Montana
Montana to draw closer to Ireland by creating trade commission
Jordan Hansen
(Daily Montanan) As Montana celebrates St. Patrick’s Day, a new agreement would tie Ireland closer to the Treasure State.
Senate Bill 320, brought by Sen. Mike Cuffe, R-Eureka, which is awaiting the governor’s signature, will create the Montana-Ireland Trade Commission. Ireland has made an effort during the past few years to tie itself closer to American states and virtually identical bills have been brought in over a dozen other states, from South Carolina to Indiana.
“Some of the other states have created a Trade Commission, and I’m not sure how much follow through they’ve done,” Cuffe said in an interview with the Daily Montanan. “I intend for ours to hit the ground running.”
Montana has a significant Irish population, some of which stems from early mining activities in the state. Butte and Helena, for example, have a large number of residents with Irish heritage.
Cuffe also said he’s a direct descendant of Irish immigrants. But this isn’t a bill celebrating that, exactly, and Cuffe is serious about the partnership bringing more financial opportunities to the state.
“A lot of people, they think it’s funny, they think it’s cool,” Cuffe said of the partnership. “I happen to think it’s serious business. My goal is to make real things happen.”
Dublin, the capital of the Republic of Ireland, is a European tech hub. Major companies have facilities in Dublin, including Google, Microsoft, and eBay, among others. Notably, following Great Britain’s exit from the European Union, Ireland is also the only English-speaking country in the EU.
Bozeman has developed into a tech hub in its own right, with companies such as Oracle setting up shop in Gallatin County. The state of Montana was also designated a “Regional Technology and Innovation Hub” by the U.S. Department of Commerce in 2023.
There’s also an agricultural component too, and while there is a thriving beef industry in Ireland, the country imported 113 million pounds of beef in 2022. Cuffe also mentioned there are Montana companies looking to export hay machinery as well.
The cost for shipping the equipment is high, Cuffe said, and the hope is the trade commission will be able to connect buyers and sellers. Whiskey imports have also been mentioned.
Cuffe’s district is in northwestern Montana and the hope, too, is to be able to connect rural folks with more opportunities to move their product.
“If we can put together a bigger deal where they can ship, let’s just say, container loads that they share with other people, all of a sudden, what is impossible today becomes possible tomorrow,” Cuffe said. “That is my real inspiration, to try to help out the smaller hinterlands.”
The bill had very little opposition and through both the House and Senate, only two votes were cast against the bill — Rep. John Fitzpatrick, R-Anaconda, and Rep. Caleb Hinkle, R-Belgrade voted against the commission on its third reading.
Rep. Katie Sullivan, D-Missoula, carried the bill in the House. Leadership from both sides of the aisle signed on to the bill, which had which more than 100 sponsors across the two chambers.
No state money is being used for the commission, Cuffe said. Senate and House leadership — both majority and minority — will be able to appoint one person to the commission. The state’s directors of Commerce and Agriculture also will appoint a person to the commission and the governor will fill two slots. Appointments are for two years.
“I think the commission will be a really great opportunity to help facilitate business to business trade between Montana and Ireland,” Sullivan said in an interview with the Daily Montanan. “Operators and high tech businesses might have some exciting opportunities to learn how they can sell their goods into Ireland. And the commission will be a fun place to start helping facilitate those conversations.”
MISSOULA — Almost a year after the closure of Roseburg Forest Products’ Missoula plant, a new venture will now occupy the space.
Utilizing 47 acres, Story House Montana will be a film and television production campus.
“The opportunity is to make anything and everything,” Story House president and CCO James Brown III said.
Studio at Story House, a major movie-making campus, opened Friday.
“We wouldn’t have to tear down these amazing buildings. We could renovate them and convert them into film sound stages,” Brown III shared. “You could shoot anything from a Marvel film to a small independent film, right? We have enough space, we have the crew, we have the talent.”
While 150 workers lost their jobs in Roseburg’s closure, Story House wants to retain and retrain them.
“Film production crew is blue-collar work. It’s electricians, it’s carpenters, it’s builders, it’s painters. I think it just gives an opportunity to learn new skills while also just elevating and fostering skills that they already have,” Brown III said.
The company, which has made another storytelling hub in Sheridan, WY, hopes to create new opportunities in the Garden City.
“When it’s all said and done and we’re up and fully operational, we can make up to 430 jobs,” Brown III said.
Story House says they want to be intentional and work with the community; that includes looking at Missoulian’s needs.
“We are also a real estate-backed company, so we are looking at the housing opportunities and the housing needs. Creating more jobs also creates the need for more housing and we’re well aware of that and really excited to take that on,” Brown III said.
The grand opening offered a first look into a space that will become anything and everything and we’ll keep you updated on the progress.
BILLINGS — A new tortilla shop is bringing the warmth of Mexico to Billings and holds cultural significance for the owners.
