Business Bites: childcare grants; Little Shell event center; Ignite 2025; Station District opening; Banff film festival; Sacagawea program; GFPS job fair; youth activities – The Electric

Childcare grants

Zero to Five Montana, in partnership with the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services Bright Futures Birth to Five program, is offering a one-time grant opportunity for Montana employers through the Family Forward Montana initiative to develop an employer-sponsored child care program. The goal of the program is to implement a child care strategy reflective of the goals of the employer that is sustainable and creates cost sharing
between the employee, employer and the state.

Grants range from $10,000 to $100,000 depending on the size and scope of the employer’s project plan.  Grant funding will total $2 million to be awarded in two cohorts over 2024 and 2025. Data collected from this pilot will help inform future public private partnerships.

Interested employers can apply here by Feb. 7 with final decisions and employer notification no later than Feb.
28.

A webinar is scheduled for noon Jan. 17 for employers to learn more.

According to a 2024 report by the Montana Department of Labor and Industry, 40 percent of Montana businesses say they are unable to find and retain a qualified workforce due to a lack of child care, and 30% of businesses say inadequate child care has prevented their company from growing.

Montana child care facts, according to a Zero to Five Montana release:

• licensed childcare capacity in Montana meets only 44 percent of the demand
• childcare shortages exist in every county, with 59 percent of counties identified as childcare deserts, where supply meets less than one-third of demand
• in 2023, families were paying an average of 28 percent of their household income on childcare, or $11,700 on average
• 62 percent of Montana parents say they missed work due to a childcare-related issue.

Little Shell event venue

The Little Shell Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Montana announced in December that is plans to submit an application to the U.S. Department of Interior requesting approval to construct an event center and resort on Mount Royal overlooking Hill 57.

The Little Shell regained federal recognition in 2019 and has since grown to nearly 7,000 members with $480,000 in annual federal funding.

Business Bites: Candy Masterpiece closing; Thrive Cycle moving; Bloom and Bean open in new spot; Tres65 closing; Project Noel, Clear Your Stash drives; Giving Tuesday; Cascade XCELL; Safety Town; Pirates of Penzance; pedal trolley

Due to the limited funding, “the Tribe faces substantial challenges in meeting the needs of its community,” and in a release said the propose event center will help address those challenges “by creating a strong, stable economic foundation for the Tribe.”

The Little Shell proposal includes:

• 200-room hotel
• 30,000-square-foot indoor waterpark
• 10,000-square-foot multipurpose event space
• 8-lane bowling alley and arcade
• 500-machine gaming facility
• 9,700-person capacity arena for entertainment and sports
• multiple food and beverage venues including scenic dining

“This proposal marks the first step in a multi-year process, with approval and construction timelines yet to be determined. The Tribe remains committed to fostering development, growth, innovation, and sustainability for its citizens and the larger community,” according to a release.

The Electric asked the press contact for the Little Shell about whether the property would be annexed into the city; if they’d discussed the project with city or county planning staff; how public safety needs would be supported; how infrastructure will be installed; and how the project will be funded, among other development related questions.

Business Bites: Times Square, Harlos have new owners; Station District food hall update; Hallmark closing; bubble tea coming; Vintage Sellers moving soon; Denny’s not closing; First Peoples Buffalo Jump hikes

Terra Branson-Thomas, a senior policy advisor, with Clause Law responded stating the Tribe “is still in the early planning stages” and “we’re not able to share further details at this time.”

Clause Law is a Washington, D.C. based firm that provides “legal and policy solutions to tribal nations, tribal organizations, and tribally-owned businesses. Our dedicated team harnesses their unique skill sets to tackle many of the challenges that Indian Country faces. Clause Law is not just a law firm or a policy shop – it is both. Combining these two platforms and expertise in one firm allows us to provide specialized solutions that achieve our clients’ objectives,” according to the firm’s website.

The Tribe owns land in the proposed area that is currently in the county.

