COMPLIMENTARY
BILLINGS’ MOST READ MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
y l i c Si r ose
Country music singer charts a path from Montana to Nashville
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Saturday, September 12, 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. WESTPARK VILLAGE
2351 Solomon Avenue, Billings, MT 59102 Cost: $30.00/person* Ladies of all ages are invited to join us for an afternoon of elegance and delight as we celebrate the essence of royalty in the company of friends. Indulge in a selection of scones, savories, and sweets fit for a queen. Enjoy the ambiance of live music, creating a regal atmosphere that will have you feeling like royalty.
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Letter Editor FRO M TH E
A FEW MONTHS BACK,
I was scrolling through Instagram when a video ad caught my eye. It featured a painter adding bold strokes of color to a canvas that seemed to have an almost iridescent glow. I was captivated. Come to find out, the video’s mission was to entice people just like me to give acrylic painting a whirl. I kind of brushed it off—no pun intended—and went on with my day. But, as internet ads tend to do, they hounded me. They know exactly how long you linger on something and apparently decided my lingering meant, “Yes, please sell me this.” They were right. Subconsciously, I was intrigued. So, a few days later, another ad from the same artist popped up. At the time, I was lounging at a campground, feeling particularly alive in the wilderness, when I thought, Why not? Why not give it a try? Here’s how it worked: You pay a subscription, and suddenly the artist’s entire library of painting classes is at your fingertips. She walks you through each painting step by step, offering pointers along the way and explaining the “why” behind each color choice and brush stroke. My first painting was pretty much a flop. It was supposed to be a Black-Eyed Susan. Instead, it looked like a Black-Eyed Susan that had experienced a rough season. It was lopsided, the petals were just plain wrong, and I was fairly certain the circular file was its proper destination. But I kept it. And, refusing to be discouraged, I chose a second class. Then a third. Then a fourth. And so on and so on. There’s a point in every class when the artist reminds us to just soldier on. She calls it the “messy middle.” It’s that stage when none of the colors or proportions seem to make sense. The painting is ugly. Really ugly. And it’s usually right about then that you lose all confidence that you’ll ever be able to pull it out of the mess.
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But you mix another color. Grab a new brush. Hit play. And maybe an hour or two later, it happens. It’s almost as if the clouds part and you suddenly see the painting from an entirely different perspective. What looked like a disaster begins to look…well, like a painting. Isn’t that a lot like life? We have to wade through a whole host of messy middles before we get to the good stuff. I’m sure some of the women in this issue had their fair share of messy middles. What would have happened if they got discouraged on the autocross track and didn’t stick with it or decided being a sixth-grade teacher after a career in marketing wasn’t a good idea. What if two women hadn’t recognized a need in early childhood education and followed their intuition? What if they never penned that first country song. See where I’m going with this? Sometimes that little voice inside us pushes us forward — even in that messy middle — and asks the question I asked. Why not? So, as you make your way through this issue, I hope you see the stories of women who took a leap of faith. Women who tried something new. Women who listened to that little nudge and stepped outside what was comfortable. And, I hope you step away feeling a little inspired. Maybe you won’t do what I did and pick up a paintbrush. Maybe your “why not?” will look completely different. But perhaps it will lead you somewhere unexpected—somewhere that fills your heart just a little bit more. And if your first attempt is a flop? Well, welcome to the messy middle. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a safari scene waiting to come to life with a splash of acrylic paint. Wish me luck and… enjoy this issue! ✻
Julie
WHAT IF YOU COULD SEE THE JAIL THROUGH THEIR EYES? CAPT. BRANDON SMART
HON. JESSICA FEHR
DR. BOB WILMOUTH
MELISSA WILLIAMS
SGT. JEFF STOVALL
DAVE ARMSTRONG
RICHARD COCHRAN
ROD OSTERMILLER
SCOTT TWITO
Judge, 13th Judicial District Court
Yellowstone County Detention Facility
Chief Civil Attorney, Yellowstone County
Billings Police Department
Yellowstone County Detention Officer
CEO, Bridgemont Health and Wellness, Retired U.S. Marshal
9 VOICES. 9 PERSPECTIVES. ONE ISSUE YELLOWSTONE COUNTY
CAN’T IGNORE.
President of Rocky Mountain College
CEO, Alternatives, Inc.
Yellowstone County Attorney
They see the jail from very different angles. Law enforcement. The courts. Corrections. Mental health. Community leaders. We asked them what’s happening inside the Yellowstone County Detention Facility, how we got here and what it means for our community.
On Nov. 3, Yellowstone County will vote on a jail bond and a levy.
Legally, BOTH must pass for the project to go forward.
VOTE YES ON BOTH THE JAIL BOND AND LEVY.
WATCH THE VIDEO Scan to watch the
FULL STORY.
SAFEANDSECUREYC.COM Paid for by Safe and Secure Yellowstone County, David Irion, Treasurer, P.O. Box 31882, Billings, MT 59107
w h at 's i nsid e on the cover
30 "watch m e"
Country music singer Sicily Rose charts a path from Montana to Nashville
learing r eimagined
12 g o i ng th e ext ra mile
Sarah Spini proves that kindness and determination are muscles worth exercising
16 t he sce n ic rou te to t h e cla ss ro o m
After 20 years in corporate marketing, Laurel Struck found her true calling in teaching
2 0 b ui ldi ng b r igh ter h or izo n s An inclusive preschool born from two mothers’ shared vision
24 s nug & th is t le
A boutique where fashion is the hook & mentorship is the mission
featur es
38 t he si gn of an art is t
30
From classic cars to colorful murals, Nicole Knight paints it all
42 l i fe at fu l l t h rot t le Balancing baked goods and race cars
46 s eco nd ch ances, on e p u lse at a ti m e Candy Northey hopes to rebuild lives through laser tattoo removal
5 0 t wo mi les to su rv ival
After a prairie rattlesnake struck on a remote Rim trail, Rebekah McKenzie had one goal: keep moving
5 4 w he n the u n ex p ec ted h a p p e n s How one woman turned a frightening first mammogram into advocacy and empowerment
70 f lavo rs to savor
Liquid apple: Last Chance Pub and Cider Mill
home and garden
74 CO UNTRY ROOTS
Where farmhouse style meets Montana living
86 leav i ng h er m ar k on h e r ho metow n
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Billings woman works behind the scenes to promote building safety
9 0 b reak i ng grou n d & b rea k i n g barri e rs
Erin Kirschenmann is reshaping Montana’s construction landscape and leadership
in every issue
6 0 fa shi o n: Fall Starts Here 6 6 kare n grosz : On the Other Side of Yes 6 8 ta s te o f t h e val ley: Delicious Beginnings 96 lww f: Light Up the Night 10
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ISSUE 156
s e p te m b e r / o c to b e r 2 0 2 6
m eet the STAFF
Te r ry P e r k i n s Sales Executive
t r i sh scoz z a r i
Sales Executive / Writer
da n i e l s u l l i va n Photography
M i ch e le P e d e r se n Photography
N i co le B u rte l l Distribution
we
k ay l a g r ay Social Media
gay le s m i t h
Sales Executive / Writer
m e l a n i e Fa b r i z i us Design
sue olp Copy Editor
ou r commun ity partn ers
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
11
Going the
Extra Mile
12
written by JULIE KOERBER photography by BECKY BIGGINS & SARAH SPINI
SARAH SPINI PROVES THAT KINDNESS AND DETERMINATION ARE MUSCLES WORTH EXERCISING LEARNING
Reimagined
YVW MAGAZINE
“KINDNESS IS NOT HARD.” That statement is something 18-year-old Sarah Spini has known since she first handcrafted a kindness pledge in the back of her reading workbook, scrawled out with a bright red crayon. “First grade, that’s kind of when the bullying started with a few kids,” Sarah says. Instead of getting angry, the then-pint-sized girl remembers telling herself, “Why not just make everyone sign something and pledge to be kind to one another,” she says. “I wrote it all out and got as many people as I could to sign it.”
bike through her first sprint triathlon. After it was over, she immediately wanted another. “It’s really cool to cross that finish line,” she says of the accomplishment. Today, she competes across Montana and Wyoming — from Powell and Cody to Bozeman and Helena — with a personal best of just over an hour in the sprint distance, which includes an 800yard swim, a 12-mile bike ride and a 5K run. When she heads to Montana State University, she hopes to join the University’s triathlon club.
While the pledge didn’t last long, Sarah says, “It was my little way of trying to make a difference.” She still has that piece of paper tucked away in a drawer.
A FAMILY THAT BELIEVED SHE COULD
Half a dozen years later when a seventh-grade English assignment asked students to write about the subject, her essay proposed creating an anonymous reporting system for students who felt bullied. One of Sarah’s teachers told her, "Your solution is something we could do. We just have to figure it out.” Laurel Middle School eventually created an anonymous reporting link for bullying on its website.
Sarah’s drive didn't appear out of nowhere. She credits her parents with encouraging every one of her ambitious ideas. "I was a very big thinker from a young age," she says. "My parents always told me, 'Yes, you can absolutely do this. We'll help you.'" Her father is one of her biggest role models. As a retired fire marshal, Sarah remembers watching him make difficult decisions that weren't always popular but were always grounded in integrity.
"It's powerful," she says about using her voice. "It's a little scary too. Once you know you can make a difference, you have to use it responsibly."
"My dad was committed to doing what was right," she says. "I thought, if my dad can do it, I can too."
CHASING FINISH LINES
These days, he's still beside her — often on early morning bike rides.
Making a difference isn't the only thing that keeps Sarah moving. She laughs and says, “I’m not someone who can sit still.” When the Covid pandemic hit, it unexpectedly opened a door. School ended by noon, leaving long afternoons to explore Montana by bicycle.
IT’S POWERFUL. IT’S A LITTLE SCARY TOO. ONCE YOU KNOW YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE, YOU HAVE TO USE IT RESPONSIBLY.
"He pushes me," she says. "It made me more willing to try new things. Yes, they're hard. Yes, they might not go the way I planned. But I have to at least try."
That willingness has shaped countless acts of service. — Sarah Spini During Covid, she and her sister Then came the 2021 Summer spent Tuesday mornings makOlympics. As an avid swimmer, ing sandwiches through their Sarah tuned in to watch Katie church before biking downtown Ledecky dominate the swimto hand them out to families in need. ming events. But it was one of the competitions that followed the coverage which caught her attention — the triathlon. "It gave me a lot more grace for my classmates," she says. "Some of the kids I saw there were people I knew from school." She "I thought, 'Well ... I bike. I swim. I can run,'" she remembers with pauses before saying, "It takes a lot of courage to ask for help." a laugh. "That doesn't seem that hard." She signed up for the Big Sky State Games, swimming the waters at Lake Elmo at just 14 years old and riding her mom’s mountain
At 17, she ran for her church council, alongside her father. When she discovered the church's automated external defibrillator SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
13
(AED) hadn't been maintained, “I sat there and thought, do people know how to use this? It kind of defeats the purpose to have one if someone has a heart attack and no one knows how to use it,” Sarah remembers. So, she borrowed CPR training mannequins from one of her teachers at Billings Central Catholic High School and after church one day, gave a demonstration. With help from her mother, a registered nurse, she taught fellow congregants lifesaving CPR skills and made sure the batteries are changed to keep the AED at the ready.
An ultrasound revealed a cyst the size of a soccer ball that doctors later surgically removed. Sarah doesn’t blame her doctors. “It’s hard because you want to believe the best in everyone,” she says. But the experience expanded her vision to include a future in women’s health. “Maybe I could make an impact,” she says. THE SPINI FAMILY: MIKE, SOPHIA, MONICA
GOING FARTHER
AND SARAH
Throughout her life, Sarah has clung to a philosophy which underscores going the extra mile in all things.
A CALLING STRENGTHENED BY EXPERIENCE This fall, she'll begin nursing classes at Montana State University with plans to become a nurse practitioner — and eventually earn her doctorate. Her own health scare only reinforced that calling. In 2024, while training for triathlons, she noticed what she thought might simply be stronger abdominal muscles. When that didn’t make sense, a doctor said it might be “wheat belly.”
“Sometimes that extra mile makes all the difference. You don’t know what kind of positive impact it is going to have on your life or the people around you.” Sarah makes her point by describing a hike up a challenging mountain with a beautiful view waiting at the top. "You can tell yourself you're tired, or that the rain is coming, and turn back before the summit. But then you miss something really special."
Love YOUR Smile
“I could see it,” Sarah says. “I would lay on the ground, and I could see the bump.”
It's a lesson she's lived since she picked up that red crayon in first grade. ✻
Love
Smile
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Morgan Stanley is proud to congratulate
The Fangsrud Stone Group Named one of Forbes’ Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams Being named to Forbes’ 2026 Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams list is a testament to your experience, focus, and dedication to your clients’ financial future. Thank you for the work you do each day and for carrying forward the standard of excellence at our firm. The Fangsrud Stone Group at Morgan Stanley Wesley Fangsrud Kyle Stone Senior Vice President Financial Advisor 406-238-8911 Wesley.A.Fangsrud@morganstanley.com
First Vice President Financial Advisor 406-896-4402 Kyle.Stone@morganstanley.com
Kayla Schuyler
401 North 31st Street, Suite 900 Billings, MT 59101 advisor.morganstanley.com/ the-fangsrud-stone-group
Registered Client Service Associate 406-238-8906 Kayla.Schuyler@morganstanley.com
L-R: Wesley, Kyle, Kayla Source: Forbes.com (Awarded January 2026) 2026 Forbes Best-In-State Wealth Management Teams. This ranking was determined based on an evaluation process conducted by SHOOK Research LLC (the research company) in partnership with Forbes (the publisher) for the period from 3/31/24-3/31/25. Neither Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC nor its Financial Advisors or Private Wealth Advisors paid a fee to SHOOK Research LLC for placement on its rankings. This ranking is based on in-person, virtual and telephone due diligence meetings and a ranking algorithm that includes: a measure of each team’s best practices, client retention, industry experience, review of compliance records, firm nominations, and quantitative criteria, including assets under management and revenue generated for their firms. Investment performance is not a criterion. Rankings are based on the opinions of SHOOK Research LLC and may not be representative of any one client’s experience; investors must carefully choose the right Financial Advisor or team for their own situation and perform their own due diligence. This ranking is not indicative of the Financial Advisor’s future performance. Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC is not affiliated with SHOOK Research LLC or Forbes. For more information, see www.SHOOKresearch.com. © 2026 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC.
