Montana

The indomitable Butte, Montana – High Country News

Published

1 year ago

March 19, 2025

The indomitable Butte, Montana – High Country News

In 2006, I left Alaska with a plan to become a famous singer-songwriter. But before I got to Memphis, I stopped to visit Butte, Montana, where my friend Wendy had bought a $10,000 house and wanted help fixing it up. We weren’t carpenters, but we could demo with the best of them. It was summer, and we’d work all day in dust masks, then smoke joints and drink PBR on her back porch into the evening, looking out at the twisting streets and glittering incandescent lights of Uptown, the city’s historic district. We slept in sleeping bags and peed in a 5 gallon bucket, made coffee on a Coleman stove and wandered over to the Silver Dollar Saloon for open mic night. I fell in love with Butte. It was as if I’d been away for years and finally returned home. I don’t even feel this way about my own hometown. Butte was a beacon in the dark, a warm handshake with cold fingertips.

When winter came, I headed south: Memphis, Nashville, and then Austin, Texas, where I spent 13 years making music. But almost every summer, I came back to Butte.

By 2012, I was growing weary of Austin. Wealth had found a foothold on the central Texas limestone, so I started looking for something to buy in Butte — my other home. One balmy spring day, a real estate agent took me to view a house up in Walkerville, a tiny town that sits above Uptown. Instead, a nearby place — a small green miner’s cottage with an overgrown yard — caught my eye, shining like a penny in the sun, the headframe of the Lexington Mine looming in front of it. This was the house I wanted. But it wasn’t for sale.

When I got back to Austin, I wrote a short letter explaining my pull toward the property. and sent it to the house’s owner, Edwin C. Dobb, a continuing lecturer at UC Berkeley.

Butte was a beacon in the dark, a warm handshake with cold fingertips.

When Ed — as he asked me to call him — wrote back, he explained that he grew up in Butte and lived in that home for years before he took a job in California. He left the cottage locked up, bleaching in the sun, explaining that it held too much sentimental value for him to sell. But he was kind and curious about me.

We wrote letters and spoke on the phone for six years. He became a mentor to me as I struggled with melding art and commerce. I told him I wanted to turn his old house into a writers-in-residence space. We became friends, meeting when I was playing a bar in his California town. Ed was short with white hair, and charming; he wheezed when he walked and drank two beers at lunch.

One afternoon, I was sitting in my Austin backyard when Ed called and said he was ready to sell. I was a waitress and a musician, and no bank wanted to loan me money. But Ed offered to finance the house for four years. And so, in the smoky summer of August 2015, we walked into Summit Title in Butte and signed the papers. The next day, he left in a U-Haul, and I moved into the little green house.

Hays Pickett works on repairs on her newly purchased home. Credit: Bess Bird

The pipes were busted, the roof leaked. The ghost of Ed was around every corner. My college friend Matt fixed all of the plumbing. Wendy’s husband, David, removed the knob-and-tube wiring so the place wouldn’t burn down. Eventually, I had heat, running water, fresh paint and a roof that I hoped would last. I lived among the things Ed couldn’t fit in the U-Haul: worn-out steak knives, pro-union posters, a kitchen table with a broken leg where he told me he liked to write.

In all my years of coming to Butte in the summer, I saw only a partial view of life there. I marveled at the crystal-clear air, the big sun in the sharp blue sky over the yellow landscape. Butte is located in a high desert that was scraped of trees at the turn of the century, and there are signs of underground mining everywhere: huge hoist houses, tall black headframes where ravens roost amid the giant wheels of old pulley systems that haven’t moved in 80 years.

In the deathly quiet after a fresh snow, I would walk to the old Alice Mine, behind the brownfields, and down to the Mountain Con, another long-shuttered copper mine. Some of my neighbors welcomed me, others did not. Everyone was either born in Butte or Walkerville. Many were elderly. People were curious about the woman who lived in Ed’s old house and trimmed the ancient lilac bushes. It took years to gain their trust, and who’s to say that’s wrong? Now that I’ve been here awhile, I understand why. I cleaned up the yard, took out the trash, baked apple pies and sent slices home to my neighbors.

Meth was a painful reality in Butte then. In one of the houses down below me, a man who stole cars was openly chopping them up in the alley. I called the cops at one point, but they never bothered to drive up the hill. Poverty remains a fact of life. Houses stay under construction for 20 years. But kids still play like kids, riding barefoot on a 50cc dirt bike to the Excelsior Town Pump to get chips and a pop. I watched a couple of grade schoolers eat a pizza at the picnic table outside Pissers Palace, the only bar in Walkerville.

One summer night in 2019, I was eating a cheeseburger in a bar when I found out Ed had died. I left a $20 next to my half-eaten plate, went to my van and cried. He had a stroke, then a heart attack. I was so close to opening the doors of the writer’s residency, and he would never get to see it.

