LIMELIGHT (CONTINUED)

Though he grew up attending Garfield and Orchard Elementary, Riverside Middle School, and Senior, Frederick never graduated high school and fell into the street life for a time - narcotics, the gang lifestyle, eventually seeing a close friend murdered.

When he realized that that was no way to live, he got his GED, went to Las Vegas College, and graduated with a degree in Finance. From there, he got into urban entertainment promotions in Billings via his company Preferred 1 Global. Like many people, the 2008 Financial Crisis forced him to make a pivot, and a friend got him a job as a laborer at a local refinery. He started at the bottom, digging holes and jackhammering asphalt, but he has been there ever since, working his way up the ladder and now enjoying a position of prosperity and comfort in the tech craft shop. “Having grown up well below the poverty line, I now have an income that puts me in the upper middle class and allows me the flexibility to run a side business and build investments.” Perhaps most significantly, Wilburn’s four children, ages 15, 12, 1, and 3 months, live a life characterized by stability and growth, giving them the opportunity to develop themselves and the promise of an even better future. Wilburn is excited that he has the ability to build and pass on intergenerational wealth to his children, something uncommon in his family and others like them. Frederick says: “When my father died, he unintentionally transferred debt to his children. I will transfer assets to my children.”

Wilburn still runs his promoting company on the side, bringing acts to Billings. He has also been 10

Billings Lifestyle | April 2021

Wilburn and Co-Workers

building an investment portfolio, including real estate on the South Side where he grew up. Wilburn poignantly summarized the oft-overlooked opportunities that the energy industry has provided: “The oil and gas industry has turned many disadvantaged minorities - gang-bangers, drug sellers, the underbelly of society - into respectable, tax-paying Americans.”

When people are asked to recommend a local business or institution - something that really epitomizes the best that the city has to offer - they give a surprisingly diverse range of answers. Frederick suggested something I truly did not expect: exploring Coulson Park.

“Coulson Park is the only place where you can see where the city has been, where it is now, and where it is headed.” Many people are probably unfamiliar with the history of Coulson Park, but it was originally its own community of Coulson, which at one point briefly competed with Billings to be the prime city in the County. Now, many of us don’t CONTINUED >

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

11

LOCAL LIMELIGHT (CONTINUED)

12

Billings Lifestyle | April 2021

F YO U R O W N N E E D A S A N C T U A RY O ? even know that Coulson ever existed.

Looking back through history, it is a common theme: Billings won. For the Wilburn family in 1949, Billings vs. Alabama:

Star t desi gni n g your new hom e toda y.

Move i n this Fa ll!

Billings won. If people vote with their feet, one might dare say, in 2021, Billings vs.

California: Billings wins.

Unquestionably,

geography

and

broader economic trends have much to do with Billings’ success. But, the true magic of the Magic City undeniably comes from who and what we are. Wilburn says, “Billings is unique - it contains all aspects of where we want to go. We have the outdoors, modern buildings, history, modern technology, and community. There’s a place for everybody. Montana may be the last place on earth where you can come and find out who you are.” In some ways, Montana in general and Billings especially are avatars of America - specifically, what America was always meant to be. For Frederick Wilburn, “America is never the status of greatness today. America is the hope of greatness tomorrow.”

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

13

ER

H OTO G R A P

AR TI

|P

CL

E

E R T S AU N D

S

M

CC

ALL HOME

S

Annafeld Cottages and Townhomes

AFFORDABLE NEW CONSTRUCTION

14

Billings Lifestyle | April 2021

HY

THE MISSING MIDDLE

B RO

FOR THE BETTER PART OF A DECADE, LOCAL, NATIONAL,

to multi-level townhomes to multi-family rental units, Annafeld has

AND INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE MEDIA HAVE DIS-

something to offer most interested home-seekers.

CUSSED THE ARTIFICIAL BOOM IN LUXURY HOME CON-

The McCall family didn’t set out to affordable housing per se

STRUCTION. From accelerated gentrification in urban environ-

when they started. Siblings Greg, Brad, and Carolee McCall,

ments via multi-million dollar condominiums to the proliferation of

inspired by master planned communities they saw in Denver,

“McMansions” in suburbs and rural communities, construction of

California, and other parts of the country, decided to bring those

higher-end homes has exploded all over America. Coincidentally

communities to Montana. Affordability turned out to be a beneficial

and relatedly, the U.S. is facing an affordable housing shortage,

side effect of building a close-knit community: smaller lots mean

as affordable housing is one of the few market segments where

smaller land costs, and smaller homes mean lower prices for those

demand significantly outstrips supply, and where the supply is

homes. Before they knew it, McCall homes had created a blueprint

shrinking instead of increasing. While unsustainable, the trend is

for charming, comfortable, and affordable homes in Josephine

certainly understandable. In an era of rising materials costs and a

Crossing, and established themselves as a pioneer of Missing

critical shortage of skilled tradesmen, the costs of new construc-

Middle housing in Montana.