REC009 CRC 5026660 12/2025
CS 2127212-6556285 12/25
to t h e c l a ss r o o m
Scenic Route
the
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written by BROOKE WAGNER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN & LAUREL STRUCK
AFTER 20 YEARS IN CORPORATE MARKETING, LAUREL STRUCK FOUND HER TRUE CALLING IN TEACHING LEARNING
Reimagined
YVW MAGAZINE
THE FIRST THING you notice isn’t the microscopes or the beakers; it’s the LEGO sign.
Hanging above a classroom door at Shepherd Middle School is a layered sign made completely of LEGO bricks that reads: “The Nebula Classroom.” Inside, another sign declares, “Mission Control: Guiding Students on the Mission to Endless and Vast Possibilities.” Laurel Struck, who is the heart behind the mission, proves that it’s never too late to find the career you were always meant to have.
“My oldest child was still recovering from a recent medical diagnosis and was immunocompromised. My youngest was a third-grader, and I didn’t want her to fall behind in her development of language arts and math skills,” Laurel says. “I quickly realized how much I love teaching. It was so much more rewarding than what I had been doing.” She enrolled in a Master of Arts in teaching program and became a full-time graduate student, completing the entire program in one year. Laurel is glad she waited until later in life to become a teacher.
“I’m more open-minded, and want to focus on things When it comes to becoming a teacher, Laurel took that will make my students successful long-term,” the scenic route. Long before she introduced stushe says. “I get to utilize all the business and dents to chemical reactions and coding, she marketing skills I learned along the way, and was building marketing campaigns, serving EVERY DAY, so for my students, each lesson essentially as a graphic designer and leading teams in A STUDENT MAKES ME becomes an advertisement, part of a larger the corporate world. Over two decades, she FEEL LIKE I’M AN campaign.” worked in industries ranging from finance IMPORTANT PERSON IN and healthcare to sports medicine and athAsk Laurel about her favorite part of teachletics, climbing from graphic designer to THEIR LIFE, MAKING THIS ing and she doesn’t mention test scores or marketing director. THE MOST REWARDING textbooks. She talks about “wins.” JOB I’VE EVER HAD. “Working for 20 years in the corporate world “Every day, a student makes me feel like I’m — Laurel Struck allowed me to live and experience the world an important person in their life, making this from a different perspective,” Laurel says. “I’m the most rewarding job I’ve ever had,” Laurel grateful for that experience because I believe it says. “The best part is when a student who once made me a better teacher.” thought that they didn’t like science discovers it’s their new passion.” Ironically, teaching had always been part of the plan. Laurel originally intended to become an art teacher, attending Montana She focuses on the small, everyday moments that make each day State University and earning undergraduate degrees in both art worthwhile, even recording them in a daily journal that she loves education and graphic design. When teaching positions proved to share with her husband and daughters. She documents moscarce after graduation, her graphic design degree opened anothments, like a student finally understanding a difficult concept or er door, launching a successful career she never expected. Still, a former student stopping by just to say hello. teaching never completely left her heart. The turning point came during the COVID-19 pandemic. Helping her daughters navigate remote learning awakened something she hadn’t realized she’d been missing.
For Laurel, education has never been just about science. It’s about relationships. Students know she expects effort, curiosity and respect. In return, she offers honesty, encouragement and a classroom where every question is welcome. In the syllabus she SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
17
hands to every student, Laurel states: “My personal philosophy as an educator is to prepare students for the world they are going into and help guide them to finding what brings them passion in their learning.” Earlier this year, her creativity reached beyond the classroom when she competed in the America’s Favorite Teacher contest. While Laurel didn’t take home the national title, the experience pushed her outside her comfort zone. She finished third in her semifinals group and feels that the competition helped her grow both personally and professionally. She recalls a moment at home with her husband where they both recognized the time and commitment it was going to take. “I had that feeling I hadn’t really had since my marketing days, and decided I was all in,” she says. “I dusted off my skills, learned some new technology, and my family and I brainstormed ideas for content creation. Every night I worked on scripts and recorded and posted videos. Every morning I got to school early to create additional content to submit.” The competition helped Laurel become more confident using new technology to create instruction videos for students who were absent, videos for a substitute teacher to play in her absence, and additional instructional videos for some of the harder topics in class. Although she did not win the grand prize ($25,000 and a visit from Bill Nye the Science Guy), she says, “The experiences and skills I developed can’t be taken away from me, but rather have made me a stronger and more adaptable teacher.” As she heads into a brand-new school year, Laurel points to the school and community of Shepherd as major supporters of not only her experience in the competition, but in her teaching career as a whole. “A small town has a close-knit community that will always support all aspects of their community, including the schools,” she says. Although she has worked in larger cities and corporate environments, Shepherd has captured her heart. Championship teams return home to parades, and school plays sell out. Neighbors come out to support sporting events, even when they don’t have a student on the field. That support extends as well to the community’s educators. Students know they’re surrounded by adults who genuinely care about their success. For Laurel, it’s exactly the type of environment where learning can flourish. “It’s a really amazing thing to witness and brag about to my Billings friends!” she says. At an age when many professionals are comfortably settled in their careers, Laurel Struck did something remarkably brave. She started over. She often says she didn’t become a teacher despite her previous career. She became a teacher because of it. Standing in The Nebula Classroom, surrounded by curious middle school students eager to explore the world through science, it’s hard to imagine her anywhere else. Her path to education may not have been straight, and it may not have been quick, but then again, the most meaningful journeys rarely are. Every morning, as another group of students walk through her classroom door, she reminds them of something she herself has learned. The most extraordinary discoveries often begin with a single question — and the courage to follow where it leads. ✻
BROOKE WAGNER, writer Brooke is a music therapist and proud parent of three wonderful kids. She’s passionate about using the power of music to support healing and connection. When she’s not working or spending time with family, you’ll likely find her curled up with a good book, trying out new recipes in the kitchen, or sipping a warm cup of herbal tea.
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written by JULIE LOVELL photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
AN INCLUSIVE PRESCHOOL BORN FROM TWO MOTHERS’ SHARED VISION LEARNING
Reimagined
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WHEN INFINITE HORIZONS CENTER opens its doors
to students in September, it will be a dream come true for its co-founders — two moms who saw their own children struggle in school and now want to help others succeed. Infinite Horizons will be the first nonprofit preschool and therapeutic center in Billings where neurotypical children learn alongside children who are neurodiverse, including those with autism, ADHD and dyslexia. “Children with autism often struggle with the social aspect of development,” says center co-founder, Lynea Gerbasi Wallace. “They need to be around kids who don’t struggle with that, so they know what’s expected.” Lynea will never forget the difficulties her son, Will, faced when he entered kindergarten. Will has autism and had learned important skills in a self-contained preschool for children with special needs. But entering a general education classroom in kindergarten was a real challenge.
nea met for coffee one day in early 2025, they realized they had a common goal: to open a non-profit center that offered inclusive preschool classes as well as behavioral, occupational and speech therapy. “It was one of those things where you sit down and you’re like, ‘Oh, my gosh, her idea is exactly my idea,’” says Lynea. “The two of us want the same thing. How do we make it happen?” After a year-and-a-half of planning, Lidy and Lynea are excited to welcome the first students to Infinite Horizons Center. They’re in the process of hiring speech and occupational therapists who will work with students who qualify for therapeutic services.
WE WANT A PLACE WHERE A PARENT CAN DROP THEIR CHILD OFF AND NOT HAVE TO STRESS ABOUT GOING TO AND FROM THERAPIES MULTIPLE TIMES A WEEK.
“We want a place where a parent can drop their child off and not have to stress about going to and from therapies multiple times a week,” Lynea says.
These two moms are made for this mission: Lynea is a special education teacher and worked as the program manager for the Montana Developmental Assessment “Will was devastated in the first couple Clinic. Lidy is an applied behavior analyof weeks of school,” Lynea says. “Just not sis (ABA) therapist, who owns and operknowing how to raise your hand and ask to ates a local clinic. ABA therapy is an evi— Lynea Gerbasi Wallace go to the bathroom or how to interact with dence-based behavioral therapy designed to peers who were not autistic or didn’t have a replace challenging and sometimes unsafe disability.” behaviors with socially appropriate ones. It uses strategies, like positive reinforcement, Center co-founder Lidy Kerr also struggled and prompts and teaches communication to help her son, Cody, thrive when he started school several years and self-regulation skills. ago. Cody is 14. He was diagnosed with ADHD at age 6. “When he was 5, I knew there was something he needed, but I couldn’t get him diagnosed,” Lidy says. “He jumped from preschool to preschool.” Their children’s struggles were different, but when Lidy and Ly-
At the new center, Lynea will manage and supervise the preschool and pre-K programs, while Lidy will manage clinical services and provide ABA therapy to students who qualify. ABA training typically requires 20 to 40 hours of intensive therapy each week, but Lidy believes children can still learn a great deal with a less-in-
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tense ABA therapy schedule. The reduced therapy hours will give students more time to attend school. “I think it’s important for them to go to preschool so they will have those interactions and connections and develop social skills,” Lidy says. “There are certain skills they don’t learn just by observing. The more time they have with each other, they will learn those.” Infinite Horizons will enroll up to 48 students, and tuition will be based on a sliding scale depending on family income. With the help of fundraising and community support for Infinite Horizons Center, the moms hope they can also offer scholarships to students whose families who need extra financial help. “We really want our community to step up and help because these children are the future,” Lynea says.
FOR MORE INFORMATION ON
INFINITE HORIZONS CENTER VISIT
infinitehorizonscenter.org
Three-year-old Lucas Latray’s mom, Barbara Satrom, can’t wait for him to start classes at Infinite Horizons. Lucas is on the autism spectrum and needs extra help to succeed in school. Barbara knows Lynea and Lidy and trusts them to teach her son skills that will help him thrive. “I’m really, really excited about the pre-K program because he’s going to be able to learn to socialize in an environment with people who understand him and can get his quirks and can help him maneuver through all of these different things before he starts school,” Barbara says. Barbara thinks the new center will teach important lessons to both children who don’t learn typically, and those who do. “I think that the neurotypical kiddos are going to be more sensitive to neurodivergent children, and my son is also going to learn, ‘Hey, everybody is different,’” Barbara says. Lynea says in inclusive classes, neurotypical children learn that everyone has different strengths, needs and ways of communicating. That helps them develop compassion and respect for others at an early age. “Neurotypical children naturally become role models by demonstrating play skills, communication and classroom routines,” says Lynea. “Teaching and encouraging peers also strengthens their own confidence and independence.” While the young students learn important educational building blocks at Infinite Horizons Center, their parents will also find a helping hand. Lidy and Lynea intend to build a community to support students and their families. “My vision for this center is a place where children and their families can have people walk alongside them,” Lynea says. “We want to do life with them. To know they’re in a place where most people in the building are going through similar things can be so rewarding and community-building.” As Lidy and Lynea developed plans for the center, they developed a strong friendship. They’re grateful they can turn to each other when their children are struggling, and they want other families to find that type of support. “Who can you trust to tell your kids are driving you absolutely crazy, but that doesn’t mean you don’t love them and don’t want to fight for them every day?” Lynea says. “And to say, ‘I don’t know what to do — do you know?’”
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Infinite Horizons’ preschool program is a half-day program that will serve 3- and 4-year-olds four days a week. The pre-K program is open to 5- and 6-year-olds and will include four half-days plus one full day of instruction.
them and fail without being fired or without being ridiculed for their difficulties.” This has been a hectic season for Lidy and Lynea, with lots of long hours as they prepare to open Infinite Horizons Center. But they’re excited about the future and think they can teach students tools they’ll need to succeed in school and in life.
“That full day will mirror a kindergarten classroom, with rotations and transitions and all of the things that come with kindergarten, so they can practice,” Lynea says. While the school focuses on early education, family support programs at the center will serve kids between the ages of 2 and 18. Lynea’s and Lidy’s children are now too old for the preschool programs, but the center can still be a resource as they age. Lynea’s 11-year-old daughter, Alexandra, has autism and can access support at the center.
“I think if we can make a difference one kid at a time, we’re doing what we want to do,” says Lidy. “This thing is out of a dream,” says Lynea. “I still pinch myself, because it’s like, ‘how did this happen? We started chatting in early 2025 and now it’s going to happen. It’s just crazy!’” ✻
JULIE LOVELL, writer
“My hope and my vision for Alexandra and kids like her is that it’s a space where she can develop the skills to be whoever she wants to be,” Lynea says. “Our goal is to be a hub for all our community, but specifically the autism community all the way through adulthood. We want to support them through teenage friendships and jobs and help them learn skills in a place where they can develop
ATTENTION!!!
Julie is a former Billings news anchor who loves sharing positive news stories. After spending a decade in Georgia, her family is happy to back home in Montana. When she’s not writing, you’ll find her volunteering for special needs organizations, stretching her faith and getting reacquainted with the joys of life under the Big Sky!
2027 Annual Enrollment Period for
Medicare Prescription Drug Plans Part D THE ANNUAL ENROLLMENT PERIOD IS:
October 15 to December 7th th
CALL THE RESOURCE CENTER AT
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and request to be put on the MEDICARE PART D WORKSHEET MAILING LIST. ✔ The worksheets will be mailed out on 9/22/2026 ✔ After that date, worksheets will be mailed or emailed upon request
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Snug & Thistle
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written by CYDNEY HOEFLE photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
A BOUTIQUE WHERE FASHION IS THE HOOK & MENTORSHIP IS THE MISSION
LEARNING
Reimagined
YVW MAGAZINE
(L TO R) WENDI WAITE, WENDY SAMSON, TAWNYA YARGER AND SUE DOW
AS CALLAN PARKER looks confidently into the camera, she works her way around the city’s freshest boutique, Snug & Thistle. Touching the fabrics as she walks by, she describes the textures and colors and takes time to show off a local artist’s unique jewelry featured in the store. “You won’t find anything like this anywhere else in Billings. These are rare finds and would make perfect additions to your wardrobe,” she says proudly. The clip, posted on social media, invites viewers to shop and see for themselves. “I’ve learned so much working here,” Callan says. “Accountability and being responsible for my job. To be confident in myself and to keep eye contact with my customers.”
business wasn’t on her mind. For 36 years, she owned and operated FutureSync International, an organizational development firm. She traveled the country consulting corporations, developing leadership programs and coaching women leaders. When she retired, her plans were to slow down, spend more time with her husband, Mike, and enjoy her grandchildren.