Cascade County Commissioner Joe Briggs said the Tribe had requested a meeting with commissioners in mid-December, but he didn’t know if it was related to the event venue proposal. Briggs said they weren’t able to meet and county officials had no other details beyond the Tribe’s announcement.

Business Bites: Tony Roma’s opens Monday; Feather Your Nest, Belles and Lace closing; Sisters Cafe open; housing rules; downtown development; new exhibit at Russell Museum

Ignite

Great Falls Development Alliance is hosting Ignite 2025 on Jan. 10.

The event includes updates on projects and some announcements of new projects.

Doors open at 7:30 a.m. at The Newberry and the program runs 8-11 a.m.

Business Bites: Broadway in Great Falls; food pantry donation; NWGF expands savings program; Old Chicago remodel underway; Wheat Montana expanding; Claire’s closing; medical degree, residency programs; human trafficking program

Station District

The Station District Bar and Eatery is set to open Jan. 17.

The new food hall, which is in the new portion added onto the Milwaukee Station, between the historic building and the new apartment construction, will have four food concepts that The Electric first reported in early October.

Business Bites: New food hall opening in The Station District; Crown Room Casino new owners; The Press Club opening; Mac Attack kitchen takeover

Those concepts were explained then by Tyson Holzheimer as:

• Cascate: Italian deli: with pizza, charcuterie boards, salads, muffaletta sandwiches
• Barrio Cantina: Mexican: barbacoa, pork carnitas and more, similar to the booth he had at the fair the last two summers
• Yama-Asian Kitchen: Pan-Asian: build your own bowl, pick base and protein, plus small plates like pan fried veggie dumplings, chicken skewers and pork belly bao buns
• Big Sky Grill: American: burgers, brats, chicken sandwiches, fries

The space also includes a coffee shop, a bar area, seating available on two floors, both indoor and outdoor seating and  second-floor event space.

Business Bites: New food hall opening in The Station District; Crown Room Casino new owners; The Press Club opening; Mac Attack kitchen takeover

The food hall will be open to residents and the public alike.

The property owner, Big Sky Select Properties, also owns the Mighty Mo building and opened the apartments above the brew pub, the federal courthouse building and the Lee Forest Building on 1st Avenue North downtown.

Big Sky Select chose OVG Hospitality, the food and beverage division of Oak View Group, to create and define the dining and hospitality experiences, including programming.

Nikki Lintz, regional manager for the property management group handling the apartments, told The Electric that they’re leasing well but not to 80 percent yet, which was a number floated at a downtown market assessment presentation on Nov. 13. One-bedroom units are still available.

The building has 121 units, with a mix of studio, one- and two-bedrooms starting at $1,445 per month.

Business Bites: Rocky Mountain building for sale; gymnastics academy closed; Cup Bop, Cambridge Court for sale; Malmstrom contract; Front Agency opens in Fairfield; Eagle Scout paints Memorial Stadium; permits issued and more

GFPS Job Fair

Great Falls Public Schools is hosting a job fair 3-5 p.m. Jan. 22 at Paris Gibson Education Center, 2400 Central Ave.

The district is hiring crossing guards, substitute teachers, aides, food service and engineers.

GFPS CORE teachers

Great Falls Public Schools is hosting an informational meeting at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 23 at Morningside Elementary, 4119 7th Ave. N., Room A4, about becoming an elementary teacher and joining the second cohort of student teachers through the University of Montana-Western’s education program.

Business Bites: seafood restaurant planned for former Black Bear Diner; new Panda Express opening; Black Eagle Country Club for sale; Chadwick mural dedication; Russell Museum events; Reichert celebration of life; and more

Youth Activities

The Community Early Education Center is hosting several youth activities in January and February.

The first is Winter Wonderland Activities 5:30-8 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Community Recreation Center, 801 2nd Ave. N.

The event includes winter crafts, an indoor snowball fight, build an igloo and more.

The event is free to registered program participants and $5 to the public.