Edwin C. Dobb, a continuing lecturer at UC Berkeley. Credit: Courtesy photo

That October, I played music at his memorial service at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Butte. I choked up mid-song as I played “Caledonia,” by Dougie McClean. Afterward, I hugged Ed’s sister, grabbed my guitar, went home to his cottage and stayed there for days, mourning. In January 2020, I hosted my first writer in residence. I named the program “Dear Butte.” Since then, I’ve hosted 60 other writers. I run the space in honor of Ed: a true Butte Boy-o, as he would call himself. Generous, thoughtful, genuine.

I have learned that there is a shelf life for a lot of transplants. I call it Butte Fatigue. The lack of services, restaurants, the omnipresent pollution — people in Butte are both proud to thrive here despite the lack of amenities, and yet they also desire some of those amenities. I never got tired, and Butte only pulled me in deeper. I have become protective of the place.

I run the space in honor of Ed: a true Butte Boy-o, as he would call himself. Generous, thoughtful, genuine.

Some folks in Butte will tell you that when the Anaconda Company shut down the mine pumps in the 1980s, all the good things and people left. Jobs dried up. What was left behind were mining dredges and the people who couldn’t afford to leave. The population grew old, houses sat vacant. Empty houses were stripped of copper wire, then sold to Pacific Steel for enough money to buy meth.

People in Butte can be deeply suspicious; they are used to a commerce of take and no give. The company extracted all it could from this place and then left a mess behind. So much has been taken from Butte, and everyone who comes here and judges the place is also taking from us in small ways.

I take a while to get to know newcomers, too, now. To be “Butte Tough,” as the saying goes, means not just being hardy and at the ready, but guarding our own. We protect our hearts like people who are used to having their hearts continually broken.

The story that gets missed about Butte amid the tall tales of mining history and a drive-by view of the scenery is the story about the people who chose to stay here. Our elders upheld a credo: that generosity is bigger than money. It’s written into Butte’s DNA. No community member is left behind. What do you need? Your dog walked? A new kidney? No problem.

Hays Pickett’s kitchen in her home, where she hosts the “Dear Butte” writer’s residency. Credit: Bess Bird

One day, I was pulling stubborn knapweed from my flower bed when my neighbor, Toad, showed up with a bag of cement and a trowel. He insisted on fixing the cracked sidewalk he’d noticed at the entrance of my house. I said OK and stood at the ready with a hose. Fat raindrops fell as we worked, pelting our bare necks. Toad worked through lightning and thunder. Later, while I was in Texas one winter, he mudded and taped my entire house; he said he needed to get out of his wife’s hair. I could tell you so many of these stories. But folks in Butte shy away from compliments; they’d much prefer you to just buy them a round, or two.

When you are driving east or west on I-90 and see the terraced open-pit mine and the brick buildings of uptown, you might think, “My God, what is this place?” If you drive up Harrison Avenue or Montana Street, the untrained eye sees brokenness and bygone grandeur. That’s the drive-by view a countless string of writers has come here to talk about. But when you live here long enough, you stay, because what Butte sees is its people.

But when you live here long enough, you stay, because what Butte sees is its people.

If there is a lesson America needs to learn, it can be learned here. Butte’s story, to Butte people, is not the failed projects of capitalists or the honeycomb of abandoned tunnels underneath us. Small wins — a new restaurant opening or a vacant house being repaired — can bolster us for years to come. Setbacks are just another thing to climb around together. When you’ve been losing for so long, you only have one another. Butte learned that lesson when the Anaconda Company abandoned this place like a broken toy. The community — ready to help itself — is more powerful than anything it ever built. And we will be here for centuries to come, knapweed growing from an old foundation.

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Montana

Now a true pop star, Miley Cyrus returns to her ‘Hannah Montana’ roots to fete anniversary special

Published

7 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Press Room

Now a true pop star, Miley Cyrus returns to her ‘Hannah Montana’ roots to fete anniversary special

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sporting that “Hannah Montana” blonde hair and bangs, Miley Cyrus went back to her roots — celebrating 20 years of the TV show that launched the career of a real-life pop star.

Cyrus reunited with cast members of “Hannah Montana” in Los Angeles Monday evening for the premiere of the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special.”

Cyrus told The Associated Press that the milestone has given her a chance to see the character and series from “a new perspective.” Cyrus, who began the Disney Channel show at age 13, played Miley Stewart, a tween and middle-schooler hiding her secret life as a famous pop singer.

“Getting to be on the outside now, getting to be grown and be a part of it in a way that I couldn’t when I was in the middle of it before, and all the chaos and the schedule and the performing of it all,” Cyrus said, “now it just gets to be a celebration. So it is a new perspective. I love that.”