CONTINUED >

tion have never been higher. Builders are safer building high-end homes because the margins are much higher; a developer has more financial wiggle room on a $600,000 home than a $250,000 home.

Of course, conforming to the trend merely delays the inevitable: eventually the luxury housing bubble will burst. Developers may be left sitting on thousands of units of luxury homes with no one to buy them while thousands of middle class Americans struggle to find housing. This phenomenon has a name: The Missing Middle. It has been featured in articles everywhere from the National Association of Home Builders to Zillow, and even has its own website.

Some developers are bucking the trend and seeking to fill the Missing Middle. McCall Homes is one of the few builders in Billings that focuses on a specific niche: affordable new construction. After achieving success in the 500-home Josephine Crossing, McCall Homes has embarked on a more ambitious project: a five phase, 1,000-unit community called Annafeld. Here, brand-new homes start at around $200,000, while their most expensive units are just under $400,000. According to Kelly Smith, Director of Marketing and Sales at McCall homes, “The goal is to build the highest quality home for a first-time homebuyer, a downsizing retiree, or for families to grow in.

We are doing this in the context of a community that fosters the connection between neighbors and the natural spaces within the community. We want people to feel connection and a sense of belonging.” From cozy single-level cottages for downsizing empty-nesters

Annafeld Multi-family Rentals (Right)

by Single Family Homes (Left) CityLifestyle.com/Billings

15

THE MISSING MIDDLE (CONTINUED) Cottage Kitchen and Dining Area

Bucking the trend does not come without challenges. Material costs continue to rise, and skilled labor becomes ever more scarce, and therefore expensive. McCall Homes is itself in the market for employees to fill some key roles. The company has devised strategies to ensure that the homes remain affordable and the business remains profitable. Unlike many builders, McCall does not do simultaneous projects all over the city or the state. They build one community, and all of the equipment and labor stays there. Manhours are money, and McCall saves a lot of it by eliminating transit time, misplaced equipment, and scheduling conflicts. They also cultivate key strategic partnerships. As a general contractor, McCall is dependent on its subcontractors in the skilled trades, so they deliberately seek and find the best companies to work with and forge deep relationships with them. Simultaneously, McCall Homes keeps a key component of the construction process in-house, literally: building wall panels and frames. The company keeps a small indoor manufacturing facility run by two skilled tradesmen. All the framing is pre-built in advance so it can be snapped up quickly when the site is ready for it. This approach allows McCall homes to build almost year-round - once walls are up, the building can be sufficiently insulated to allow work to proceed in any time of the year.

Kelly Smith adds that McCall Homes has an aspirational vision for Annafeld: “We want to build a walkable community in the full sense of that term. Neighbors will be able to access everyday things that they would normally get in their car for. Meeting someone for coffee, going to the gym, getting a beer after work or a meal with their family. It will feel like a small town when it’s all said and done.”

Annafeld Market will be the first such community market in Billings. McCall Homes aims to have the market finished by the end of 2021, along with another 100 or so homes in Annafeld’s newly-opened third phase. The company’s five-year goal is to finish all five phases and 1,000 housing units in Annafeld.

As Billings enters what may prove to be the most lucrative real estate market in its history, Kelly Smith reminds us that it shouldn’t all be about personal gain. “One of our goals is to help middle-class people share in the wealth being created through real estate appreciation. By making homes affordable, we are trying to help people create wealth through real estate.”

16

Billings Lifestyle | April 2021

Cottage Master Bedroom

Cozy and Cost-Effective Cottages

Locally Owned and Operated Since 2011

We deliver

confidence, quality and comfort to your door each month.

We provide quality incontinence supplies while you maintain your dignity and privacy.