I’VE LEARNED SO MUCH WORKING HERE. ACCOUNTABILITY AND BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR MY JOB. TO BE CONFIDENT IN MYSELF AND TO KEEP EYE CONTACT WITH MY CUSTOMERS. — Callan Parker
That’s saying a lot considering the boutique where she works, Snug & Thistle, has only been open for a few months and Callan is just 13 years old. She’s not actually employed by the boutique; rather, she’s being mentored by the owners. When Wendy Samson retired several years ago, starting another
But Wendy hadn’t taken into consideration her deep desire to be creative. Looking for an outlet, she met with long-time friend Sue Dow, also retired, and the two jumped into something that neither one of them thought possible.
While discussing ways to channel their creativity, Wendy decided designing and decorating hats would be fulfilling. She convinced Sue to join her. They gathered around Wendy’s kitchen table with hats and supplies spread out before them, and set out to transform a plain hat into a work of art. “I loved it,” Wendy says. “And I wanted Sue to feel the same way.”
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“It took me about two minutes to realize this wasn’t me,” Sue laughs. “But I didn’t give up, I’ve always wanted to make jewelry, so that’s what I did. I bought supplies and taught myself how to solder.” Wendy’s hats soon gained the attention of a few local nonprofits looking for unique fundraiser items. And, when several women asked if she would host hat-design parties, she didn’t hesitate to say yes. “The conversations that took place around the table were amazing,” Wendy says. “The collection of women and what they had to offer each other was something I couldn’t get out of my mind. I just had to figure out what to do with it.” With Mike’s help and Sue’s encouragement, they thought about ways to continue bringing people together under the umbrella of a business.
— Wendy Samson
The setup and teardown took the excitement out of the process quickly. That’s when the idea of a brick-and-mortar store started to take shape. YVW MAGAZINE
Doing it right meant the right business plan, the right product, the right people and the right mission.
THERE’S A CORRELATION BETWEEN PERSONAL ACCOUNTABILITY AND SELF-ESTEEM, SELF-WORTH AND SELF-CONCEPT.
“We thought a pop-up boutique would be fun,” Wendy says, “I had hats. Sue had her jewelry. My friends, Wendi Waite, had cupcakes and Tawnya Yarger had Montana-made tallow skin care. I ordered a line of clothing to sell, and we hosted three pop-up boutiques in a salon.”
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“It was Mike really, that pushed for that,” Wendy says. “We pulled up to this location and his first words were, ‘This looks like fulltime and that’s not what we’re doing.’ But something clicked when we went inside. He looked around and said, ‘If we’re going to do this, we’re going to do it right.’ That was a God-knock moment for me.”
“My journey with Snug & Thistle has been similar to how FutureSync evolved,” Wendy continues. “Once things started happening, it really took on a life of its own. We know we’re unique. The women are always saying there’s a vibe here, an energy. They like to hang out and visit. It’s become kind of a community hub.” The boutique, located at 3178 Gabel Road, is filled with fashionable pieces attractive to women from young teens to all the way up to women in their 80s. Open three days per week, Snug & Thistle carries several clothing lines, in addition to local artisans’ products.
That’s not all that sets it apart. Not only are customers pampered like guests, the current “employees” don’t draw a paycheck. They are either family members or friends. But it’s the unique mentorship program that blends financial teachings with real world experience that has Snug & Thistle excited. It’s in its infancy, and
Callan is the unofficial first member — a natural as she’s also Sue’s granddaughter. Wendy’s 9-year-old granddaughter, Gray, also spends time at the shop, but is a bit younger than the teenagers who will be targeted for the program. “When we saw how intrigued our granddaughters are with the idea of clothes and fashion and merchandizing, we realized that this is the hook,” Sue says. “This is the interest for young girls that could attract them to more.”
“There’s a correlation between personal accountability and self-esteem, self-worth and self-concept,” Wendy adds. “I had all these ‘what if?’ questions. What if we came up with a program to teach them financial responsibility and, at the same time, give them a real-world setting to see how to apply those skills?” Partnering with Western Security Bank, which will offer financial literacy expertise, and Wendy’s own background of leadership teaching, a three-month program is now in the development stages.
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Brett Solberg of Western Security will be the financial instructor. “We are excited to partner with Snug & Thistle,” he says. “The students will learn healthy financial habits, including understanding budgets, credit, savings and how to set financial goals.” Heather Petty, the founder and executive director of Love and SONshine Ministries is excited that the program will be offered to young women enrolled in her program. The nonprofit provides housing, mentoring and life skills training to homeless or at-risk pregnant teens and young mothers. “This mentoring program would align perfectly with what we are trying to accomplish,” she says. “Our goal is to get our women to the point of independence, and giving them the skills to succeed is essential.” Building confidence, learning financial responsibilities and being able to implement what they are learning in a real-world fashion is a goal that all three agree will benefit the young women. “I want to see their creativity,” Wendy says. “We explained the concept, now let’s look at the boutique and see what skills we need to make something like this happen — whether it’s money up front or loans, inventory, setting up. What does that look like and what steps do you need to take to accomplish it? It will be an amazing experience for all of us.” ✻
ISTRIES TO H LOVE AND SONSHINE MIN WENDY PLANS TO WORK WIT THERS. MO THE PROGRAM'S YOUNG PROVIDE MENTORING TO
SNUG & THISTLE IS LOCATED AT
3178 Gabel Road OR FIND THEM ONLINE AT
thesnugandthistle.com FOR MORE ON THE MENTORING PROGRAM, CALL
406-672-5982
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CYDNEY HOEFLE, writer A fourth generation Montanan, Cydney was raised on a ranch on the banks of the Yellowstone River where an appreciation of the outdoors was fostered. She and her husband raised three children and are now the proud grandparents of three. She is the publisher of Raised in the West Magazine and when she’s not chasing a story, she enjoys time with her family, adventures with her husband, a good book and quiet reflection.
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WatchMe COUNTRY MUSIC SINGER SICILY ROSE CHARTS A PATH FROM MONTANA TO NASHVILLE written by TRISH ERBE SCOZZARI photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN & SICILY ROSE
ON A SMALL TRACT OF LAND on the outskirts of Bill-
ings, the sun is setting, casting a golden glow on the rolling hills of wild land. Goats roam nearby and a small barn is home base to two striking Appaloosa horses. It’s here that 20-year-old country music singer/songwriter Sicily Rose is taking a break from the electricity of Nashville to do exactly what she loves most, hanging out with her horse, Cowboy, and leaning on the woman she credits with making her who she is today. That woman is her mother, Jamie Jones. “A lot of who I am came from my mom — how strong and independent she is, showing me that you can do it on your own. You can figure out how to be an independent person,” Sicily says. “I witnessed that my whole childhood.” Leaning up against a rugged fencepost, Sicily’s turquoise-adorned fingers strum on the strings of an acoustic guitar. Her lyrics paint pictures. Cue up her song, “Watch Me,” and you’ll get images of her childhood, long before she landed in the epicenter of the country music industry. “She didn’t plan to be a single mama, pretty soon, that’s what she was. So, she took three jobs, spent all her time off taking care of all of us. When I was old enough to know, I asked her, ‘Are we gonna be alright?’ She got that fire in her eyes, said ‘baby girl, damn right.’”
before finally settling in Montana when she was 10. “We fell in love with it,” Sicily says about Big Sky Country. She remembers walking to Beartooth Elementary, and hers was one of the first classes to attend Medicine Crow Middle School. Through it all, Sicily says her mom was a hair stylist and bartender, a woman who would help friends here and there, just to make money to support her family.
“She would work very long days and very long nights, and I watched her make sure that all of us kids were always taken care of, no matter what the situation was,” Sicily says. “We are a very tightknit family. It’s always been us four.” A LOT OF WHO I AM
CAME FROM MY MOM — HOW STRONG AND INDEPENDENT SHE IS, SHOWING ME THAT YOU CAN DO IT ON YOUR OWN. YOU CAN FIGURE OUT HOW TO BE AN INDEPENDENT PERSON.I WITNESSED THAT MY WHOLE CHILDHOOD. — Sicily Rose
But even through the rough spots, Sicily says, “My mom always showed us, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. There’s always a rainbow after the rain.” When Jamie thinks of Sicily’s youth, she remembers a spunky girl with a spark of creativity. Sicily wasn’t afraid to tell her mom that one day she’d be a star. “She told me she was going to be famous from the time she was 2. I didn’t really have a choice,” Jamie says with a chuckle. “It wouldn’t have been what I chose for her, but I saw her determination and how hard she was trying. This is what makes her happy.”
“There have been tough times, but we always got out of the hole. I’ll just put it at that,” Sicily says.
As Sicily grew, so did that spark. “She’s very talented, and I saw that,” Jamie says. “Every time she’s ever walked into a room, she’s made sure that everybody knows her name before she walks out of it.”
Born in Elko, Nevada, Sicily’s father worked as a gold miner. Her mother, whom she calls a “gypsy,” was originally from Las Vegas. After Sicily’s parents divorced, when she was just a toddler, she, her mom and her two siblings, Zander, now 22, and Serin, now 18, “traveled and moved a lot,” spending time in different spots
Sicily laughs as she recalls one of her first brushes with local fame. She was 11 years old, walking down a makeshift runway in Rimrock Mall’s center court. David’s Bridal was putting on a fashion show and Sicily was chosen as one of the models. It wasn’t SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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SICILY ROSE WITH HER MOTHER, JAMIE JONES
long after that she signed with the Montana-based Rocky Mountain Agency. “That just kind of started it all,” she says. What followed was a successful modeling career. Sicily was eventually represented by Wilhelmina Models, one of the world’s leading modeling agencies. It was a fast-paced life for a girl who was still a teenager. “I would say that I’m an old soul,” she says. “I feel like I grew up very fast in my own head. I wanted to be as much of a help to my family as I could.” Her work took her to Los Angeles and into national campaigns before she ultimately realized, at the age of 16, it was singing and songwriting that set her soul on fire. “I’ve always loved music,” she says. “When I got into songwriting, it was the best way I could express myself and find out who I truly was through the songs. Music has just always been there.” It’s why this young woman, wise behind her years, packed up her things two years ago to move to Nashville to pursue country music full time. She spent long days building up a social media following, knowing that younger country music fans often discover artists through TikTok, Instagram Reels and streaming playlists rather than traditional radio. The hard work paid off. Today, her content across social platforms has generated more than 300 million views, making her one of the more established media creators among promising country music artists. 32
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“The goal was always music, but to get my foot in the door, I started with influencing and building up a brand,” Sicily says. “It makes it easier when you have a base following. It’s gotten to the point where I feel I can have the music career that I want and the one I have always dreamed of.” Her social media presence is how she turned the head of one of Nashville’s biggest names. Earlier this year, Sicily signed with Off Road Records, an independent country label launched in 2025 and led by producer and label executive David Fanning. He’s a man known for his eye for emerging talent. On Off Road Record’s website, Sicily is featured as one of the label’s flagship artists. To give some perspective, just four years ago, Fanning co-wrote the song, “Tennessee Orange,” which helped launch country music singer Megan Moroney’s career. In 2024, she landed the title of New Artist of the Year at the CMA awards. Fanning is known for being interested in artists with a genuine story to tell. When Off Road announced Sicily’s signing, Fanning said, “Sicily understands the power of honesty in a song. (Her song) ‘Annabella Mae’ is a strong introduction to who she is as an artist and reflects the kind of songwriter and storyteller we want to build with at Off Road Records.” “David Fanning is the best thing that could have happened to me in this moment of my life,” Sicily says. “He is an amazing manager.”
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Since Off Road Records started managing Sicily and Reservoir Media began producing her music, she’s been working hard to build her catalog of songs with the label. Her first, “Annabella Mae,” is a brooding song that weaves a story of a wild spirited woman who gets caught up with the wrong man, and he ends up taking her life. Next came “Vivian,” which Sicily wrote for her best friend. “She’s been through a lot and I wanted her to know that I am not going anywhere no matter what the hardship is. It’s one of my favorite songs I’ve written,” she says. Her latest, “Forget Me Not,” is already on the rise with fans. “It’s one of my most streamed songs,” she says. At last check, the song had a little more than 371,000 streams on Spotify, which Sicily called amazing. “It’s a song about the fact that you don’t need a man to do things in life.”
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When we met up with Sicily, she described herself as songwriter who has the notes app on her phone constantly open, helping her to churn out new lyrics whenever inspiration strikes. “I wake up in the morning and say, what can I bring to the write today that will be
LISTEN TO
SICILY ROSE ON SPOTIFY
something that no one has heard? What is a story so interesting that it makes a person sit back and think about it?” Sicily says. “There’s a song in everything. There is music everywhere. No matter the situation, there’s a song in it.” As Sicily talks about her career, she longs for the day she’ll be able to take her show on the road. “I am hoping in five years that I’m on the road touring,” she says. “I have a lot of music out and have built an amazing fanbase, but I’m also hoping I’m on the road touring and playing shows. That’s all I can really hope for.” That brings us back to the song “Watch Me.” Sicily might have penned that song years ago, but the words are an anthem to this up-and-coming country musician.
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“I set my sights on mountain tops and nothing less. Don’t listen to the haters and the play-it-safers out there tryna stop me. Just watch me. Hey world, watch me. Mama, just watch me.” Her “mama” is indeed watching. “I’m so proud of her. We are all so very
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I’VE ALWAYS LOVED MUSIC. WHEN I GOT INTO SONGWRITING, IT WAS THE BEST WAY I COULD EXPRESS MYSELF AND FIND OUT WHO I TRULY WAS THROUGH THE SONGS. MUSIC HAS JUST ALWAYS BEEN THERE. — Sicily Rose
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proud of her,” Jamie says. “It’s fun to watch someone chase their dreams, watching how far she’s come.” As Sicily walks across the land that surrounds her mom’s house, she might live in Nashville but this place on the outskirts of Billings will always be home. “I truly love this place more than anything,” she says. “I never want to lose my roots. It’s where I grew up and watched life happen. I never want to lose that because I think it made me into the person that I am today.” She pauses before adding, “It made me a better person.” ✻
Editor’s Note: Special thanks to Stone Feather Road for providing Sicily’s wardrobe.
of an FROM CLASSIC CARS TO COLORFUL MURALS, NICOLE KNIGHT PAINTS IT ALL written by CYDNEY HOEFLE photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
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NICOLE KNIGHT pulled two sawhorses out of her sign shop and set them up in the shadow of her open overhead door. The hot July sun made working in her shop nearly impossible. She laid a plywood board across the top and using her jigsaw, cut along the curved lines of a design she’d drawn on the wood. As the saw broke through the end of the board, she shut it down, pulled off her safety glasses, ran her hand along the fresh cut and smiled with satisfaction. “That will work,” she said, explaining that she was working on a couple of signs for a local business. “This one is an easy project.” Shortly after, an elderly gentleman drove up and got out of his car with a wrinkled roll of brown paper in his hands. “What do you have for me?” she asked, as he unrolled the paper and interpreted the rudimentary drawn picture and measurements into what he hoped his vision would become. “I can do it,” Nicole said confidently. “I’ll let you know when I have something to show you.”
do something with their car, I treat it like it’s mine.” Nicole has owned and operated Advantage Signs and Pinstriping since she opened in 1999. She paints everything from signs, windows and murals to logos, graphics and pinstripes on vehicles and motorcycles. She’s been painting signs since she was a teenager, when she first started helping her father, Nick Knight, paint billboards as large as 12 feet by 48 feet along Interstate 90 and in locations around town. As the sole owner and only worker, Nicole is constantly in the middle of multiple jobs. Some days she’s juggling up to a dozen at a time. She designs and paints the windows of dozens of businesses around town. Most of them change with the seasons and promotions, which keeps her busy year-round. “The weather and the temperature dictate when I can paint windows,” she says. “In the summer, I chase the shade and in the winter, I’m looking for sunshine. In between painting windows, I’m working on something else.”