The anniversary special, which started streaming Tuesday on Disney+ and Hulu, celebrates 20 years since the show’s premiere. Filmed in front of a live audience, it features music, archival footage and an interview with Cyrus — now 33 and a genuine pop star — conducted by podcast host Alex Cooper.

Addressing the audience at the premiere, Cyrus paid tribute both to fellow cast members and fans. “Without you all, this show would have never been what it is, and I love saying what it is, not what it was,” she said.

“Tonight isn’t about looking back into the past, but it’s about what it means to us still tonight,” she said.

Jason Earles, who played Miley’s brother Jackson, told the AP that watching the show now highlights how much time has passed.

“I think if you go back and you watch the episodes, there’s enough dated references like old flip phones and stuff that you go, ‘Oh no, no, this show was a little while ago,’” he said.

Cody Linley, who played Miley’s on-and-off boyfriend Jake Ryan, reflected on the impact of portraying a teen heartthrob.

“It’s hard to believe that there were girls that had pictures of me with my shirt off in their locker and they would have me sign it,” Linley said. “And it’s hard not to let it go to your head, because you have to remember that it’s an image that they are seeing. It’s not you.”

Also attending the premiere was country singer Lainey Wilson, who recalled working as a “Hannah Montana” impersonator early in her career.

“From 8th grade to 12th grade, five years of my life, I would open up the show as Lainey Wilson, I would run behind a tree and put on my ‘Hannah Montana’ get-up,” the singer said. “I did birthday parties, fairs, festivals … I was hitting the roads.”

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Montana

New report shows Montana sees small drop in nonfatal workplace injuries

Published

19 hours ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

New numbers from the Department of Labor and Industry show a slight improvement in workplace safety across Montana.

The data indicates 13,200 nonfatal injuries and illnesses were reported in 2024. This is down slightly from the year before where it was 13,600.

The overall injury rate held steady with retail, manufacturing, and transportation seeing the highest rates.

State leaders say the data helps identify risks and improve safety efforts statewide.

The department says it’s also expanding training programs and keeping workers safe.

The data will continue to guide safety improvements in the years ahead.

The followng press release was sent out by the The Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI):

DLI Releases Latest Statistics on Workplace Injuries and Illness in Montana

HELENA, Mont. — The Montana Department of Labor & Industry (DLI) released today the 2024 Montana Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Report, providing an overview of workplace injury and illness trends across the state’s private industry sector.

“This report provides valuable insight into where workplace injuries and illnesses are occurring in Montana and helps guide efforts to improve safety across industries,” said Sarah Swanson, Commissioner of Labor and Industry. “By understanding these trends, employers and workers can take steps to reduce risks and build safer workplaces. This helps fulfill our mission to ensure every worker goes home safe after every shift.”

Key Findings from the 2024 Report

In 2024, employees of Montana businesses reported 13,200 OSHA-recordable nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses, resulting in an overall incidence rate of 3.4 cases per 100 full-time workers.

The 2024 injury count decreased slightly from 13,600 cases in 2023, while the overall incidence rate remained unchanged.

Industries with higher 2024 incidence rates included retail trade (4.6), manufacturing (4.6), and transportation and warehousing (4.5).

Industries with lower incidence rates included mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction (1.6), utilities (1.2), and finance and insurance (0.5).

The report reflects data collected during the 2024 calendar year* through the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), a nationwide program conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics in partnership with state agencies. Each year, a sample of Montana employers submits workplace injury and illness data through the survey.

Focus on Prevention and Training

In addition to tracking workplace injuries and illnesses, DLI promotes safety through training and education. The department offers workplace safety training, including OSHA 10-hour courses that help workers recognize hazards and improve jobsite safety. DLI also provides Labor Law Training and Education on topics such as wage and hour laws, prevailing wage requirements, and collective bargaining in the public sector.

Programs such as SafetyFestMT provide free safety training opportunities for workers and employers statewide. The department also supports professional development through the Workers’ Compensation Claims Examiner Certification program, which strengthens expertise in managing workplace injury claims.

Supporting Long-Term Safety Improvements

Montana has participated in the Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses for more than 30 years. The data helps track long-term workplace safety trends and support efforts to reduce job-related injuries and illnesses.

The next survey cycle will collect data for the 2025 reference year, with results expected to be released in 2026.

The full 2024 Montana Occupational Injuries and Illnesses Report is available here.

*Because the survey relies on detailed employer reporting and data analysis, results are released after the survey year to allow time for collection, verification, and analysis.