534-1439

710 Black Hawk, Unit F2, Billings 59106 | discreetsolutionsinc.com

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

17

18

Billings Lifestyle | April 2021

A P R I L

B I R T H S T O N E :

DIAMOND BECAME AN OFFICIAL BIRTHSTONE IN 1912 WHEN THE AMERICAN NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF JEWELERS DESIGNED WHAT WE CALL THE MOD-

The April gemstone figures prominently in Asian history,

ERN BIRTHSTONE LIST. This list dedicates different gem-

a precious asset moved across trade routes and looted

stones to the twelve months in the calendar year. Because

through the various changings of the guard. “Up to the

the list abandoned some of the original mythology behind

beginning of the eighteenth century, India was the only

birthstones, such as the order in which they occur, and

source of diamonds known,” writes Oliver C. Farrington in

removed some gems, it was a controversial list indeed

his 1903 book Gems and Gem Minerals.

and was thought to be brought about by commercial-

In it, he tells of a famous diamond named Koh-I-Noor, a

ism. Despite its rocky beginnings. today this list is widely

Farsi phrase meaning “mountain of light”. First documented

accepted as the official birthstone list and thus diamond is

in 1304, but likely dating back several generations before,

the official birthstone of April.

the diamond’s tale reads like an epic. The massive gem

Diamonds were first collected in the rivers of India.

Though ancient cultures hadn’t yet discovered the pris-

was passed between royals of the Mughal dynasty, and ultimately, as many hands as there were wars.

matic scintillation and fire revealed by faceting diamonds,

Koh-I-Noor was embedded in the gemstone laden throne

they revered the sparkling gemstones for their strength and

of Shah Jahan (of Taj Mahal Fame) and later taken with the

metaphysical power.

spoils of war in the 1739 Persian conquest of Delhi. It made

The word diamond traces its roots back to the ancient

its way through present day Afghanistan and Pakistan, and

Greek - Adamant or adamas – a term meaning unbreakable,

back to India during the Sikh rule - only to be sacked by

invincible, or unconquerable. According to legend, Eros

the British during their colonial occupation. Worn by Queen

(aka Cupid) fashioned his love inducing arrow tips out of

Victoria and later the Queen Mother, the contentious gem is

diamonds. And with a weapon made of adamant (diamond),

currently part of the British Crown Jewels. From the beau-

Perseus finally brought down Medusa. Diamonds are a

tiful blue Hope Diamond to many other famous jewels, the

stone of duality - of love and war. And today, the April birth-

diamond is a gemstone rich in thousands of years of legend,

stone is still the benchmark for indestructibility.

myth and stories.

CONTINUED >

THE CROWNING JEWEL ARTICLE CHRIS MONTAGUE

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

19

APRIL BIRTHSTONE: DIAMOND (CONTINUED)

The diamond birthstone and other cal-

addition to showcasing the diamond

endar specific associations have evolved

birthstone, it standardizes the one-

over time. “The custom seems to have

stone-one-month concept, and shares

sprung up in modern Europe some time

the attributes of each culminating in the

during the fifteenth or sixteenth century,”

above mentioned American National

writes Farrington. “Whether it originated

Association of Jewelers designation.

in the twelve gems of Aaron’s breastplate, as many believe, or was introduced

“….she who from april dates her years,

by astrologers from the Arabians, as oth-

diamonds shall wear, lest bitter tears

ers think, it is not yet known.”

for vain repentance flow, this stone:

Farrington points to an 1870 a poem published by Tiffany & Co as an early guide to the meaning of birthstones. In

20

Billings Lifestyle | April 2021

emblem of innocence, is known.

- excerpt from a poem printed in an 1870 tiffany & co pamphlet -

A Trusted & Superior Level of Dental Care!

$0

406-248-6177 TurleyDentalCare.com

Cleanings!

For insured patients.

Call for details.

Appointments 7am–7pm & on Saturdays!

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

21

The Land of Our Childhoods OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH THAT PLACE WE CALL HOME

I ALMOST HIT A DEER LAST NIGHT. I was meandering through Virginia hills, back to what has become my ‘home.’

The curves have become natural now. This bend is gentle, that one tight. This one has a pothole in the middle, that one the trees make a tunnel. One happened to be hiding a deer.

Back in Indiana, where my family is, I know the curves too. This curve has a barn on the other side, that one, my grandma’s house. The stop sign at the end of my street is optional except when the corn is too high. This cop agrees with me, that one doesn’t. I usually don’t come across deer, but there’s an occasional cow in the road, and I know which farmer to call.

I go back to Indiana to see my family, not the cornfields. But still, occasionally I look out my Virginia window hoping to see a great expanse of Indiana cornfields and it hits me, I’m not home.

