Billings Daily Digest Thursday, October 01, 2026
Ty's Take
Butte's wrestling with data centers while Helena's trying to fast-track affordable housing approvals, and meanwhile Billings is throwing its annual HarvestFest downtown. It's the kind of week that shows what separates a regional hub from the towns around it. We've got the energy and the foot traffic to host a festival; Helena and Butte are still sorting out how development actually works in their neighborhoods. Neither approach is wrong, exactly. But it says something about where this region is headed when one city's planning its next big gathering event and others are playing defense on land use. HarvestFest kicks off this weekend. Worth the trip if you haven't been in a couple years.
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Billings Gazette
With no ballot question, Butte will begin crafting potential temporary data center ban
Butte officials will move forward with developing a potential temporary ban on data centers after voters did not see the measure on the ballot. The city council plans to craft language for the proposed restriction during upcoming meetings.
How pre-reviewed building plans could streamline Helena’s affordable housing growth
Helena is exploring a streamlined approach to affordable housing development by pre-reviewing building plans to speed up project approvals. The initiative aims to remove bottlenecks that slow construction of new affordable units in the community.
Billings neighbors: Obituaries for October 1
This article publishes obituaries for Billings residents who passed away, providing the community with information about local deaths.
New job postings for Billings job seekers
This article highlights current job openings available to Billings residents seeking employment in the local market.
September 30 recap: Billings news you may have missed today
This article recaps the local news from September 30 in Billings that readers may have missed during the day.
Whole Foods Market grocery store coming to Missoula, real estate listing says
A real estate listing has confirmed that a Whole Foods Market grocery store is coming to Brooks Street in Missoula, according to a recent update. The listing appears to show the planned location for the new supermarket.
Man accused of scamming Huntley woman out of $41,000
A man faces charges for allegedly defrauding a Huntley woman out of $41,000 through a scam. Local law enforcement continues investigating the case.
Join downtown Billings for the 22nd annual HarvestFest
Downtown Billings will host the 22nd annual HarvestFest on Saturday, October 10, 2026, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with over 160 vendors, an Oktoberfest beer garden, live entertainment, and family activities filling the downtown streets below Skypoint.
Rocky golf sweeps Beartooth Invitational in Laurel
Rocky swept both team titles at the Beartooth Invitational in Laurel, with sophomore Sam Norman setting a tournament record with a 16-under-par 200 to win medalist honors by 15 strokes. The men's team finished 17-under-par as a group, while the No. 25-ranked women's team won by 70 strokes with...
Caleb Tomac earns Frontier Conference weekly honor
Caleb Tomac has been honored with a weekly award from the Frontier Conference for his athletic performance.
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