Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How one longtime Santa is lifting spirits in St. Vincent’s NICU

And on the Billings Patch calendar - Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings

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Friday December 19th Patch AM
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Cheers Billings! We’re back, helping you stay up to date with what’s happening. Let's take on the day together! ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How one longtime Santa is lifting spirits in St. Vincent’s NICU
  • Could your May tax bill jump to rescue local schools?
  • Do outsiders have Billings all wrong—or are they onto something?

Also on today's calendar: Candlelight: Christmas Carols on Strings and 5 more events.

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

Today's riddle: What did one astronaut stranded on the moon say to another? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

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

  • Friday: A couple of showers, with a high of 59 and low of 30 degrees.
  • Saturday: Cooler; breezy in the p.m., temps: high: 45, low: 29.
  • Sunday: Mainly cloudy, with a high of 43 and low of 35 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Santa's special visit brings comfort to NICU families in Billings (kulr8.com) — Families with babies in the NICU at Billings’ St. Vincent Hospital are getting a dose of holiday comfort from a longtime local Santa, who visits each year for photos and encouragement. For Billings mom Mikala Weidinger, whose son arrived 13 weeks early, seeing the same Santa from her own childhood brought emotional reassurance and a sense of normalcy during a stressful first Christmas.
   

2. Treasurer: Yellowstone County taxpayers could be on hook for schools' shortfall (ktvq.com) — Billings and other Yellowstone County school districts could face budget shortfalls that may push local property tax bills higher next May, despite recent state tax relief laws. County officials are asking the state to recertify property values, a move that could stabilize school budgets but shift more cost onto taxpayers. Residents should watch for possible revised tax notices this spring.
   

3. Montana's Most Overrated Towns (wearebillings.com) — Billings gets called out in a new list of Montana’s “most overrated” towns, described as the state’s biggest city with notable crime and a conservative, hard-drinking reputation. The piece also critiques Bozeman, West Yellowstone, and Kalispell/Whitefish, then invites readers to weigh in on which towns they think are overrated and why.
   

4. Bell Participates In Variety Of Activities (northernplainsindependent.com) — A Wolf Point High School senior active in theater, football, and track plans to continue his education in Billings at Montana State University Billings to become a radiology technician. His interest in the field started after ankle injury tests, and he’s aiming to cap his senior year by qualifying for the state track meet.
   

📸 Around Billings

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🗓 Upcoming Events in Billings

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🗓 Events Nearby

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Update;
    Reunited with owner! Found a dog off of 22nd and grand super friendly dog no collar or anything to tell me about her. (Nextdoor Silverwood-Ramada)
  • Looking for my dog his name is mudd.
    Wind blow plastic fence. 24th and broadwater. 406 699 7981 (Nextdoor Wyoming Ave)
  • Boot Barn Holdings, Inc. posted a job opening for Inventory Control Associate (Seasonal) in Billings. Apply here.
  • McDonald's posted a job opening for Closing Crew Member 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 don’t think you know the gravity of this situation.
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Send it to us!

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