🌱 United Against Hate Initiative Meeting Today + Air Service Grant

Hi all. It's me, Lauren Kubiak, your host of the Billings Patch newsletter. Here's all the local news you need to know right now.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Windy with some sun. High: 45 Low: 32.
• Thursday: A shower; becoming windier. High: 40 Low: 27.

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Here are the top three stories in Billings today:

1. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Montana, in partnership with local religious leaders and law enforcement officials, will hold its first United Against Hate Initiative meeting in Billings today, Apr. 19, to build relationships and improve efforts to combat hate crimes and hate incidents, with a short presentation by the U.S. attorney's office, a panel discussion, and a question and comment session. The meeting is part of the U.S. Department of Justice's nationwide initiative to increase understanding and reporting of hate crimes and make resources available to community members and is open to the media. The event will take place at the Yellowstone County Commission's Board Room at 3:30 p.m., and participants will include the U.S. attorney's office, FBI, Department of Homeland Security, Billings Police Department, and Yellowstone County Sheriff's Office. (NBC Montana)
2. A juvenile male was shot early on Monday morning in the 900 block of South 31st Street in Billings, and he was transported to the hospital with a single gunshot wound, according to the Billings police. The juvenile is in stable condition, and the investigation into the incident is ongoing, with several juvenile "persons of interest" detained for questioning. The incident remains under investigation. (Q2 News)
3. The Billings Tourism Business Improvement District (BTBID) Board of Directors plans to allocate $375,000 to support the City of Billings and Billings Logan International Airport’s effort in securing a Small Community Air Service Development Program (SCASDP) federal grant, which will enhance air service to the area and benefit both locals and visitors. This is not the first time BTBID has contributed to Billings’ air service development, as the organization had previously provided the initial financial commitment that helped bring the American Airlines direct flight to Dallas/Fort Worth in June 2017. If granted, the SCASDP funds will enable the addition of direct flights from Billings Logan International Airport to San Francisco International Airport or Los Angeles International Airport, and the remaining $75,000 of the $375,000 BTBID commitment will be used for marketing campaigns to boost tourism to the city. (KULR-TV)

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Today and tomorrow in Billings:

Wednesday, April 19

• Yoga At The Yellowstone Art Museum (10:30 AM)
• Council Legislative Committee Meeting At Billings City Hall Conference Room (4:00 PM)

Thursday, April 20

• West High Productions Presents "Mamma Mia!" At Billings West High School (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Full- and part-time job opportunities are available in the Billings area. Available positions include service manager, housekeeping supervisor, sales project manager, mobile field mechanic, 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)
• In celebration of the 15th anniversary of the Safe Kids Yellowstone County coalition, the nonprofit organization will host a public event in partnership with American Medical Response Billings on May 6 at Rimrock Mall. The event will feature various activities for the whole family such as safety demonstrations, games, giveaways, and photo opportunities! (Laurel Outlook)

You're all caught up for today! See you all soon for another update.

— 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.