Before he left, he repeated the story of buying his ’72 Dodge Demon 48 years ago for $700, and Nicole smiled as he drove off.
She gets unique requests from customers, such as the work she’ll do on the sides of the Dodge Demon, where she will be applying a vinyl design and pinstripes instead of hand painting it.
“Part of what I do is listen,” she says. “I take time to stop and visit because everybody has a story about their cars. They love their cars. I have a Rat Rod, I understand. If someone comes to me to
“I’ll work his template into a sign software program with line art, where I can directly plot and cut the vinyl. I’ll make a proof and mock it up to make sure it fits. Then I’ll have it large-format SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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printed and put it on the car.” Two years ago, Nicole was asked by an industrial business in the Billings Industrial Revitalization District (BIRD) to paint a mural for the Wild West Walls, a public art project, which resulted in almost 30 murals around the east end of downtown Billings. Nicole chose to create a Montana postcard, visible on the south wall of the Vemco building on First Ave North.
Nicole is strong herself, having been a powerlifter in years past. “I started in high school,” she explains. “I didn’t realize how my sport would impact my career, but I have to be strong to tote 4-foot by 8-foot pieces of plywood around by myself.” In her prime, her best deadlift was 350 pounds, her best squat was 315 pounds and her best bench press was 181. “I can’t do that anymore,” she laughs. “But I still work out as often as I can.”
“That’s one I’m really proud of,” Nicole says. After drawing the Outside of running her business, Nicole enjoys painting pictures plan out, she projected the image on the 20-by-60-foot wall and on unique pieces as a hobby. She’s currently working on a car then drew much of the design before she painted it. The muhood for an upcoming event and paints whimsical yard signs, ral says “Greetings from the Treasure State,” with the ornaments and thermoses that she sells. word “Montana” in all caps. Teepees, buffalo, a CutShe also spent 17 years coaching powerlifting for throat trout, a bobcat, a cowboy, the gate to Yelthe Special Olympics. In 2011, she was one of lowstone Park at Gardiner and the Beartooth the power lifting assistant coaches for Team Mountains each individually fill a letter as USA’s Special Olympic team for the World symbols of the state. Montana’s state bird, I HAVE INCREDIBLE Games in Greece. the Meadowlark, and flower, the BitterFRIENDS AND FAMILY root, along with a grizzly, claim the fore“My sister was severely handicapped,” THAT HAVE SUPPORTED front of the colorful, three-dimensional she says. “When she passed away, I got ME OVER THE YEARS. I mural. involved with Special Olympics by helpCOULDN’T DO WHAT I DO ing in the only way I knew how — pow“I love seeing pictures of people sitting WITHOUT THEIR SUPPORT erlifting. It was a very fulfilling time in on their car in front of the mural or posAND ENCOURAGEMENT. my life.” ing in front of it,” Nicole says. “I even saw — Nicole Knight a picture of a cowboy on a horse on front Taking time away from the shop to enjoy of it.” friends is important to Nicole. “I have incredible friends and family that have supported me Nicole grew up with her artistic father and busiover the years,” she says. “I couldn’t do what I do ness-minded mother, a combination that she says without their support and encouragement.” helped launch her career. “My mom helped me buy the equipment I needed, and Dad taught me everything he knew Nicole says that no two days are alike in her line of work. Between about the business. He still steps in when I need it.” scheduling jobs, attending trade shows and tackling small projects, her creative personality is one that loves being challenged. Nick worked alongside Nicole when they painted the Montana mural and just recently, he and Nicole’s uncle, Tim Knight, did “Everything that has happened in my life has happened because a joint project when all three worked together on a mural at the of my circumstances,” Nicole says. “I’m very blessed. I have inBuckeye Bar in Bridger. credible friends and family that support me and I’m grateful for the life I have. Everyday above ground is a good day, and life is “Dad’s 78 and it amazes me that he’s still able to do this,” Nicole good!” ✻ says. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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LIFE AT
BALANCING BAKED GOODS AND RACE CARS written by TRISH ERBE SCOZZARI photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
JESSICA VETCH lives life
her car, she gets right down to business, Luke says.
at full throttle. She’s up at 2 a.m. and arrives at Rae Rae’s Gluten Free Bakery an hour later. Before the city awakens, Jessica and her employee pull an array of freshly baked breads, cakes, cinnamon rolls, donuts and cookies from the oven. But when the weekend comes, she turns off the oven and pursues another passion.
“Jessica swaps her own tires out (replaces street tires for racing tires) and checks the fluids,” he says. “She’s not one of the guys. She’s a club member.” Both she and Luke are members of the Yellowstone Region Sports Car Club of America, a 50-year-old club that’s run solely by volunteers.
“I’m not a cheerleader,” Jessica says. “I’m a racer.” When Jessica shows up at the Yellowstone Drag Strip with her husband Luke, she isn’t sitting in the passenger seat. She’s driving her sporty, bumblebee-yellow ’05 Chevy Cobalt SS. Luke drives a black ’05 Cobalt SS. These two spit-shined vehicles are used for Autocross, a motorsport where drivers navigate tight corners through a paved course outlined by traffic cones. Racers use the parking lot at the Strip for some of their competitions. Cars run solo and a timer tracks each run down to the tenth of a second. Hit a cone and a two-second penalty is added to your time. When this thirty-year-old with an ever present smile steps out of
The smell of motor oil and the rumble of race cars fueled Jessica’s childhood, thanks to her dad who was a mechanic. “My dad took me to classic car shows and to dirt tracks every Friday night,” she says. JESSICA AND LUKE
It’s a skill her husband also tinkers around with, when not serving as the manager of the Lockwood IGA.
“I’m a hobby mechanic,” Luke says. “I’ve been a car nut a long time.” The two met at college in Nebraska, Jessica’s home state, working together in the grocery business in Lincoln. “They were college jobs for us,” says Luke, a Billings native. “But after college, I got SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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That was over a decade ago. Four years ago, Jessica jumpstarted two things that would come to define her life. She bought Rae Rae’s, and she and Luke started racing. “It’s our main hobby,” she says.
her to come to the mountains with me.”
e on Ph 350 ing 9-7 dg 58 Lo 406-
Stay Where You Play
The racing bug for Jessica started with RallyCross, where drivers race on a closed course marked by traffic cones. “You build a course out of cones on the dirt,” Jessica explains. “The owner of the Acton Drag Strip lets us (Yellowstone Region SCCA) build our course in the corner. We’re at the drag strip three to four times a year.” Big Sky Speedway, located north of Billings in Shepherd, allows the club to use its pit area and its large, oval track. “We’re probably at the Speedway twice a year,” she says. “We also have a property owner in Bridger who enjoys racing and he lets us use his track.” With a playful smile, she admits, she’s “taken out a few cones.” RallyCross takes place October through April. That’s when Jessica gets behind the wheel of her ’93 Ford Probe GT for a little dirttrack competition. “It’s fun because it’s community-driven with all the friends we have,” Jessica says. “There are usually 15 to 20 guys and seven to eight ladies who race. The course takes about two minutes, (a dozen laps) and you’re racing against the clock. It’s not wheel-to-wheel.”
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Her first race came with an unexpected twist. “I didn’t know how to run a manual, drive a stick shift,” Jessica says.
Cabins Cabins
Cafe Cafe
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Fortunately, luck was on her side. The club happened to have a loaner vehicle available that day — a well-worn 2004 Toyota Prius with no bumpers. “I used it the full day and it was a blast! For the next race I learned how to use a stick shift,” and from then on, Jessica says, “It wasn’t
safe to be in town.” The idea that a new member without racing experience was loaned a car is almost inconceivable. Yet, that’s what the motocross club is about. “We all coach a new person,” she says. “When I was new, they helped. When there are new drivers, we want to make it fun for them.” Whether Jessica’s sliding around the dirt track during a Rallycross race or zipping around the traffic cones on paved surfaces in an Autocross race, she lives life on her terms. Her eyes light up as she says, “It becomes more fun once you learn what your car can do.” As she weaves through a maze of bright orange cones, she reaches speeds of up to 50 miles per hour. Success isn’t about raw speed. It’s about precision, car control and navigating the course without damaging either the vehicle or the driver. Wheel-to-wheel racing, by comparison, is an entirely different adrenaline rush, with cars reaching speeds of up to 100 mph.
Flashing a smile at her husband, Jessica adds that “it’s not my cup of tea. I just want to have fun.” She understands the rush and why her husband likes it.
If Luke and Jessica aren’t at the track, you can often find them taking in a classic car show or even tinkering on their own cars in the garage. Not only do they have the two Cobalts, but own a 1984 Thunderbird and a ’69 Mustang that is waiting to become the next project. TO LEARN MORE ABOUT They will often buy a car and then swap out parts that are more suitable for racing.
RALLYCROSS & AUTOCROSS VISIT
Jessica loves to fine-tune motors and help Luke replace transmissions.
scca.com
SEE WHAT’S COOKING AT
While there is more than a half-dozen women who race, Jessica urges any woman with an interest to come to one of the club’s events.
RAE RAE’S GLUTEN FREE BAKERY BY VISITING
raeraesbakery.com
“I haven’t done wheel-to-wheel,” Jessica says, “but Luke has.” Luke is quick to add: “My top speed was 125 mph at a track outside of Denver. Jessica was in the car with me.”
the hobby and race with him.”
“You can ride with anyone or watch for free,” says Jessica. “Come and see what it’s all about. Find a $2,000 car, put good tires on it, and you’re ready to go.” She adds: “And if your husband likes cars, pursue
That’s exactly what Jessica did, and she and her Chevy Cobalt haven’t slowed down since. ✻ SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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Second Chances, One Pulse at a Time CANDY NORTHEY HOPES TO REBUILD LIVES THROUGH LASER TATTOO REMOVAL written by JULIE KOERBER photography by HALEE LINEBERRY
AS CANDY NORTHEY’S
laser moves smoothly over Kiwan Busha’s forehead, a wake of white “frosting” blooms across the tattoo ink. It’s the reaction Candy is looking for. Beneath the skin, bursts of laser energy are breaking apart years-old pigment so Kiwan’s own body can slowly flush it from his system. The white frosting will fade within minutes. The tattoo will take months. Maybe a year. For Kiwan, that’s a small price to pay. “I would always wear hats and try to hide them as much as I could,” he says. “They’re tattoos that I earned in prison, more of a façade. I was just trying to look cool and fit in the environment that I was in. Now that I’m older and I have a job and am trying to get back into the community. They’re kind of embarrassing.” At 31, Kiwan has steady work as a welder. He’s rebuilding his life, but the tattoos across his face and head still announce a version of himself he no longer recognizes. One tattoo reads “MOE,”
which stands for “money over everything.” Shaking his head, he says emphatically, “I don’t believe that anymore.” For years, removing them felt impossible. “I thought it was unrealistic,” Kiwan says. “I didn’t think it was a real opportunity. It’s something that I’ve wanted to do for years. I never thought I would have the money to do that.” The transformation is going to take time. That’s why on a Friday evening every six to eight weeks, he sits in Candy’s chair at Clear Canvas Laser Studio & Aesthetics, watching another small piece of his past begin to disappear. “I think I’ll have more confidence in myself, for sure,” he says. “This opportunity is truly a blessing.” For Candy Northey, tattoo removal wasn’t supposed to become a calling. “I love skin,” she says. It prompted her to go to aesthetics school three years ago. She quickly discovered that facials alone weren’t SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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enough. She traveled to Scottsdale, Arizona, to attend classes at the National Laser Institute, where she learned advanced laser procedures. During class, her instructor brought in clients from a working clinic to demonstrate the process of tattoo removal. “It was all prison tattoos,” Candy says, adding that one man had the words, “White Power,” tattooed down his leg. After his first treatment, he told the class that he had left prison and had three young sons now. The ink was a thing of his past, a past he wanted to leave behind. “You girls are changing my life,” he told them. Later, he sent the instructor a text message 48
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thanking them.
LASER LASER TATTOO TATTOO REMOVAL REMOVAL TYPICALLY TYPICALLY TAKES TAKES
66 TO TO 12 12 SESSIONS SESSIONS
SPACED SPACED 66 TO TO 88 WEEKS WEEKS APART APART
“The instructor couldn’t even read it,” Candy says. “She was so choked up. She said, ‘This is my why.’” It became Candy’s why, too. “I always knew I wanted to do something to make a difference,” she says. Tattoo removal is slow, expensive and far more painful than getting the tattoo in the first place. “I always tell people, ‘You’re going to be with me awhile,’” Candy says. “I give them a very honest consultation.” Laser tattoo removal typically takes six to 12 sessions spaced six to eight weeks apart. The la-
ser doesn’t erase ink all at once. Instead, it shatters pigment beneath the skin into tiny particles that the body’s lymphatic system gradually flushes away through normal biological processes. Each appointment lightens the tattoo just a little more.
it’s hard.” She wants to change that. She’s reaching out to nonprofit organizations that work with people post-incarceration, the Department of Corrections and the Department of Justice in the hope of creating funding for people who can’t afford treatment.
Black ink is the easiest to remove. White ink cannot be removed with current laser technology. Yellow is notoriously stubborn. Tattoos on hands and feet often linger because they’re farther from the body’s circulatory system.
“I’ll offer it at little to zero cost,” she says. “People who are coming out of prison don’t have a lot of extra money.” She believes tattoo removal is about far more than appearance. “It becomes a tool for dignity, opportunity and second chances,” she says.