The center is hosting Teen Night from 5:30-10:30 p.m. Jan. 17, open to youth in grades 5-12 with games, crafts and more. Entry is $5.

The Community Early Education Center is hosting a Valentine’s Party from 5:30-8 p.m. Feb. 7 when kids can make their own Valentines Day boxes. All materials are supplied and entry is $5.

Business Bites: Vintage Sellers, Yarn and Honey moving; Miss Linda’s registration open; Ranch at Milo Creek open house; optometrist opens; Evergreen Nutrition, Cozy Corner Cafe for sale; Back 2 School Blast

Candy Masterpiece closing, In Cahoots is not

Candy Masterpiece is closing.

Owner Angie Bruskotter said in December that after 25 years in business, she’s retiring from the candy business on Jan. 31.

Her neighbors at In Cahoots for Tea wants the community to know that despite rumors, they are not closing and are operating normally.

Business Bites: Big Lots closing; NWE acquiring Energy West; Joanns update; Albertsons merger; Luz’s Mexican kitchen; Eagles Manor auction; and more

Life in Bloom

Carrie Hayes purchased Life In Bloom at 301 Central Ave. and is holding a ribbon cutting at 4 p.m. Jan. 15.

She was previously the marketing coordinator at the Great Falls Area Chamber of Commerce and owned a flower shop in Oregon.

Business Bites: Firehouse Steamers for sale; community kitchen opening; Joann Fabric under construction; Scheels still not moving; Old Chicago opening later this year; Stuff the Bus and more

Lewis and Clark event

Barb Kubik, a Corps of Discovery historian, is presenting “Sacagawea: How She is Portrayed in Art, Sculpture and Stories and What We Know About Her” at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, 4201 Giant Springs Road, at 7 p.m. Jan. 9.

Her program includes some of stories that have accumulated for 220 years about Sah-kah-gar we a, the young Agaiduka Shoshone woman who accompanied the 33-member Corps of Discovery, according to the center.

Kubik will discuss how Sacagawea is used as a symbol, portrayed in art and sculpture, and how the stories, symbols and statues compare to what knowledge of her.

Business Bites: JBs closed; Craft Beer Week; Lewis and Clark Festival; Chase Your Dreams closing; Big Sky Big Dreams for sale; Prairie Mountain River Adventures; Pizza Ranch, Joann updates; Juneteenth; Giant Springs activities; Arts on Fire; Yarn and Honey moving

Kubik has lived and worked along the Pacific Northwest portion of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail for more than 40 years, exploring the trail and the story.

Kubik’s program is part of the Ida Johnson Speaker Series and is free to the public. The program is sponsored by the Portage Route Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Alliance. For more information, contact the interpretive center at 406-727-8733.

Banff Film Festival

The Banff Centre Mountain Film Festival World Tour returns to Great Falls Jan 10.

The Great Falls Ski Patrol is partnering again this year with the Banff Centre For Arts and Creativity for the event.

The movie will be shown Jan. 10 in the Great Falls High School auditorium at 6:30 p.m.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m.

Tickets are available at Bighorn Outdoor Specialists, 206 5th St. S. and online here.

Business Bites: Farmer’s Market opening; First Friday Art Walk; library events; Back 2 School Blast; Summer Trails Day; Daydream Boutique, Yarn and Honey moving; TroyStrong blood drive and more

Chris La Tray

The Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art is hosting “Montana’s Poet Laureate” with Chris La Tray on Jan. 9 at 5:30 p.m. at the museum, 1400 1st Ave. N.

The presentation is free and open to the public.

Funding for the Montana Conversations program is provided by Humanities Montana through grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities, Montana’s Cultural Trust and private donations.

Business Bites: downtown Hardee’s sold; Mrs. Wrights Pastys closing; Honey Hippo has new owners; Hi-Line Climbing offering free climbing; Miss Linda’s, Montana Youth Symphony have upcoming events; Cascade 66 Race; Special Olympics Montana numbers; Korean War online exhibit; Safety Town; and more