Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How a court ruling reshaped gun-free zones around Billings schools

Make time for Christmas Eve worship on the Billings Patch calendar

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Wednesday December 24th Patch AM
Wednesday December 24th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Hi there, Billings! We've got your morning read ready! Read on to stay connected. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How a court ruling reshaped gun-free zones around Billings schools
  • How will Billings’ Western Heritage Center survive deep budget cuts?
  • Which Billings ranchers topped Montana’s biggest steer contest this year?

Also on today's calendar: Christmas Eve worship and 2 more events.

Find out what's happening in Billingsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Today's riddle: I used to work in a doughnut shop. 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

Find out what's happening in Billingsfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

  • Wednesday: Turning cloudy, with a high of 52 and low of 39 degrees.
  • Thursday: Considerable cloudiness, temps: high: 53, low: 41.
  • Friday: Variable cloudiness, with a high of 56 and low of 30 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Montana law of unintended consequence: Legislature wipes out gun-free school zones • Daily Montanan (dailymontanan.com) — A recent federal appeals court ruling means gun-free school “zones” in Montana now effectively stop at school property lines, leaving surrounding Billings neighborhoods like the area around Broadwater Elementary without the usual 1,000‑foot buffer. Local parents, teachers, police, and lawmakers are grappling with what this means after a Billings resident legally patrolled near the school with a shotgun, and any fix likely must wait until the 2027 Legislature.
   

2. New Western Heritage Center director ready for challenges (ktvq.com) — A new director, Becky Jeter, is taking the helm at Billings’ Western Heritage Center as it faces major budget cuts and the loss of longtime leader Kevin Kooistra. She hopes to boost community use of the downtown museum with more events and fresh exhibits when it reopens March 17. Staff say her energy and focus on local stories will be crucial to its future.
   

3. Montana Stockgrowers Foundation Announces Cattle Drive Program Winners (roundupweb.com) — Billings hosted the Montana Stockgrowers Foundation’s Cattle Drive Donor Banquet, where winners of the 2024 steer feedout contest were announced, including top honors for ranches in Billings and across the state. The program channels donated steers through Yellowstone Cattle Feeders near Billings to fund scholarships, leadership training, and data-driven improvements in Montana’s cattle genetics, with signups now open for the 2025 round.
   

4. Billings' Wonderland amusement park left lasting memories (kulr8.com) — Billings once had its own Wonderland amusement park, a 1950s attraction that mixed rides, a museum, a zoo, and even a racetrack along old US 10. Locals remember fishing the park’s lake, riding its train, and seeing visiting celebrities like Bozo the clown. Though it closed in 1961, pieces of its collection live on in regional museums and residents’ memories.
   

5. Facebook post ignites controversy over Holiday Nights tickets (ktvq.com) — Billings-area families heading to Holiday Nights at ZooMontana are being warned about confusion over tickets bought through the local site bidonbillings.com, which requires an in-person exchange for hard-copy tickets at a Billings radio station. Holiday Nights organizers say some guests arrived with only printed vouchers that couldn’t be scanned, while the broadcaster insists the tickets are legitimate if properly redeemed. Investigators also share tips to avoid ticket scams this season.
   

📸 Around Billings

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Billings

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

    Wednesday December 24
  • Christmas Eve worship
    Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church, 3580 N Benton Ave, Helena
    3:00 pm

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 Billings Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

🗓 Events Nearby

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Did anyone else see what looked like four eagles on the ground just NW of Shiloh and Hesper, on Saturday and Sunday?
    We saw them on the way out of town Saturday morning, and it was either 4 bald eagles (two juvenile) or two bald and two golden eagles. What a sight!… (Nextdoor Shiloh-Monad)
  • Be careful out there folks.
    The rain that fell this morning has already turned into a sheet of ice. I slipped walking home, and fell directly on my tailbone. (Nextdoor Casa Village)
  • Chipotle posted a job opening for Crew Member in Billings. Apply here.
  • Sodexo, Inc. posted a job opening for Billings Clinic Sodexo Cook in Billings. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Billings here.

Ok Billings! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: I got tired of the hole business.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what’s happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Billings