For large tattoos, Candy sometimes treats only half at a time. “You can make a person ink sick,” she says, explaining that overwhelming the body’s immune system with too much broken-down pigment can make patients feel ill. To make the treatments tolerable, a medical cooling system blows air as cold as minus 30 degrees Celsius over the skin, numbing the area without interfering with the laser.
Ironically, Kiwan found Candy by pure chance. Before her studio was even finished, Candy and her husband were sketching out plans over dinner at a restaurant when their server overheard them talking about tattoo removal.
Candy opened Clear Canvas in March with a mission that goes beyond cosmetic work. While she also performs facials, dermaplaning and other laser treatments, tattoo removal is what drew her to open her own studio. “I am not a big beautiful med spa that someone is intimidated to walk into,” Candy says. “It takes a lot of guts to start the journey of taking a tattoo away.” She then tells the story of one of her clients who had a slew of tattoos on his face and neck. She remembers him telling her, “I had this job lined up and I got there, they took one look at me and said, ‘I can’t hire you.’” She adds, “They are trying to get back into society and
“My boyfriend has all these tattoos and he can’t find anybody to remove them,” she told Candy. That boyfriend was Kiwan. The introduction changed both of their lives.
I AM NOT A BIG BEAUTIFUL MED SPA THAT SOMEONE IS INTIMIDATED TO WALK INTO. IT TAKES A LOT OF GUTS TO START THE JOURNEY OF TAKING A TATTOO AWAY. — Candy Northey
Today, Kiwan continues making the trip through treatment after treatment, each one another small step toward the future he wants. “They trust me enough to work on their skin,” Candy says. “And when they’re ready to tell me their story, they will.” She adds, “What I see in my studio every day is transformation. Opening this studio has been a labor of love in the hopes of changing lives and making a difference. Our world needs a little help right now.” ✻
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Two Miles to Survival AFTER A PRAIRIE RATTLESNAKE STRUCK ON A REMOTE RIM TRAIL, REBEKAH MCKENZIE HAD ONE GOAL: KEEP MOVING written by JULIE KOERBER photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN & REBEKAH MCKENZIE
REBEKAH MCKENZIE has
usually see them, stop, back up and go all the way around or turn around.”
replayed the morning of July 10th countless times. It’s been weeks but she can still see the rugged trail winding through the sandstone outcroppings above Billings’ Ironwood subdivision. She remembers thinking it might be too warm for her usual trail run. She also remembers checking the weather, hesitating, then deciding she simply needed to get her workout in. “I looked at the weather and thought, I just have to get a run in even though it’s warm. It was about 70 degrees,” she says. “When I went up there, I remember thinking, ‘Oh, it’s too hot.’” In this rocky terrain, every degree above 60 increases the chances of spotting a rattlesnake. About two miles in, Rebekah was running along the trail’s high line when she decided to take a more rugged trail down. She loved the challenge of boulder hopping.
This time, however, she didn’t see it coming until she felt something slam into her shin. “I looked down and there was a huge snake on my leg.” Instinctively she kicked her leg, sending the flying snake behind her. When she turned, it was already coiled again, ready to strike.
Despite Montana’s reputation as rattlesnake country, bites are surprisingly rare. Medical experts estimate that each year only about
5 TO 6 PEOPLE ARE BITTEN BY RATTLESNAKES IN THE STATE.
“I always look ahead on the trail because you do see snakes every once and a while. They can be sunbathing,” Rebekah says. “I
“I think he was behind a rock and the vibrations of me coming got him mad,” Rebekah says, adding she stepped back just far enough to snap a photo with her phone and check the time. 7:55 a.m. “He was so angry. His black tongue was out, hissing at me.” She was nearly two miles from the trailhead. Alone.
Everything she’d ever heard about snakebites told her not to move. But staying put didn’t seem like an option. An ambulance couldn’t simply drive to her location. Rescue crews would have to hike two miles over rugged terrain carrying a stretcher up and then down the trail, costing precious time. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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IT WAS ABOUT FOUR MINUTES IN AND THE PAIN JUST STARTED SEARING. IT FELT LIKE MY LEG WAS BURNING. ABOUT SEVEN MINUTES IN, MY LIPS STARTED TINGLING AND MY TONGUE STARTED FEELING THICKER. — Rebekah McKenzie
“You need to get to antivenom as fast as you can,” she says. So, she made the decision to run. While navigating loose rocks and steep terrain, she called her teenage daughter, Marilyn. “I just got bit. I don’t know if it’s venomous, but I need you to run over to our neighbor Jessica,” Rebekah remembers saying. “Pound on her door and tell her to meet me at the trailhead.” Then, she called her husband, Jeff, a Billings anesthesiologist. He was supposed to be in surgery at the time but a mishap delayed it. It was while the two were on the phone that she started to feel the bite’s effects. “It was about four minutes in and the pain just started searing. It felt like my leg was burning,” she says. “About seven minutes in, my lips started tingling and my tongue started feeling thicker.” As she told her husband what was happening, “He said, ‘It’s hitting your central nervous system. Your airway is next, so keep going.’” Jeff stayed on the phone. While he was outwardly calm, his thoughts were frantic. “My wife just got bit by a rattlesnake,” he says, recalling the moment. “There’s nothing more terrifying.” Just as Rebekah made it to the trailhead, her neighbor and daughter pulled up, ready to rush her to the hospital. They called 9-1-1 and a dispatcher said if her symptoms worsened, they had an ambulance ready to meet them on the way. “At this point, the pain was increasing and my leg was starting to swell,” Rebekah says. As they pulled up to the Billings Clinic Emergency Department, her husband was there waiting at the entrance. “He ran out, picked me up and we literally flew past security, past check-in straight to a room where they started hooking me up right away,” she says. “I’ve never seen anything like it.” The next 36 hours would be dicey. A prairie rattlesnake’s venom doesn’t simply cause pain; it can disrupt the body’s ability to clot blood. That can set off a chain reaction, triggering dangerous swelling, which in turn threatens muscles, nerves and circulation. Without getting the swelling under control, pressure builds. “They monitor the swelling, make sure the leg isn’t getting cold and that the pulse is there,” Jeff says. “If it gets too big ... there’s risk of amputation.” REBEKAH QUICKLY STEPPED BACK JUST FAR ENOUGH TO SNAP A PHOTO WITH HER PHONE AFTER IT BIT HER. 52
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Rebekah ultimately received 30 vials of antivenom while her doctor constantly consulted with a toxicologist. At about the 36hour mark, she started to turn the corner. Two days later, she was home.
While deaths from rattlesnake bites are rare in the United States — only about five people die each year. The CDC reports that between
10% AND 44% OF PEOPLE BITTEN BY RATTLESNAKES
are left with lasting injuries.
She had to use a walker for a couple weeks, but by week three, she was already back to exercising at about 60% of her norm. She still has pain but it, along with the fang marks, are starting to fade. “If you feel my leg here, it’s hard,” she says pointing to the area of the bite. “The tissue is still recovering.” As the family reflects on that day, they’ve come to have a sense of humor about the ordeal now that the danger is in their rear view. Rebekah is a speech pathologist and works with kids. “Actually, the first week back we played snake games — Snakes and Ladders — and I was able to tell all of them that I speak parselmouth now,” she says with a laugh. “I also told them that sometimes my tongue turns black.” Jeff bought her a pair of rattlesnake earrings, along with a pair of snake gaiters to put on her legs for protection. He knows she’ll never give up trail running. He learned something about her that day. “My wife is cool and calm under pressure,” Jeff says. Rebekah just feels a ton of gratitude for how it all unfolded. “It still hurts but I am hoping that it will go away with more time,” she says. “I have my leg. I have my mobility. I got out the best possible way.” ✻
Snake Sense WHAT TO DO BEFORE—AND AFTER— A RATTLESNAKE BITE
CARRY YOUR
CELLPHONE NOTE THE
EXACT TIME
OF THE BITE.
IF YOU’RE BITTEN,
MOVE AWAY FROM THE SNAKE
GET
MEDICAL CARE
IMMEDIATELY
This helps the medical professionals with treatment.
AVOID HIKING OR RUNNING DURING THE HOTTEST PARTS OF THE DAY, WHEN SNAKES ARE MOST ACTIVE.
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WH EN TH E
UNEXPECTED HAPPENS HAPPENS HOW ONE WOMAN TURNED A FRIGHTENING FIRST MAMMOGRAM INTO ADVOCACY AND EMPOWERMENT written by JENNIFER ALBRIGHT photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
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a i k s a S
WHEN SASKIA BOOGMAN scheduled her first
mammogram at age 40, she expected a routine result. An avid runner in excellent health with no known genetic risk factors, she anticipated the typical baseline images, the remote possibility of a follow-up call that her provider had mentioned, and maybe a little nervousness simply because it marked a new milestone in her preventive care. What she didn’t expect was the reality that unfolded afterward: a suspicious finding, a same-day biopsy, and the startling news that although her pathology was benign, surgery was still recommended. She certainly didn’t expect to wake from that surgery having had a growth removed she described as a stack of silver dollars. Saskia’s experience, while uncommon, shines a light on an often-misunderstood truth of breast health: callbacks, additional imaging and biopsies are not synonymous with cancer. They are signs that mammograms are doing what they’re designed to do — detect changes early. For Saskia, the journey from routine screening to surgery unfolded quickly, unexpectedly, and with moments of fear she never anticipated. Yet it also revealed the profound impact of compassionate care, the importance of sharing women’s health experiences openly, and the power of turning fear into advocacy.
A ROUTINE APPOINTMENT – UNTIL IT WASN’T Saskia was born in Billings and raised in the lively warmth of her parents’ popular bakery, Caramel Cookie Waffles. Today, she leads marketing strategy for Bretz RV & Marine, overseeing nine dealership locations across four states. She and her fiancé, Levi, will be married this September. Turning 40 last year, Saskia knew it was time for her first mammogram, though she admits she forgot until her provider mentioned it casually during her annual exam. Her provider also noted that secondary imaging is common for women with dense breast tissue, a normal status in nearly half of women over 40. Armed with that knowledge, Saskia felt prepared. “I felt I knew what to expect,” Saskia says. “I went on my usual 5 a.m. run. I remember being excited about the free City Brew coffee certificate they were giving out for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.” When she received the callback for additional imaging, she didn’t panic. “My immediate reaction was that this was normal. It felt like a continuation of something routine.”
Ella
But during the ultrasound, the tone shifted. The technician asked the doctor to come in. The imaging moved from her breast to her armpit. “I remember thinking, they are checking my lymph nodes. They think I have cancer,” Saskia recalls. “That was the moment I suddenly became afraid.”
SAME-DAY BIOPSY The care team at Intermountain Health recommended a same-day biopsy. Saskia spent the hours before the biopsy at her parents’ home. “I tried to be positive, but I was afraid.” At the St. Vincent Breast Cancer Center, Ella Dugan Staples, a breast health navigator, stepped in — something she has done for nearly 15 years. “I am notified when the radiologist is going to a biopsy,” Ella
ELLA AND DR. CASEY COTTON, RADIOLOGIST SPECIALIZING IN BREAST IMAGING SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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explains. “It allows me to provide immediate support as needed with the patient. On same-day biopsies, the patient is naturally immediately stressed, and being present and comforting the patient is crucial.”
the truth: more than an inch of tissue had been removed. “It wasn’t until Levi and my mom were sitting with me that I learned the size,” Saskia says. “Levi circled his fingers, and I thought, like a stack of Oreos.”
She introduced herself to Saskia, explained her role, and stayed with her throughout the procedure.
Seeing the incision for the first time was overwhelming for Saskia. “I cried when I finally saw it,” she says. “I’ll always carry a very visible scar to remind me of the winter of 2025.”
“I genuinely care about patients and treat each on an individual basis,” Ella says. “I hold a patient’s hand, if they are accepting such, because human touch in a vulnerable, scary situation can be a lifeline.” Saskia felt that lifeline. “It sounded like a hole punch,” she recalls of the biopsy. “It didn’t hurt, but it felt incredibly invasive and clinical. It’s hard not to feel small and vulnerable at a moment like that.”
RELIEF, THEN CONFUSION Waiting for pathology results was agonizing. “I’ve never been good at waiting,” Saskia admits. “I wanted to know immediately, but I also didn’t want to think about it.”
TURNING FEAR INTO ADVOCACY
Scan to listen to Saskia’s breast cancer message:
After surgery, Saskia made a short video about her experience and posted it on TikTok and Instagram. She didn’t expect much. But months later, the video has over 7,000 views, and women continue to comment, ask questions, and share their own fears.
Ella knows the waiting period well.
“I felt so alone trying to find real experiences with benign excisional biopsies,” she says. “There is very little information about breast surgeries that don’t involve cancer. I had no idea this was even possible.” Even though her case was extreme and uncommon, she urges, “Don’t be afraid to schedule your mammogram.”
“The waiting period between biopsy and results can be terrifying,” she says. Typically, that can take up to three business days. “If results haven’t come in, I call each patient to provide comfort and let them know that running behind doesn’t mean anything bad.”
Saskia’s experience underscores a truth many women don’t hear often enough: Breast health exists in shades of gray. Intermountain Health care providers remind patients that not every callback means cancer. Not every biopsy means bad news. And not every surgery is a sign of catastrophe.
When the call finally came, the first words brought a rush of relief: “Your pathology is benign.” But the next words were confusing. She would still need surgery.
Today, Saskia admits that while she still feels uncomfortable with the scar, she feels grateful, healthy and ready to step into the next chapter of her life.
The diagnosis was a complex radial scar, a rare, benign breast lesion that can mimic cancer on imaging and is often removed surgically to ensure no hidden malignancy. Saskia had never heard of it. When she turned to the internet, she found almost nothing.
“If I can be even a small part of growing the discourse by sharing my experience, I’ll feel like I’ve done something.” ✻
“I searched Reddit, TikTok, Google, everything. I found very few real experiences from women. I wanted to understand what recovery looked like. I wanted to feel like I wasn’t alone.”
SURGERY, SCARS, AND THE WEIGHT OF THE UNKNOWN Before surgery, Saskia learned her radial scar measured 11 millimeters, or just over a centimeter. She felt reassured by how relatively small that sounded. But after the procedure, she learned 56
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JENNIFER ALBRIGHT, writer Jennifer Albright has been a published writer locally and nationally for more than 20 years. After stepping away to work in healthcare and earn her Master’s in Health Administration from Montana State University-Billings, she’s pleased to return to Yellowstone Valley Woman, exploring the intersections of community, wellness, and everyday life that inform, empower, and connect readers.