Watch the video below:
New tortilleria rolls out in Billings, brings a fresh taste of Mexico to Montana
Colima Tortilleria, located at 2212 Grant Road, sells fresh corn and flour tortillas by the pound each morning. They are made with a large tortilla-making machine shipped directly from Mexico, which pushes out 2,800 tortillas an hour.
“People say they feel excited when they come here and see the machine and say, like, ‘Wow, that’s a really fresh tortilla,’” said owner Rubi Murillo.
Isabel Spartz/MTN News
The process begins each day at 9 a.m. before the doors open at 11 a.m. to prepare the masa, or dough, and run the oven-like machine. Though they currently rotate between corn and flour tortillas daily, the plan is to eventually offer both all day. Customers can also enjoy tacos and snacks made with the tortillas on-site. Corn tortillas are made in a six-inch and four-inch size for tacos, while flour tortillas come in 6, 10, and 12-inch sizes. Most days, they sell out before closing.
The venture is new for Murillo, who said she did not learn to make tortillas until the equipment arrived.
“We start making the masa and we start making a process (…) to make the quality tortillas,” said Murillo. “It’s hard work because you have to use the machine, you have to check the temperature (to) make the tortillas, because it’s not the same when you make corn or flour.”
Isabel Spartz/MTN News
The tortilleria, which opened its doors at the end of April, is the latest venture for Murillo and her husband, Miguel, who are known for their other businesses: Fiesta Mexicana, Camachos Tacos, and Colima de Mis Amores, a Mexican store and bakery just next door to the tortilleria. The store sells various snacks, meals, clothing, and other goods not commonly found in the U.S.
“At the beginning, when I started to open the store, is because I (missed) home,” said Murillo.
Isabel Spartz/MTN News
Murillo wanted to open the tortilleria to bring an authentic and fresh taste to Billings, and the plan came to fruition sooner than expected.
“I haven’t seen these tortillerias here in Billings, so I was thinking, ‘Why not bring the machine?’” said Murillo. “It’s not the same when you go to the store and buy frozen tortillas.”
The business has also helped fill a gap in their hearts, serving as a reminder of home. Murillo, who moved from Colima, Mexico, to the U.S. 10 years ago, remembers her own childhood trips to the local tortilleria.
Isabel Spartz/MTN News
“In Mexico, every day you go to buy tortillas from the tortilleria, come back to home and start eating like the dishes that you have with the fresh tortillas,” said Murillo. “That brings me memories when I was at home and my mom sent me, ‘Go for the tortillas! Bring the tortillas back!’”
Her mother, Natalia Ramirez, moved to the U.S. just last year and now works alongside her daughter in the kitchen.
“In Mexico, there’s a lot of tortillerias, but here is the only one. It’s a novelty here because people can take them warm, freshly made,” Ramirez said in Spanish.
Isabel Spartz/MTN News
The tortilleria represents a dream fulfilled that ties two cultures together for Ramirez and her daughter. Helping launch the venture has been deeply emotional for her.
“I’m very proud of her,” said Ramirez. “Because she is a very hard-working person, very smart, has a lot of vision for business. She has always been a fighter.” Isabel Spartz/MTN News
For the mother-daughter duo, these tortillas are a connection to home and a way to share the richness of Mexican culture with their Montana community.
“Right now, it’s up and down in a lot of businesses, so I’m really appreciative because it’s been good,” said Murillo.
Colima Tortilleria is open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
MISSOULA — Here’s a look at Western Montana’s top news stories for Thursday.
A South African family labeled as refugees by the U.S. Department of State arrived in Missoula on Monday, aided by the International Rescue Committee and Soft Landing Missoula. The family’s arrival follows an expedited immigration process stemming from an executive order that claims Afrikaners face violence and property seizures in South Africa. (Read the full story)
Therma Wood Technologies in Polson offers an eco-friendly heat and pressure process to treat wood, eliminating harmful chemicals while enhancing durability. This method provides treated wood with a lifespan of about 20 years, significantly exceeding the typical seven to eight years of chemically-treated wood. (Read the full story)
Polson wood treatment company provides eco-friendly option
Flathead High School students showcased their heavy equipment skills on Wednesday through a hands-on program in partnership with the Montana Contractors Association. The Build Montana Initiative allows students to gain practical experience operating machinery, preparing them for future careers in construction while reinforcing the importance of a skilled workforce in Kalispell. (Read the full story)
Kalispell students showcase heavy machinery skills
How to breathe new life into an old computer
L.A. council members were told a vote could violate public meeting law. They voted anyway
Review: Biden’s diminished capacities and cover-up explored in painful, if necessary, book
‘Like Goldilocks.’ Nude intruder found sleeping in bed of LA home after ransacking it
Supreme Court rebukes Texas judges, backs hearing before deportation for detained Venezuelans
Why Marjorie Taylor Greene was ‘kicked out’ of the Freedom Caucus according to Rep. Buck
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Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
Tornadoes kill 21 in US states of Missouri and Kentucky
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Former FBI Director James Comey meets with Secret Service after controversial '86 47' post
Commissioner Hansen presents plan to cut farming bureaucracy in EU
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