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Montana

What to Stream: Charlie Puth, Daniel Day-Lewis, Robyn, James Marsden and a ‘Hannah Montana’ special

Published

1 day ago

March 23, 2026

Press Room

What to Stream: Charlie Puth, Daniel Day-Lewis, Robyn, James Marsden and a ‘Hannah Montana’ special

A “Hannah Montana” anniversary special starring Miley Cyrus and fresh music from Robyn and Charlie Puth album are some of the new television, films, music and games headed to a device near you.

Also among the streaming offerings worth your time this week, as selected by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists: the Oscar-winning Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value,” James Marsden as a hit man in “Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice” and the San Francisco Giants host the New York Yankees on Netflix’s first MLB broadcast.

New movies to stream from March 23-29

— In “Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice” (Friday, March 27 on Disney+), James Marsden plays a hitman named Mike who’s hired by a time traveler named Nick (Vince Vaughn). Nick wants to prevent the biggest mistake of his life by killing his past self. Writer-director BenDavid Grabinski’s film, recently premiered at the SXSW film festival.

— Following its win at the Academy Awards, Joachim Trier’s Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value” has its streaming debut Monday on Hulu. Nominated for nine Oscars, including best picture, it won for best international film. In it, Renate Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas play sisters who reconnect with their filmmaker father (Stellan Skarsgård), who’s making an autobiographical film starring an American actor (Elle Fanning). In her review, AP Film Writer Lindsey Bahr wrote that the film’s focus “may be small and limited — one Norwegian family struggling to connect and communicate — and yet its emotional scope is downright cosmic.”

— Daniel Day-Lewis came out of retirement to star in his first film since 2017’s “Phantom Thread” in “Anemone” (Saturday, March 28 on Netflix), a family drama directed by his son, Ronan Day-Lewis. In it, Day-Lewis plays a hermit in the North England woods who’s visited by an old friend (Sean Bean) sent to bring him back to his son. In her review, AP’s Jocelyn Noveck called it “bleak, somber, absorbing but also sometimes frustratingly opaque.”

— AP Film Writer Jake Coyle

New music to stream from March 23-29

— The Red Hot Chili Peppers’ eccentric bassist Flea will release his debut album on Friday. And in a true shock to those who don’t know him, it’s a trumpet-forward jazz record. You read that correctly. Long before the rocker made a name for himself in a band known for songs about California, he was a huge jazz fan, a musical world he explores on the record titled “Honora.” Come for the name, stay for his inventive improvisations and star-studded collaborations, which include Radiohead’s Thom Yorke and the always introspective Nick Cave.

— A lot has happened to singer/songwriter Charlie Puth in the time since his last album, “Charlie,” was released in 2022. He got married. He’s expecting his first child. He performed at the Super Bowl. Taylor Swift gave him a shoutout on her album “The Tortured Poets Department.” And now, he’s embracing it all on a new record, the playful “Whatever’s Clever!” Expect fun pop songs about life and its many transformative moments. That, and some Kenny G.

— Swedish pop savant Robyn has returned with “Sexistential,” her first album in eight years. It is nine-tracks of shimmering synths (“Dopamine,” “Really Real”) ascendant choruses (“Into the Sun”) and rebellious pop songs that double as emotional life rafts (“Sucker for Love.”) The songs are all about freedom, single motherhood, love and lust — often in the same breath. It’s a lascivious collection for the dancefloor: exactly what most pop stars hope to achieve, many fail, and Robyn makes look effortless.

— AP Music Writer Maria Sherman

New series to stream from March 23-29

— “Hannah Montana” made Miley Cyrus a star and a new special streaming Tuesday on Disney+ celebrates 20 years since the show’s premiere. Filmed in front of a live audience, the “Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special” will feature music, archival footage and an interview with Cyrus, hosted by podcast host Alex Cooper.

— Grab your peanuts and Cracker Jack because Netflix’s first MLB broadcast is opening-night on Wednesday. The San Francisco Giants will host the New York Yankees. Former Giants outfielder Barry Bonds has joined the commentary team for the streamer.

— A bride-to-be starts to get a bad feeling about her impending nuptials. Is it cold feet or intuition? “Something Very Bad is Going to Happen” stars Camila Morrone (“Daisy Jones & The Six”) and Adam DiMarco (“The White Lotus”) star in the new creepy limited-series debuting Thursday on Netflix.

— Alicia Rancilio

New video games to play from March 23-29

— In 2015’s Life Is Strange, a young woman named Max rewound time to save her childhood friend Chloe’s life. The series has bounced around since between different lead characters with different supernatural gifts, but Max and Chloe are back in Life Is Strange: Reunion. Max is now a teacher whose university has been destroyed by an inferno — and when she turns back the clock this time, Chloe shows up. Does she have mysterious powers of her own? Can they save the school and their relationship? If you’re craving an emotional, metaphysical mystery, you can check in Thursday on PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S or PC.

— Lou Kesten

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