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l l Fa
S ta r ts H e r e TIMELESS DENIM, COZY LAYERS, AND LOCAL STYLE YOU’LL WEAR ON REPEAT
Stormy’s Look
Brown open knit sweater, $69; Wes high-rise barrel jean, $198; Calvin round buckle belt, $109.
Tylee’s Look Vintage straight ankle jean, $158; Raglan tee $68.
written by GLEA LAHR photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
All looks from Something Chic
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THERE’S SOMETHING about back-to-school
season that makes us want to refresh more than just our calendars. Crisp mornings, cozy layers and rich autumn colors call for pieces that feel both timeless and on trend. A great pair of staple denim is the foundation of it all. A good pair of jeans has the power to pull an entire outfit together, whether paired with a classic tee, a sweater or a tailored cardigan. As you build your fall wardrobe, don’t forget to shop local and discover the unique boutiques and small businesses that help make our community stylish, vibrant and one of a kind! ✻
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Zoey’s Look Glea’s Look Crescent eve tie top, $48; Paige L’azence Lexi cami, $129; Frances black denim, $279; Sophia sunglasses, $89.
L’azence Kendra pants, $289; Chansutt pearl necklace, $48; Lyra shoulder bag, $90.
Tylee’s Look Velvet Heart Lavali black top, $58; Joe’s Lou Lou denim, $198; ebony belt, $48; Lopez sunglasses, $109.
Stormy’s Look Lamarque Pascale fitted jacket,
$298; Joe’s The Tony long sleeve, $88; VH Kandace denim skirt, $88.
All looks from RocHouse
259-3624 • 2814 2ND AVE N • BILLINGS SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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Zoey’s Look Emerson cuffed relaxed flare jean, $139; One Trick Pony tee, $79.
Glea’s Look Issa mid-rise relaxed straight ankle jean, $188; olive layered cardigan, $79.
All looks from Something Chic
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Zoey’s Look Dex eyelet tank top, $60; Expensive & Talks Back hat, $32; Colorful Fish necklace, $35. From Bison Bloom Boutique inside the Zimmerman ACE Hardware
Designed with a fun personality, these custom sweaters put a playful spin on classic fall style.
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PICTURED LEFT TO RIGHT:
Tylee’s Look Shu by Shu Shop Open ’25 Pink tee, $60; Daze Far Out straight-leg jean $108, Dex crochet tank top, $55.
Stormy’s Look Zutter rock ’n roll graphic tee, $35; Daze Westward barrel jean, $98; Double Zero cardigan, $42.
Glea’s Look Just Black crop flare denim, $70; Country Deep Rodeo Sweetheart tee, $36. All looks from Bison Bloom Boutique inside the Zimmerman ACE Hardware
GLEA LAHR, writer With more than 20 years as a cosmetologist and makeup artist, Glea has dedicated her career to helping women feel confident and beautiful in their own skin. She believes beauty and fashion are about expression and confidence.She has a passion for making women feel seen, empowered and inspired through the artistry of style and makeup.
Where fashion meets convenience! Discover handpicked apparel, accessories, gifts, and seasonal styles designed to help you look and feel your best.
Bison Bloom
BOUTIQUE
Inside Ace Hardware on Zimmerman
1551 Zimmerman Trail ❖ Billings SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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ON ON THE THE
OTHER OTHER SIDE SIDE OF OF
Y VW COLUM NIST
written by KAREN GROSZ
ONE LITTLE, YET POWERFUL WORD
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YES IS A COMPLETE SENTENCE. Remember you as a 7-year-old? You were busy being you, right? You rode your bike, took dance classes, hid from the storms of life if you were in that type of house, or maybe you sat quietly in a corner with markers and big ideas. You, the child who was fearless in one moment, but maybe not all of them, had the dreams of a child. To drive a car, marry Prince Charming, or maybe to pet all of the dogs. You, I hope, tried bowling and roller skating, sledding, and everything except the broccoli. I hope you fearlessly, tirelessly, with knobby knees and dirty ankles, went from this to that and back again. And then, one day, so much faster than anyone thought it would happen, you were 17. You lived the life a 17-year-old lives — a job, a crush, a win, a loss, a success, a failure. A moment of glory, followed by a moment of mortification, wishing the world would swallow you right that moment. At 17, the world was a ride and you were driving, until the world was a ride and you wanted off.
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Still, at 17, you knew some things. Probably, if we are taking a moment to tell the whole truth, you knew all the things. I know I sure did. There were things about the world that did not make sense, like curfew and ovulating, and things that did, like kissing and strawberry lip gloss. The day I turned 27, I called my mom. I apologized for being a teenager, for ignoring her calls one too many times, and thanked her for always, without fanfare or fail, having dinner on the table at 5:30. I still, now well past 27, do not know exactly how she did that. I remember being crushed at 27, absolutely crushed. I thought I’d be the perfect size, with the perfect wardrobe, job and life. I was not. Were you? So, as I sit here today, way past 27, I think about the wonders of the world I have lived in. At age 7, our daily joy was running to the train tracks to catch the candy the caboose man threw us as he passed by. None of those things are part of my world now. I mean, I could run, but I’d rather not, and candy — I’d rather have some delicious olives, warmed in aromatic oil. The nonexistent caboose man is not throwing those. Sigh.
Color TV, computers, cell phones, and Cabbage Patch Dolls, just to keep the alliteration going. Air fryers and AI, Amazon and ankle socks. Seat warmers — my heavens, the seat warmers! I could go on and on, because life, when you stop and look at it, is pretty darn amazing. Women, like the ones celebrated in these pages, do jobs they aren’t expected to do, and dads change diapers and know their children’s allergies. It’s a whole new world. What is ours right now, in this moment, no matter our exact age, weight or voting preference, is choice. We can choose to know what we know, do what we do, eat what we eat, watch what we watch, or we can shake the snow globe of life and do everything differently. Isn’t that amazing? I met a woman today, quite by chance, in an online immersive experience room that I host. (How’s that for a sentence 7 — or 17-year-old me — could not have said?) She retired from her job to write music with AI and is having the time of her life. Did 7-year-old me have that on her list of dreams? She did not. She could not.
Saying yes — well, saying yes not only feels powerful, it is powerful. The first time I tried it, I was under direction to say yes to me for an entire weekend. It started at the grocery store. I was afraid that if I really leaned into the activity that I’d buy chocolate cake and perhaps a box of wine. Instead, I said yes to my favorite but seldom-purchased snap peas and expensive Greek yogurt. I bought only the best stuff when I said yes to me.
YES YES has the
It went on from there. Yes, I think I will go to bed early. Yes, I think I will go for a run, clean the basement, and fire the jerk. Yes, I will lift the weights, put down the grudge, and yes, yes, yes, I will be just a little more kind to me.
power to get you out of the crap job, off of the couch Yes became, like no, a complete and powerful and away from the sentence. My favorite one. things you should You, my friend, have been a precious 7-yearwalk away from. old, an out-too-late 17-year-old, and you have said yes to so very many things. But I bet, beIt’s not the word cause like a 17-year-old, I happen to be an age when we just know things, that you seldom say no that has the yes to you. To what you want, need, and most of power. It is all, dream. You say yes to dishes, but not sitting too long with a book. You say yes to overtime, but not an the word extra day of vacation. YES YES. Yes.
Did the women in this magazine dream that someday Julie would call them and say, “I think what you are doing is amazing enough to share”? I think not. But when she called, they said yes. And that right there, that little word, has all the power.
Yes has the power to take you to a Mahjong class, because that is taking our world by storm. Yes has the power to get you out of the crap job, off of the couch and away from the things you should walk away from. It’s not the word no that has the power. It is the word yes. Yes, I am going to try something new. Yes, I am going to stop allowing that to happen. Yes, I am going to try broccoli, or maybe, yes, I am going to give up broccoli — you decide.
The best of life is just on the other side of that one-word sentence. I hope the next time I see you out in the world, you will tell me what you said yes to. Will it be yes, I am stopping, yes, I am starting, or yes, my life is perfect just the way it is? I hope you will tell me that you thought about the life you wanted the 7-year-old to live, and the 17-year-old was sure they would live, and that you said yes to giving them the parts of their dream that would make you, the you that you are now, the very happiest you that you can be. It’s just on the other side of yes. ✻
KAREN GROSZ, writer
There was a time, back when I was running our family, a daycare center, my parents’ care plans, and speaking out for our community, that I thought the word no held all the answers. Thank you, but no, I can’t serve on another committee. No, but thank you, I cannot attend the thing you like but I abhor. Saying no felt liberating, but let me tell you this.
You’ve Built a Life. Now Build What’s Next! Join Our Community Discussion:
Karen Grosz is a local Team and Leadership Development coach and motivational speaker. She owns Canvas Creek Team Building, is the author of “What’s Next” and “Quiet Leadership” and founding voice of the Facebook group “I’ll Help”- Billings. You can find more from Karen at karengrosz.life.
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s u o i c i l e D BEGINNINGS
BEGINNINGS MAKE-AHEAD FAVORITES FOR MORNINGS
I’M A FIRM BELIEVER IN BREAKFAST. Sometimes
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Jason Marble of The Marble Table and Marble Coffee Co. for his Granola with Berries and Vanilla Crème Anglaise. I hope these two breakfast inspirations make their way to your breakfast table sometime soon. Enjoy! ✻
You can thank Starbucks for the inspiration behind this first idea. Since we were gifted an air fryer at Christmas, it’s become one of my go-to appliances, helping with all sorts of mealtime tasks. It plays an especially important role in making these Egg Bites — one of my favorite quick breakfast ideas. And for a little zhuzh at a more leisurely breakfast, I turn to
KAY ERICKSON, writer Kay has spent her professional career in public relations and broadcast news, currently at Yellowstone Public Radio. Her journalism degree is from Northern Illinois University. Her passions include her family, sports and food. Her mom and an aunt taught her the finer points of cooking and instilled a love of good food and family mealtime.
EGG BITES 6 large eggs 4 slices cooked bacon, chopped 1¼ c. cottage cheese 1¼ c. shredded cheese (I chose a blend of Cheddar and Gruyere) 1 T. cornstarch ¼ c. sliced green onions Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste ½ t. hot sauce (optional) DIRECTIONS: Spray a nonstick 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cook-
TA ST E OF T HE VALLEY
written by KAY ERIKSON photography by MICHELE PEDERSEN
it’s leisurely and lingering; other mornings, it’s speedy and out the door. If you’re looking for a quick morning meal, I have a couple of ideas. Both recipes take a little time to prepare, but once they’re made, they can be tucked into the refrigerator or freezer and grabbed on the go.
ing spray and set aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a blender or food processor, combine the eggs, cottage cheese, cheese, green onion, cornstarch, salt and pepper and optional hot sauce. Blend or process until completely smooth. Fill the prepared muffin pan, filling each about three-quarters full. Divide the bacon bits evenly over the egg bites, using the tip of a spoon to press some of the bacon into the egg filling. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Tops should be golden brown. Some of the bites might puff up but will deflate as they cool. The bites can be served warm from the oven.
NOTE: I like to freeze them in an airtight container and reheat in the
microwave or the air fryer. In an air fryer, preheat to 350 degrees and cook for roughly 8 minutes. In a microwave cook at 50% power for roughly one minute. YVW MAGAZINE
GRANOLA with berries and vanillla crème anglaise
~Recipe from Jason Marble, Marble Table and Marble Coffee Co.
MACERATED BERRIES
1 lb. strawberries, tops removed and quartered 6 oz blueberries 6 oz raspberries ¼ c. vanilla sugar DIRECTIONS: Toss the berries with the vanilla sugar, cover and refrigerate 1 hour
VANILLA SUGAR
3 c. granulated sugar 2 vanilla beans DIRECTIONS: Cut the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, scrape out the seeds with the back of a knife. Place the sugar in a bowl and add vanilla seeds and the seed pods. Mix well to fully incorporate the seeds in the sugar. Store in an airtight container.
VANILLA CRÈME ANGLAISE Approximately 4 servings
1 c. whole milk 10 t. sugar 3 to 4 yolks from a large egg 2 t. vanilla extract 1 t. vanilla powder or 1. T. vanilla paste
Jason Marble
OWNER OF THE MARBLE TABLE & MARBLE COFFEE CO
DIRECTIONS: Whisk together sugar, egg yolks and vanilla to-
gether until fluffy. Bring milk to a simmer. Tempur yolks by adding a small amount of the warm milk. Add the tempered yolk mixture into the simmered milk. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until mixture reaches 180 degrees. Cool.
GRANOLA
4 c. rolled oats 1/3 c. brown sugar ¼ c. honey 2 t. cinnamon 2 oz butter DIRECTIONS: Combine all the ingredients but the oats in a
saucepan and stir frequently until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Place oats in a large bowl and add the sugar mixture. Stir to evenly coat the oats. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Spread the oat mixture over the sheet pan and bake in preheated 325-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Break up and place in an airtight container. Store at room temperature.
TO SERVE: Spoon or layer the berries over the granola on a
serving plate or shallow bowl. Pour the slightly warm crème anglaise over the berries and granola. For a thinner layer, pour the crème anglaise around the edges of the berries and granola.