A third of Americans over 30 revisit a childhood home at one point in their lives, said social psychologist Jerry Burger, Ph.D. Burger recently wrote Returning Home: Reconnecting with our childhoods after interviewing hundreds of people who had returned to their childhood home. Some returned to remember their roots, others to rediscover what’s important, or remember happy or sad times. In any case, most found what the wanted, he said. Many had no family CONTINUED >

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY MARY MUNCY 22

Billings Lifestyle | April 2021

Bu rger bel ieves that part of the need to retu rn home comes from how much of ou r identities are formed w ith i n ch i ld hood homes.

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

23

THE LAND OF OUR CHILDHOODS (CONTINUED)

there or, even if they did, went to places like a favorite playground to try to reconnect with a lost aspect of childhood. They returned to the place, not necessarily the people.

Burger believes that part of the need to return home comes from how much of our identities are formed within childhood homes.

As children, we have a different, simpler set of priorities. The neighbor cat that visits is vitally important to the daily routine, while the shoes I wear to school aren’t and household chores are only done in an effort to go to the park.

We build part of ourselves around what was important at the time, and as adults, Burger says, many long to return to that.

My family and I lived in a small ranch style house in the middle of nowhere until I was 12.

I rode the horses across the street, walked to visit my grandma’s barbershop down the road, and my brothers and I swam in the deep spot in the neighbor’s creek. It was an idyllic country existence. Sometimes I walk past that house while visiting Indiana and the urge to go sit by the creek is so strong, I give in and do just a little trespassing. I promise, the neighbors don’t mind. Sitting there, on a log we used to dry rocks on, I can almost shut out the world enough to only worry about how cold the water is. I am almost home.

Yet, the paths in the woods are gone. The tree outside my old window is gone. “No man can return to the dream that was his home,” said Dr. Leslie Sillars, editor of WORLD Magazine. The place is different, I’m different, and I know that 24

Billings Lifestyle | April 2021

it wasn’t actually as idyllic as I remember. Even as I yearn to go home, I know that returning wouldn’t complete me.

The Greeks and Romans believed that every man has a yearning for Arcadia, an eternal home. The word carried an implication of completeness, oneness with the land and nature, and utopia. The yearning is intrenched in his soul and will never be completely satisfied until he reaches Arcadia in death.

Our relationship with the land is complicated, twisted like our relationships with people.

Some places bring joy, some sadness. Some places my thoughts return to often, some I don’t remember. Some I long to return to, even though I know it won’t be the same. For now, I will be content in Virginia. I will try to satisfy a part of my soul that may never be satisfied.

“No land ever again has such power over him as that in which a man was once a child,” said Whittaker Chambers in Witness.

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

25

Keeping The

Ligh ts On WHY MONTANA DOESN'T HAVE BLACKOUTS

ARTICLE ROBERT SAUNDERS

AT THE TIME OF THIS WRITING, TEXAS HAD JUST BEEN

state’s power companies and the PSC that

DEVASTATED BY THE AFTERMATH OF A COLD FRONT AND

regulates them: “The name of the game in

RELATED POWER FAILURES. Naturally, coming off of the mas-

Montana is to provide maximum electrical

sive blackouts that stretched from Texas to New Jersey in February,

reliability to Montana homes and busi-

and California’s increasingly chronic and well-publicized energy

nesses at an affordable price.”

unreliability, a question was fresh in my mind: why doesn’t Montana suffer from power outages?

At first glance, it seems unusual that Montanans should enjoy uninterrupted electrical power when larger states with larger pop-

The Public Service Commission and Montana’s power companies, especially Northwestern Energy, have worked hard to make that goal a reality.

ulations and budgets do not. Unlike Texas, we do not possess some

Montana’s energy industry is in some

of the world’s largest oil and gas reserves and refining and generat-

ways a testament to the phrase, “what

ing capacity. And, unlike most of California, we experience extreme

doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

temperature fluctuations. Montana is capable of temperatures of 110

Because of the extreme temperature condi-

degrees in the summer, and -30 degrees Fahrenheit is by no means

tions in this state, power plants are almost

off the table in the winter. 140-degree temperature variations are kind

always fully indoors, enclosed in protective

of a big deal, at least on planet earth. Suffice it to say, air conditioners

structures. This is not the case in Texas,

in Montana get a workout. Consider, if you will, that the average daily

where they are prone to extreme heat but

temperature during Texas’ cold spell was around 22 degrees above

not extreme cold. Consequently, it is usu-

zero. Imagine the collateral damage if Montana’s homes and hospi-

ally more efficient to have outdoor plants

tals lost power during our sub-zero stretch, when temperatures got

to more easily disperse the heat, a system

as low as -30 degrees Fahrenheit.

