Lack of zoning laws allow entrepreneurs to thrive in East Missoula.
Economy
Posted inArticles
On the outskirts of Missoula, growth comes with challenges
An influx of new people to nearby communities has strained town systems.
Posted inFebruary 19, 2018: Unfrozen North
‘Orphaned’ oil and gas wells are on the rise
Wells left behind by industry threaten to overwhelm Western states.
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In Montana, houses are replacing farmland
Can lessons from Vermont keep local agriculture alive?
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What the two-wheeled tourist can offer tiny towns
Cycling tourism contributes nearly $377 million annually to Montana’s economy.
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How to turn motorized rec into a sustainable economy
In 2010, Challis, Idaho, created a trail for ATV riders. Now, it’s enjoying an economic boost.
Posted inMay 14, 2018: Death in the Alpine
Craft breweries aren’t a new trend — but co-op pubs are
In Montana, the town of Ronan hops on the brewery bandwagon.
Posted inArticles
Can rural towns stem the trend of population decline?
Small-town Choteau, Montana, is working to find answers to the question that is plaguing 23 of the state’s counties.
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A majority of Montana counties face primary care shortages
The gap in health care access is particularly acute in rural areas.
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The ‘scenery economy’ reinvigorates a Montana town
Tourism has given Philipsburg new life — but it’s brought few permanent families.
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Nonprofits make rural home ownership more plausible
In the final part of a series on Boulder, Montana, a pathway for solutions for affordable housing woes.
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How to turn a struggling small town around
In the first part of a series on Boulder, Montana, a well-rounded economic development effort.
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The future of small-town Montana rides on public lands
From Dupuyer to Columbia Falls, a look at the growing recreation economy.
Posted inFebruary 19, 2018: Unfrozen North
Why some young professionals settle in small-town Montana
As rural areas struggle to hold onto youth, a look at a few young professionals who returned.
Posted inFebruary 5, 2018: Caught Between Crises
How Trump’s tax bill pits the rich against the poor
We are witnessing a government restructuring and a cultural divide widening.
Posted inJanuary 22, 2018: A Separatist State of Mind
Hemp is one town’s way out of a uranium mining past
A former mining region embraces a trade with a ‘hippie’ reputation.
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What does a gentrifying city look like? Talk to the man who delivers the mail.
Tracing Tucson’s changes with a longtime postal service worker.
Posted inFebruary 5, 2018: Caught Between Crises
How NAFTA built a bustling border city
In southern New Mexico, a dream of a bi-national community, not a concrete wall.
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The federal land at stake in Trump’s rush for more drilling
Where national parks, monuments and other protective areas overlay resources.
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How to make sense of Trump’s changes to Bears Ears
The drastically reduced boundaries don’t line up with what the public wants.