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lavors2 F to avor5 S LIQUID APPLE: LAST CHANCE PUB AND CIDER MILL written by STELLA FONG photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
THE LAST CHANCE AND CIDER MILL is not only the
apple of my eye but also of my palate and spirit. My palate always smiles at the ciders crafted by head cidermaker Travis Charbonneau, whose liquid apples capture the essence of freshly picked fruit in every sip. My eyes find comfort in the soaring industrial space that once housed United Glass, where a glossy, green-tiled fireplace anchors the dining room. My spirit delights in gathering with friends around wooden tables surrounded by playful lime-green metal chairs. And the fun doesn’t stop there. How can I resist smiling at ciders and beers with names like Full Montana, Hoppotamus, and Pearfection? They embody the whimsy that makes every visit feel like a celebration. “The Full Montana is a play on The Full Monty movie,” Travis says of the cider made with Montana-sourced apples. “Hoppotamus comes from the song ‘Hip Hoppopotamus’ from the band Flight of the Conchords.” The cider fermented with apples and sweetened with juice from Oregon pears naturally took on the name Pearfection. The high ceilings at Last Chance Pub and Cider let my mind breathe. On one side, expansive windows frame the blur of cars gliding along Montana Avenue. On the other, they offer a glimpse into the cidery, where apples are transformed into something extraordinary. In the fall, when the presses are humming and the
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cidery is in full production, the air blossoms with the sweet-tart perfume of freshly pressed apples. Travis Charbonneau rejoined the team as head cidermaker a year after Last Chance Pub and Cider was opened in 2016 by founder and brewer Sam Hoffman. After pressing apples for six months, Travis decided to “move around the country for a while,” drawing on his brewing background and experience gained in Michigan — a state known for its abundant apple production. There, he worked at two breweries before moving to Denver, where he took the helm of the Cheluna Brewing Co. When Sam reached out and asked him to return to Billings to help craft cider, Travis brought with him a wealth of brewing knowledge and a fresh perspective. The Newton Pippin cider is my all-time favorite sip at Last Chance. The Newton Pippin is an heirloom apple and was a favorite of George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, who grew it in their personal orchards. This green-skinned apple with white flesh is one of the few varieties that can stand on its own as a single varietal, its tartness balanced with just enough sweetness. “Personally, we do tend to go for higher malic acid, higher acid content, which makes for a little astringency, but that’s what you think of when you bite into an apple,” Travis says. On this night, after moseying up to the counter, I decide to try one of the Mighty Range Cocktails — a Margarita made with Newton Pippin cider, house-made triple sec, lime juice and simple syrup,
served over ice in a salt-rimmed glass. I smile as I imagine myself sitting beneath an apple tree in Mexico, sombrero perched on my head, while an ocean breeze brushes across my face. With my first sip, the familiar flavors of sweet, sour and salty emerge, but it is the essence of apple that anchors the drink. “We are making margaritas and our other mixed drinks to increase the quality of the mixed-drink options in the market. We use real fruit and ingredients,” Travis says. An order of Bacon Fried Brussels Sprouts makes the perfect pairing with the Margarita. I find it difficult to stop savoring the sprouts tossed with sweet, smoky bacon, maple syrup and generous chunks of Granny Smith apples, all finished with sunflower seed crumbs and a spicy chipotle-fennel aioli. The combination of flavors creates a delightful balance of richness, sweetness, and heat in every bite. I walk down the stairs, stepping onto Montana Avenue. As I pull my jacket closer around my shoulders on this fall evening, my palate and spirit smile from savoring the bounty of the season inside Last Chance Pub and Cider Mill. ✻
STELLA FONG, writer
Stella divides her time between Billings and Seattle and is the author of two Billings-centric books, Historic Restaurants of Billings and Billings Food. Her writings have appeared in Big Sky Journal, Western Art and Architecture, the Washington Post as well as online at lastbestplates.com.
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WE’LL MAKE THE COUNTERTOPS, YOU MAKE THE MEMORIES.
Fabricators Unlimited is proud to have provided the countertops and surfaces featured throughout the Kibblewhite home. Photos by Daniel Sullivan
home and2garden7
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C OU NTRY ROOTS Where farmhouse style meets Montana living
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leav in g her ma rk on her hometow n
Billings woman works behind the scenes to promote building safety
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b reak i n g gro u n d & b reak i n g bar r i e rs
Erin Kirschenmann is reshaping Montana’s construction landscape and leadership
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l i gh t up th e n i gh t
Turn empty glass bottles into charming outdoor torches that add a warm glow to your patio
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country7 ROOTS
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7 WHERE FARMHOUSE STYLE MEETS MONTANA LIVING
written by GAYLE SMITH photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
THE ALLURE OF MONTANA is its wide-open spaces —
the chance to savor sunrises and sunsets from the porch and enjoy the quiet of country living. One Billings family found that little slice of paradise in the hills surrounding Billings, just five miles from the heart of the city. Courtney and Jonny Kibblewhite knew they wanted to live in the country to be close to family, with enough land to accommodate not only their two kids but two dogs, horses and sheep. “It’s so important to us to have a place where our kids can run outside and play, where we know they are safe,” Courtney says. Jonny adds, “I happened to see this house had just gone on the market. Right away we took a look. Everything about it was right for us.” This early ’90s home needed interior updating. Fortunately, Courtney had known Kristy and Debbie Ferguson, owners of Beyond the Box, for many years so she didn’t hesitate to reach out when she and Jonny wanted to start tackling the project. “We knew we wanted to do some remodeling on the main floor as all the rooms were boxed-in, which was the style back then.” Courtney says. SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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WE KNEW WE WOULD BE IN THIS HOME FOREVER. KRISTY HELPED ME SEE THE FUTURE. THIS IS WHERE WE MAKE MEMORIES WITH OUR FAMILY. — Courtney Kibblewhite
IT STARTS WITH AN ISLAND
for the entire space.”
When Kristy and Courtney first met to discuss the remodel, Kristy didn’t want to overwhelm Courtney with a lot of decisions. With the kitchen as the natural family gathering space and heart of the home, she started by finding out what colors Courtney was drawn to and showing her a few kitchen cabinet colors.
Courtney knew that whatever decisions were made, they had to stand the test of time.
After Courtney shared a desire for a counter in a lighter hue, the design process began. “Starting with the kitchen,” Kristy says, “one major decision becomes the focal point for the rest of the design and look and feel
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As they made a few major decisions, the project moved on to flooring, lighting, cabinet hardware, faucets, tile and wall colors. “As the project grows, more team members are brought in,” Kristy says. “It’s a lot of people that come together to make everything work.”
IT TAKES A TEAM
START IN FALL - SO GET PLANTING! KEE
“We knew we would be in this home forever,” she says. “Kristy helped me see the future. This is where we make memories with our family.”
After their initial meeting, Kristy gave Courtney some homework. Go on Pinterest and find inspiration, looking for home interiors that appealed to her. “Kristy and her team are amazing at what they do,” Courtney says. “I haven’t spent a lot of time looking at different designs, so I didn’t really know how to begin.” In the end, all of her choices leaned toward what the team called “transitional farmhouse style.”
RIGHT OFF THE KITCHEN, SITS A CHIC AND CONVENIENT BEVERAGE STATION. IT NOT ONLY FEATURES TWO MINI FRIDGES, BUT OFFERS HIDDEN OUTLETS, PLENTY OF STORAGE AND A BIT OF MOOD LIGHTING.
Kristy and her team then went to work mapping out the renovation. They built a budget and assembled a project team, which included Aaron Koenigsberg, owner of King’s Mountain Builders. “We kept seeing a recurring theme in the Pinterest images Courtney chose,” Aaron says. “It was painted beadboard, which we incorporated throughout the home.” He also accented the home with a type of trim that added that timeless detail to every room. “The kitchen is a focal point,” Courtney says. “Once I made some choices here, I could look around and think about what else I wanted to do that made everything mesh.” Aaron’s first objective was to remove a wall to open up the space. A white oak beam across the edge of the kitchen serves as a load-bearing wall, carrying the weight of the second floor. That same white oak can also be found in the fireplace mantle and set above the living area, creating a design statement. Opening up the space also helped expand the kitchen, making way for a large island topped with Calacatta Villa quartz. The stone features 78
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BEAUTIFUL & AFFORDABLE GLASS DESIGNS
shades of gray meandering across a creamy canvas. “The countertop and backsplash are also done in this clean, rich, finish,” Kristy says. Courtney chose painted Alabaster perimeter kitchen cabinets and built-ins, which are light, bright and easy to clean. Featuring knotty alder, the wood brings a warm, country feel. Right off the kitchen, sits a chic and convenient beverage station. It not only features two mini fridges, but offers hidden outlets, plenty of storage and a bit of mood lighting. The stylish storage continues in the laundry room, with its tall built-in cabinets. “The kids are 6 and 9 and we wanted the home to grow with them, so it made sense
for everyone to have their own locker space that can hold all of our belongings right when we come through the door,” she explains. A serene sitting area, with floor-to-ceiling built-ins perfect for books, mementos, and storage, looks out into the expansive countryside. Just a few steps away is a cozy living space ready for relaxation. “The fireplace has character and knotty features but it’s subtle, adding to the gentle ambience of the home,” adds Aaron. Up the new staircase, made of white oak, sits the master suite, two additional bedrooms and a bath.
(406) 259-3426 2850 Grand Ave, Billings, MT Zach Wilson, Owner rockymountainglassmt.com info@rockymountainglassmt.com SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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THE PROJECT GROWS This home renovation started out as a main-floor project. As progress was made, a few roadblocks came up with this four-bedroom, three-and-a-half bath, 4,200 square foot home. “During the remodel, we found and addressed a lump in the entry ceiling and leaky plumbing from the master bath upstairs, which had created mold and water damage,” Aaron says.
Since ceilings and walls had to be replaced, the Kiblewhites decided to go all in, remodeling the upper floor and parts of the basement. While the renovation took about a year and a half, it led to everything the family wanted in a home.
PEELING BACK THE LAYERS Since the project moved up to the second floor, Aaron was able to remove a small bedroom, transforming it instead into a walk-in master closet. The master bath and closet doors work like barn
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doors, opening from side to side, and give a nod to transitional farmhouse in their design and color. The master bath boasts a soaking tub and a double-headed shower, with brick-pattern tiles. The unique design continues in the floor tile, which is set in a charming herringbone pattern. One thoughtful feature in the master bath is a built-in lit jewelry box, concealed by a mirror front.
MORE THAN JUST A REMODEL The results of this full-scale remodel speak for themselves. Rooms are draped in a crisp white throughout this light-filled home. As the Kibblewhite family settles into its new, family-centered home, they are grateful for the team that helped them mold and fashion the design. Even Courtney and Jonny’s 9-year-old daughter shared insight on the tour of the renovation, expressing her love for this new country home. Courtney agrees. “Making decisions intentionally impacts the following decision and then the next, linking it all together, she says. But with all the decisions made, the family is now able to settle into a home that is uniquely theirs. They know while they had the final say, they couldn’t have done it alone. “In a challenging process that you are not familiar with,” Courtney says, “it really does take a team to walk you through.” ✻
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Home Ownership What if
You may still love your home. That doesn’t mean you want to spend the next decade taking care of it. Nothing is necessarily wrong with a house you’ve loved or lived in for a long time. That’s almost the problem. Someone must clean the gutters, shovel the driveway, cut the grass, or replace the furnace. And every time you leave town, there’s that little checklist running in the back of your mind. The house keeps doing what houses do: asking to be cared for. Meanwhile, your life may be asking you to do the opposite. Go... Take the trip. Stay another week with the grandkids. Meet a friend for lunch. Spend Saturday doing something you actually enjoy instead of working through another list around the house. For years, we’ve talked about this stage of life as downsizing. Maybe that’s the wrong word. Because the goal isn’t necessarily to have less. It’s to have less standing between you and the life you want.
asked less of you?
When home starts asking for too much You can love your home and still be ready for a different way to live. Maybe you want to travel more. Spend more time with family. Stop planning weekends around yard work, snow removal, and the next thing that needs fixing.
Village Cooperative of Billings offers another option. Designed for adults 62+, cooperative living gives members a private home of their own and freedom from the traditional responsibility of home ownership.
That doesn’t necessarily mean giving up homeownership.
Exterior maintenance. Lawn care. Snow removal. Building upkeep. There’s underground parking, shared spaces when you want company, and your own front door when you don’t. The point is to make your home ask less of you.
Maybe the next move isn’t about having less. It’s about having more freedom for what comes next.
Your home should fit your life. Not run it. Learn more about Village Cooperative of Billings and upcoming informational seminars.
Sales Manager
P RI M EH
O
Se Fa lling st! M
ES
RE M AIN
Rhonda Olson (406) 831-0331 billings@reedevelopment.com
HOMETOWN
LEAVING HER MARK ON HER
BILLINGS WOMAN WORKS BEHIND THE SCENES TO PROMOTE BUILDING SAFETY written by LINDA HALSTEAD-ACHARYA photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN
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THERE’S A PLAQUE on the ground floor of Billings City
Hall that commemorates those who were instrumental in transforming the old federal building into a showcase for city services. Not only is Jessica Fust’s name on that plaque but so, too, is a statement she wrote: “This building is dedicated to the citizens of Billings and the public servants that make our city great.” Jessica laughs as she explains that she intended the inscription to serve only as a place holder until someone came up with a loftier phrase. “But they kept it,” she says, smiling. Jessica was hardly thinking of herself when she inserted that line, but she certainly fits the bill. For the past 11 years she has worked her way up through several positions in city government. Today her official title is building official. If the designation sounds generic, make no mistake, her job is not.
and being willing to listen to a lot of different perspectives.” Jessica’s interest in building and engineering was sparked early on. “I always loved math and was spatially inclined,” she says. “I was always building with Legos.” While in high school, she opted for drafting classes and worked with her engineer father at the family business, Energy AD. After graduating from Billings West High, Jessica moved to the Twin Cities where she earned a degree in architecture from the University of Minnesota and stayed on to work for CMA Architects. “I did a lot of construction management,” she says, “making sure contractors got the projects done on time and on budget.” After the birth of her first daughter, she was drawn back to Montana. In 2015 she applied for, and was hired, in Billings’ building department. While working her way up, she added a master’s degree in public administration.
Imagine picking out color schemes for the new city hall, working with architects on Intermountain Health’s new 14-story hospital and making sure the South Park Pool project is safe for swimmers of all ages.
She had just been named facilities manager in January 2020, when Covid hit. She found herself not only making major facility decisions but procuring essentials like toilet paper and hand sanitizer.
If that didn’t keep her busy enough, she’s in charge of a department that has already issued 2,385 permits this year — for everything from single family homes to commercial buildings to solar projects.
“We had to set up plexiglass (barriers) and social distancing signs,” she adds.
“There’s something new every day,” she says. “Last week I was at the hockey rink helping get that open. I get all sorts of phone calls with weird questions, and I enjoy going to job sites and meeting people.” Jessica is deeply involved in both code and community. “Codes” are the myriad of building codes that her department is tasked with enforcing. Most of those codes come in response to a tragedy that might have been averted, such as a disastrous fire. “(We ask ourselves) what could have been done differently to prevent injury and death?” she says. Those codes would carry less meaning for her if not for her commitment to community. “I like the public servant side of it, to contribute to my hometown,” she says. “That really appealed to me. It’s something more meaningful.”
About that same time, the city began considering buying the 1963 federal building to remodel into Billings City Hall. The previous owners had addressed the asbestos problem and installed fire sprinklers, making the conversion possible. The timing proved propitious in one way, as Covid funding suddenly became available. “That meant we didn’t need to go to the voters for a bond,” Jessica says. The massive remodel, which involved most of the 400,000-squarefoot building, was designed with the intent of serving for the next half century. The project occupied much of Jessica’s time from 2020 until March 2025, when all of the offices had moved in. The finished remodel is a source of pride for not only Jessica but the entire team that made it happen. “That was several years of my life,” she says.
Jessica thrives on the variety of her work and she is energized by the many opportunities she has to solve problems. Yet, despite working in a field that demands detail, she has come to value the human side of her role.