that works very well until you have an

Tony O’Donnell, the Public Service Commissioner for southeast-

unusual cold snap like the one in February.

ern Montana, including Yellowstone County, had some answers for

The unusually cold temperatures damaged

me. He attributes Montana’s success to a shared goal between the

exposed hardware and caused power CONTINUED >

26

Billings Lifestyle | April 2021

Wind Turbines

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

27

KEEPING THE LIGHTS ON (CONTINUED) Solar Farm

28

Billings Lifestyle | April 2021

plants to fail, guaranteeing that millions of Texans lost

years to attempt to power their state entirely from

power at the worst possible time.

renewable energy. Unfortunately, renewables are not

Another reason that Montana enjoys more stable

known for efficiency, reliability, or cost effectiveness.

power than Texas is the different relationship between

While California’s solar energy industry is capable of

the power companies and the regulating entities in the

generating large surpluses during the day, it produces

two states. In Montana, the relationship between the

nothing at night. At times when the sun is obscured

power company and the regulator is fairly straightfor-

during the day, as it was during California’s wildfires,

ward: voters elect the Public Service Commission, and

the system can and does critically fail.

the PSC regulates the power companies. If ratepayers

On the other hand, Montana possesses significant

are displeased due to unreliability or excessive costs,

resources of most forms of energy and utilizes them

a strong chance exists that new Commissioners will

all. We have 30% of the nation’s coal reserves, burned

be elected in the next cycle that will be significantly

at adjacent plants in Colstrip. Our non-trivial oil and

less friendly to the offending power companies. Texas’

natural gas reserves are serviced by four refineries.

structure is less direct and more complicated, com-

Montana’s 24 utility-scale hydroelectric plants make

prising a number of entities including the Public Utility

us the sixth-largest producer of hydroelectric power in

Commission (PUC) and the Electric Reliability Council of

the country. Parts of the state have incredible weather

Texas (ERCOT). Some of these positions are appointed

conditions for wind power and an increasingly large

rather than elected, and therefore shielded from direct

number of merchant generators that capture wind and

consequences for poor performance.

solar power and sell it on the open market.

Montana outperforms California in energy reliabil-

Let’s take a moment to be thankful for Montana’s

ity primarily due to our decision to utilize diversity

affordable and reliable energy industries, the people who

in energy sources. California has chosen in recent

built them, and the people who work them.

C TRICAL RELIABILITY TO MONTANA HOMES AN D

ELE

“TH

E NAME OF THE GAME IN MONTANA IS TO PROVIDE MAXIMUM

BUSINESSES AT AN AFFORDABLE PRICE.”

Hydroelectric Dam

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

29

3953 MONTANA AVE. BILLINGS MT 59101

406.259.0111

• DINNER • DRINKS • DANCING • CASINO • CATERING

• INSIDE RIMROCK MINI-MALL • LOCALLY OWNED • PROFESSIONAL SKI GEAR & ADVICE SH OP LOC AL

skibootrx.com 111 South 24th Street West Billings

|

(406) 702-1530

THANK YOU for all your business and support this past tax season.

WE APPRECIATE EVERYONE! CONTACT US FOR ANY BOOKKEEPING AND PAYROLL NEEDS. INGS GAZET

T E

BI

LL

WINNER FOR 6 YEARS IN A ROW! READERS’ CHOICE

0 WINNE

R

2

02

P U T YO U R C IT Y O N O U R M A P. Start a magazine & build a legacy.

Life is short. Love what you do.

1030 S. 24TH ST. W, BILLINGS, MT 59102 (406) 969-5394 • WOODSACCOUNTING.COM 30

Billings Lifestyle | April 2021

LifestylePubs.com/OwnIt

2 LOCATIONS WEST END

3419 CENTRAL AVE.

NOW OPEN SATURDAYS

(406) 651-5433

DOWNTOWN 2908 2ND AVE. N

MEIERCHIROPRACTIC.COM

LE T OUR CR EW TACKLE YOUR HVAC O R PL UM BING ISSUES If you’re looking for a general home repair contractor in the Billings, MT area, look no further than Alpine Plumbing, Heating & Cooling. You can depend on us for a wide range of services, and you can count on us to do the job right every time.

