🌱 Billings Man Who Died Fleeing Police Identified + Area Vandalized

Hey, everybody. Lauren Kubiak here with your Wednesday edition of the Billings Patch newsletter, filled with all the community information you need to know right now.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: A t-storm around in the p.m.. High: 63 Low: 51.
• Thursday: Mostly sunny and warmer. High: 71 Low: 42.

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Here are the top three stories today in Billings:

1. A young Billings man named Brayden Hammill, 20, has been identified as the driver who was killed in a crash while driving a stolen pickup truck near Columbus on May 11. The incident is currently under investigation by multiple agencies, including the coroner's office, Montana Highway Patrol, Division of Criminal Investigation, and Stillwater County Sheriff's Office. The driver was attempting to evade law enforcement when the truck overturned, resulting in his death at the scene. (Billings Gazette)
2. Billing's own Oscar's Park, founded by Oscar and Marcella Cooke in Yellowstone County, houses the first schoolhouse built in the county in 1879. The family's dedication to preserving history led them to restore the schoolhouse, which originally had 13 students, on their land. Despite setbacks caused by historic flooding, the family aims to complete the restoration within the next two months and plans to build another structure to ensure the longevity of the schoolhouse for future generations to appreciate their town's history. (Q2 News)
3. Residents in the Billings Heights area expressed frustration after several locations were vandalized with graffiti over the weekend. The graffiti was spotted along Lake Elmo Drive, including the City Church of Billings and Lake Elmo State Park. Residents are concerned about the negative impact it has on the community and hope that reporting such incidents will lead to prompt action and discourage further vandalism. (Q2 News)

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Today and tomorrow in Billings:

Wednesday, May 17

• Trivia Night At Meadowlark Brewing (6:00 PM)
• Brew Scootin’ Boogie Dance Class Series Kickoff At Meadowlark Brewing (6:30 PM)

Thursday, May 18

• Diversity Billings Virtual Job Fair Hosted By JobFairX (11:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• The Yellowstone International Airshow, taking place in August, will feature a WWII-era flight display and performances by multiple military air teams, with an expected attendance of over 30,000 people. The airshow will showcase various flight teams, including the Air Force F16 Viper Team, the Navy's F18 Blue Angels, and a surprise demonstration involving explosions. (Q2 News)
• Full- and part-time job opportunities are available in the Billings area. Available positions include clerical office associate, digital account executive, housekeeper, assistant project manager, and more. More details about companies hiring in the area are available at the link. (Billings Patch)
• New homes have been listed for sale in the Billings area! Get all the property details at the link. (Billings Patch)

You're all caught up for today! I'll see you around.

— Lauren Kubiak

About me: Lauren is an Editor for Lightning Media Partners. She graduated from Rowan University with a Bachelor’s in journalism. She was previously a full-time editor at an association management firm, editing peer-reviewed nursing journals, textbooks, and newsletters.