The result is a city hall that is spacious, attractive and awash in light provided from its 600-plus new energy-efficient windows. And yet, all is not new. Some of the original terrazzo tile floors have been restored and the entire Lyndon Pomeroy wall sculpture that welcomed visitors into the 1963 federal building remain. They serve as reminders of the building’s past and earned it a place on the National Register of Historic Places.
“I think so much is about personal relationships,” she says. “I find myself relying on that more than technical knowledge. A lot in project management is getting the right people in the right place
The project’s timing, however, was not only complicated by Covid but by a major challenge in Jessica’s life. Several years earlier, in her young 30s, she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. After SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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I THINK SO MUCH IS ABOUT PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. I FIND MYSELF RELYING ON THAT MORE THAN TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE. A LOT IN PROJECT MANAGEMENT IS GETTING THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AND BEING WILLING TO LISTEN TO A LOT OF DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES. — Jessica Fust
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surviving that battle, and just as the City Hall project was taking off, she was diagnosed with endometrial cancer. “There definitely were some rough times,” she says, adding that the city and her staff were understanding and supportive throughout. She was told not to worry about the demands of her job, and yet she persisted. “The project helped me keep my mind off treatments,” she says. “I’d rather be distracted, thinking about other things.” The double-whammy gave Jessica a new set of priorities.
y t i l i b i s s Po
P OW E R I N G
“It taught me what things we should and shouldn’t be worried about in our lives,” she says. “It impacted me as a person and how I approach my work.” The experiences also introduced her to a new role as the state leader for the Young Cancer Survivors Coalition. Through that organization, she connects with survivors who seek ongoing support. Jessica has taken on a breadth of roles. Last fall, she was elected by her peers to serve as a new board director for the prestigious International Code Council, for which she represents an eight-state and three Canadian province area stretching from Idaho to Wisconsin.
VI SI T W W W. Y VE C. COM FOR M E M BE R R E BATE S A N D MO RE
“I like being busy,” she says, smiling. That busyness will escalate as the 2027 legislative session approaches. As staff liaison for the city council’s legislative committee, she tracks what’s happening in Helena. “If there’s legislation that will champion public safety, that’s definitely a priority with the council,” she says. Although she thrives on being busy, Jessica makes time to kick back with her new husband and their two teenage daughters. She’s especially excited for an August trip to Italy — in part a belated honeymoon. But the choice of destination underscores what makes Jessica tick. “It’s been my life-long dream,” she says. “I’ve always wanted to go see all of the architecture there.” ✻
LINDA HALSTEAD-ACHARYA, writer A long-time resident of the Columbus area, Linda HalsteadAcharya enjoys spending time and learning from her rural neighbors. She has a degree in wildlife biology but for the past 25 years has pursued a career sharing other people's stories in print. She loves riding, writing and traveling.
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breaking barriers
BREAKING GROUND &
ERIN KIRSCHENMANN IS RESHAPING MONTANA’S CONSTRUCTION LANDSCAPE AND LEADERSHIP written by JENNIFER ALBRIGHT photography by DANIEL SULLIVAN and KE CONSTRUCTION
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ERIN AND BRYCE
IN THE WORLD OF commercial construction — steel
buildings, heavy civil work, and projects that demand grit and precision — women rarely sit at the head of the table directing projects. But at KE Construction in Billings, President Erin Kirschenmann has spent more than a decade proving that leadership in this industry doesn’t have to look the way it always has. Erin didn’t enter the construction industry through a family legacy or a traditional route. She initially envisioned herself in hospitality, running a resort. Instead, she carved out her place in construction the same way she approaches everything — with curiosity, persistence and a willingness to learn every job from the ground up. Today, she leads a company with around 65 employees, manages a growing leadership team, designs buildings across the region, and still makes time to build forts with her young daughters at the end of the day, her favorite kind of construction. “I thought, what woman would choose construction?” Erin says. “But, it kind of just seems like it evolved, and I ran with it.”
Erin met her husband, Bryce, during those early Montana visits. They married young — Erin was 21, Bryce 24 — and KE Construction grew alongside their marriage. “I’ve never known marriage outside of our company,” she says. “We call KE our third kid because it takes all our time, money, and energy.”
FINDING HER VOICE IN A MALE-DOMINATED INDUSTRY TELLING THEM WHAT I’M GOING TO DO, HOW I’M GOING TO DO IT, AND THEN ACTUALLY DOING IT BUILDS THEIR CONFIDENCE IN ME. I AM THE ONE WHO’S GOT IT TOGETHER. — Erin Kirschenmann
Originally from Michigan, Erin came west after meeting a friend from Montana on a high school trip to Washington, D.C. A visit turned into a transfer to Rocky Mountain College, where she completed her business degree, and unknowingly designed the KE Construction logo for a class project. “It was just something to check a box,” she says with a laugh. “And now it’s still our logo 12 years later.”
Although Erin and Bryce run KE Construction side by side, with Erin’s strengths in leadership, client relations and design, and Bryce’s strengths in sales, the industry doesn’t always see them as equals. Erin has spent years navigating the quiet but persistent tendency for clients, vendors, and even new hires to default to requesting “one of the guys” when they need answers. More than once, someone has bypassed her entirely, asking for Bryce or another male employee, even when Erin is the person leading the project. It’s a subtle dismissal, rooted in longstanding assumptions about who belongs in construction, and one she’s had to confront with steady confidence and consistent follow-through.
“I think a lot of it is follow-through and transparency,” Erin says. “Telling them what I’m going to do, how I’m going to do it, and then actually doing it builds their confidence in me. I am the one who’s got it together.” SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2026
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105 BREWING
Erin can also easily describe and pitch what an end product will look like, painting a picture with words, while Bryce ensures they build it correctly, and then Erin wraps up by ensuring they stay on budget. “I’ll talk them through how our bidding process works,” she says of the trajectory, “and as we work through design, we constantly refer to their budget so there are no surprises.”
BUILDING A CAREER FROM THE GROUND UP Erin’s first experience in construction wasn’t at KE. She interned with another firm, where she quickly learned what it meant to be a woman in a male-dominated environment. “I didn’t know how to navigate it,” she admits. Ironically, she found herself back in construction almost immediately, this time helping Bryce with bookkeeping in the evenings. As the business grew, she stepped in full-time, taking on what92
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ever role was needed: laborer, estimator, project manager, bookkeeper, human resources manager, information technology manager, designer, safety and quality control manager, and marketing director. “I’ve been in their shoes,” she says. “I’ve worn the hard hat. I’ve done the labor. That matters when you’re leading people.” One of her favorite photographs hangs in her office showing her and Bryce, much younger, building a mini-storage unit together. “It reminds me how hard the work is on your body,” she says. “And how important it is to understand what our crews go through.” That empathy has shaped her leadership — and her estimates. “If you’ve never done the work, you’ll say something takes a day when it really takes three,” she explains. “Having been out there changes how you lead.”
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often stereotyped as simple rectangles. Erin has made it her mission to challenge that assumption. “I love taking what people think of as a rectangle and making it beautiful,” she says. Her designs lean modern and clean, often incorporating sleek metal cladding, wood accents, and bold color choices. She’s self-taught, guided by a natural artistic eye inherited from her grandfather, an oil painter. “My favorite clients are the ones who say, ‘I trust you. Go for it.’ That creative freedom is incredible.” She uses computer design tools, occasionally experimenting with AI for inspiration. “Some of the AI ideas aren’t buildable,” she laughs, “but it’s a great tool. The sooner you embrace it, the further ahead you’ll be.”
LEADING WITH TRANSPARENCY AND HUMANITY As KE Construction has grown, Erin’s role has evolved into one centered on leadership, communication and culture. She oversees three directors who report to her, and she’s intentional about staying connected to the people behind the projects. “Being a real person matters,” she points out. “I check in on people. I take accountability. I admit my faults. If I expect that from my team, I have to model it.” She’s equally committed to building community within the company. KE recently launched “Good Company,” a series of summer mixers designed to help employees from different crews connect. “We have so many people who never cross paths,” she says. “Seeing them introduce themselves and hang out longer than expected — it made me proud.” This year, KE Construction is launching a wellness program unlike anything Erin has seen in the industry. Their new office will feature a full gym, and they’ve hired a registered dietitian with a background in strength training to lead the initiative. “I don’t want people leaving KE saying their bodies are wrecked,” she says. “I want them to leave better than when they came.”
BALANCING LEADERSHIP AND MOTHERHOOD Erin and Bryce have two daughters, ages 5 and 2, and she lights up when she talks about them. “We’re in the thick of parenthood and running a business that keeps growing,” she says with a smile. Her daughters already know that their mom builds large structures. They drive past buildings she has designed, with Erin pointing out her work. Back at home, they build forts together, demonstrating that creativity and building come in many forms. She hopes her legacy is one that lasts. “You hope your building stands for a long time,” Erin says as she imagines her girls hopefully driving by them as adults. “I’ve designed quite a few buildings, and when I step back and look at them, it’s very humbling.” ✻
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BEING A REAL PERSON MATTERS. I CHECK IN ON PEOPLE. I TAKE ACCOUNTABILITY. I ADMIT MY FAULTS. IF I EXPECT THAT FROM MY TEAM, I HAVE TO MODEL IT.
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Light Up
The Night
LOOK W HAT WE FOU ND
written & photography by LOVELY HITCHCOCK
TURN EMPTY GLASS BOTTLES INTO CHARMING OUTDOOR TORCHES THAT ADD A WARM GLOW TO YOUR PATIO
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Instructions 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
ollect glass bottles with attractive shapes or labels then wash and C dry them thoroughly. I like saving interesting bottles specifically for this project. Trim the torch wick to the appropriate length for your bottle. Fill the bottle about halfway with citronella torch fuel.
Zoo Lights
Moisten the end of the wick with a small amount of the fuel before Take time out of the holiday shopping frenzy, pack up the family in lighting. This helps it ignite more easily. the car and enjoy a magical holiday light display during ZooMontana’s Place a washer onto the bottle, insert the reducer coupling then the Zoo Lights.The display will be open in December - the 7th-8th, 14thwick into the bottle and make sure it fits securely. The washer just 15th, and 20th-24th from 5pm to 9pm each night. zo o m ont a na . org
helps to stabilize the reducer coupling
Light the wick and enjoy the cozy outdoor atmosphere.
Cha se hawks Rodeo
What you
will need..
• Clean glass bottle • Torch wicks s • Copper reducer c oupli
.
appropr ng (Choo iate size se for the o the bott pest n in le to s& g Beauty the Bea of upport t he wick) C o p p er tupresents Billings Studio Theatre be cap “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Junior,” January St10th-13th. ainless s Brainy and beautiful Belle yearns to escape teeincluding l flat washer brute of a suitor, Gaston. her narrow and restricted life her C it r o nelland Belle gets adventurous a becomes a captive in the Beast’s a toas rchresult fuel enchanted castle! Dancing flatware, menacing wolves and singing
• • •
furniture fill the stage with thrills during this beloved fairy tale about very different people finding strength in one another as they learn how to love.b i l l i n g sst u d i ot h ea t re. com
Touted as one of the best rough stock rodeos in America, the Chase Hawks Rodeo takes place in the Rimrock Auto Arena on December 22nd.Top cowboys and stock come straight from the National Finals FRinge FestivaL Rodeo in Las Vegas to compete right here in Billings, Montana. Venture Theatre presents its Fringe Festival, January 18th-19th and And best of all, it’s for a great cause. The Chase Hawks Memorial A COLORFUL DESIGN WITH TISSUE PAPER, PAPER NAPKINS OR FABRIC 25th-26th.The festival features four nights of shows featuring local Association works to bring comfort and assistance to families during and regional performing artists of all types including dance, standup times of tragedy and crisis.m e t r a p a r k .c o m comedy, theater improv, one act plays, musicals, performance art, Start by cleaning your project surface thoroughly. Decoupage Once the design is fullyand dry,puppetry.vent apply a protective coat of spoken word/poetry, u ret heatr e .decoupage or g
Add a Little Pizazz with Decoupage STEP 1: PREPARE YOUR SURFACE
STEP 3: SEAL YOUR PROJECT
works beautifully on glass, metal, ceramic and many other smooth surfaces.
medium or a clear sealer over the entire surface. Let the finish souL stReet danCe dry thoroughly. For an extra-smooth, professional-looking result, lightly coats using sandpaper, thenon apply Thissand high between energy show comes tofine-grit the Alberta Bair Theater January an additional coat if desired. 19th and presents a new era in dance, while pushing the artistic
If you’re using thin paper or decorative napkins, paint your project with a light-colored acrylic or chalk paint before applying your design. This prevents the background from showing through and helps the colors appear brighter. Trim or tear your paper or cut fabric into the desired shapes. For decorative napkins, carefully separate the layers and use only the top printed layer.
STEP 2: APPLY THE DESIGN
boundaries of street dance. Soul Street concerts consist of a mix of
SAFETY NOTE: intended for outmovement thatOnly will use keepcitronella you at thetorch edgefuel of your seat. The music is door torches. Avoid using tall or narrow bottles that could tip over combined with an electric mix ranging from hip-hop to classical. easily. Use the copper tube cap as a snuffer to extinguish the flame It’s a show that will make you laugh and keep audiences of all ages safely instead of blowing it out. Keep wick trimmed to avoid irregentertained. ular burn patterns. As always, keep away from children, pets and flammable objects. ✻
a ConCeRt Fo R the whoLe FamiLy
Brush a thin, even coat of decoupage glue onto the area where the paper will be placed. Carefully position the paper onto the bottle. Starting at the center, gently smooth it outward with your fingers, a small handh a veofy plastic o u r e v wrap, e n t s lto i s tremove e d h e r ewrinkles , e m a i l and air held roller, or To a piece bubbles. Allow the glue j e s to s i cdry a @ completely b i l l i n g s 3 6 5before .c o m moving to the next step.
Billings Symphony presents Family Concert on January 26th at the LOVELYitsHITCHCOCK, Alberta Bair Theater. writer/photographer Four time Grammy nominees, “Trout Fishing in America,” will perform alongcomfort with the Symphony. Balancing zonesBillings with occasional leaps Trout of Lovelyduo embraces life performs as a mother,folk friend, craft and Fishing in America is afaith, musical which rock junkie, foodie, and sporadic gym-goer who now children’s music. b i l l i nconsiders g ssy mpsimply hon y.showing c om up a victory. A risk-taker yet a problem avoider, fierce yet wimpy, she has recently discovered a love for solo adventures and will always be a pixel shooter.
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