W HY?

Because we’re:

E X PE R I E N C E D Our owner has been in the industry for over 30 years and comes from a long line of plumbers and handymen

V ERS ATIL E

D E D ICATE D

We offer everything, from air conditioning and heating services to plumbing and remodeling

You can expect only the highest-quality of customer service when you work with our team

CA LL TOD AY ! 4 0 6 -252-71 0 0 W W W. A L P I N E B I L L I N G S . C O M

|

3 0 1 M O O R E L N B I L L I N G S , M O N TA N A 5 9 1 0 1

TIMING IS EVERYTHING WEST END HORSE PROPERTY

REPRESENTING LUXURY HOMES ... WITH ST YLE 406-591-0106 MAYABURTON.COM MAYA@FLOBERG.COM

U C NDU O ERN N OD T R NE R A TRA C C T T

M AYA B U RTO N , L U X U RY B RO K E R

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

31

HEALTHY LIFESTYLE

Benefits of a

chemical-free home

HAVE YOU EVER CONSIDERED WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO TURN YOUR HOUSEHOLD CHEMICAL-FREE? It's not as hard as you might think!

We hear a lot about the dangers of chemical ingredients, but it's easy to ignore all of the warnings and keep using our favorite products.

When you don't know of a better alternative, it's just what you do!

However, all of those ingredients add up and can make a big difference in your health, as well as the health of your family and pets.

The products that are most important to swap out depend on your lifestyle and what you use the most.

If your little ones are eating food right off of the counter, you might consider the ingredients from the cleaner you just used to wipe it down and start by switching to a natural method.

ARTICLE HAYLEY HYER

If you have sensitive skin, you might start by taking inventory of your beauty and personal care products to see what you can replace.

To get you started, here is a DIY product that you can make yourself for your chemical-free home.

32

Billings Lifestyle | April 2021

DIY Laundry Scent Enhancer If you have ever added those popular scent beads to your load of laundry before, you know how lovely it is to pull your amazingly scented clothes out of the dryer.

The funny thing about a product like that is it truly has no purpose other than adding a good smell, but it does add lots of chemicals to your daily life!

There's a safer and more beneficial way to make your clothes smell heavenly. Try this DIY scent enhancer with your next load of laundry and put it to the test.

Ingredients 3 parts Epsom Salt + 1 part Baking Soda + Essential Oils

Directions Mix your ingredients together in a jar or canister and scoop about ¼ cup directly into the washer basin before adding the clothes—just like you would with scented beads. Continue with your laundry like normal.

Learn More

For more information on starting a chemical-free household, you can browse online resources such as ChemFreeCom.com or find a social media group to join with likeminded people who have some experience from their own trial and error. If you get overwhelmed, remember that you don't have to get rid of all chemicals in one day. Every swap you make is something to celebrate!

CityLifestyle.com/Billings

33

Time to Make a Move?

Call today for a FREE Home Prep Consultation!

(406) 670-5485

WWW.REALESTATEBYTANA.COM 2116 BROADWATER AVENUE BILLINGS, MONTANA 59102

Embrace the Possibilities

of Membership at

Vitality’s Elite Membership Program makes all of our treatments more affordable, and indulges members with VIP opportunities, gifts and special discounts on Jane Iredale Skincare & Makeup, Obagi, Color Science & Epionce products! Multiple membership tiers allow you to maximize your spa experience based on your lifestyle. You deserve rest & relaxation on your schedule...

You DESERVE Vitality.

LEARN MORE CALL 406-855-2422 OR VISIT MyVitalityMedicalWellness.com APPLY ONLINE OR IN-PERSON 1537 41st St. W. Billings, Montana 59106

BUILDING HOME POSSIBILITIES

Before our remodel I was embarrassed to host parties or have company in our kitchen. It was crowded, dark, outdated, and not vey functional. After Ty Nelson's amazing renovation, I now love hosting people and we are so proud of our kitchen. To say we highly recommend Ty Nelson Design & Remodel would be an understatement!” ~ Pat and Jamie Carahasen

KITCHENS

BATHROOMS

ALL POSSIBILITIES

START YOUR PROJECT

FEATURED ON:

406-534-8360 • tynelsonconstruction.com 1041 Broadwater Ave, Billings, MT 59102

FIND US ON: