Randy Diefel
Trivia Question❓What is the term for the full moon that occurs closest to the start of autumn? Answer at the bottom of the newsletter |
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How’s your October going?
If you’re still wondering where September went, pull up a chair. You’re in good company.
This week, we’re checking in on St. Vincent’s new hospital building, which has reached half its final height, and celebrating a Highland Elementary teacher recognized by “One Class at a Time.”
We’re also sharing a touching tribute: Billings Police make 13-year-old killed in an accident an honorary officer.
And we’re covering a difficult local story about a fatal shooting at a Billings home and the deliberate homicide charge that followed.
If you’re looking for something to do, we’ve rounded up events through October 19, from live music and rodeo action to a little Halloween fun.
We've tucked in some trivia, too, because knowing random things ought to come in handy somewhere.
Glad you’re here. Let’s catch up on what’s happening around town. |
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Billings Police Honor Chase Lantz’s Dream of Wearing the Badge Chase Lantz dreamed of becoming a New York City police officer. On Monday night, the Billings Police Department honored that ambition by naming the 13-year-old an honorary officer.
Chase died after being struck by a vehicle more than two weeks earlier. His mother, Mariya Lantz, and her children attended the tribute at a Billings City Council meeting, where Interim Chief Shawn Mayo welcomed Chase into the department.
For Mariya, the ceremony brought pride alongside the grief of losing her son. She expressed gratitude for the community’s kindness and the department’s support as her family keeps Chase’s memory alive.
The badge recognized a future Chase had hoped for and gave his family a meaningful way to honor that dream. |
St. Vincent Regional Hospital is reshaping the Billings skyline with one of Montana's largest-ever healthcare investments.
A nearly $1 billion construction project is rising at 27th Street and 12th Avenue North, with vertical steel already climbing toward a 14-story final profile.
The finished facility will span 737,000 square feet, housing 243 patient beds — each convertible to intensive care capacity as needed.
Steel framing is expected to complete by early 2027, with the full hospital targeting a 2029 opening.
A standout feature of the new design is centralized imaging — consolidating departments currently scattered across multiple wings into a single, streamlined location.
The change means patients arrive once, stay in one place, and move through diagnosis without unnecessary delays.
Once the new facility opens, existing buildings will be demolished, with reclaimed land converted into expanded parking and green campus space.
For Billings, the cranes now visible above downtown represent far more than construction — they mark a community investing boldly in its most essential institution. Read More... |
A southwest Billings neighborhood was rattled after a man was charged with deliberate homicide in the fatal shooting of a woman inside a Carlton Avenue Southwest home.
Billings Police responded just before 5 p.m. on a Thursday afternoon, discovering Kerry Huber, 47, with multiple gunshot wounds to her chest and abdomen.
She was pronounced dead at the scene despite efforts by first responders.
Investigators found Scott Freeland Jr., 31, in a back bedroom with a firearm, ammunition, and a magazine.
Court documents allege Freeland fired six shots at Huber and later admitted to the killing during a police interview, citing his belief that she was bringing methamphetamines into the home.
Freeland was booked into the Yellowstone County Detention Center on a $500,000 bond, with a court hearing scheduled for mid-November.
Huber's family is asking the community to remember her name — and that no personal crisis justifies taking a life. Read More... |
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Switchfoot with special guest Anberlin |
October 13th - 8 p.m., Pub Station Ballroom. The Forever Now Tour brings an evening of live rock downtown. Doors open at 7 p.m.; all ages welcome. Listed tickets start at $61.15. |
Family Ghost Tours at Moss Mansion |
October 14th - 5–8 p.m., 914 Division Street. Young ghost hunters can explore the mansion, follow a scavenger hunt, and discover its spooky stories. Recommended for children 14 and under. |
United States Air Force Band |
October 14 - 7:30 p.m., Alberta Bair Theater. A free concert featuring the Concert Band and Singing Sergeants. Reservations are sold out, but any open seats will be released 15 minutes before the performance. |
The Tannahill Weavers |
October 15th - 7:30 p.m., Alberta Bair Theater. Traditional Scottish music, lively instrumentals, ballads, and bagpipes. A good pick for readers who enjoy Celtic music. Tickets. |
Ryan Chrys & the Rough Cuts |
October 15th - 7:30–9 p.m., Thirsty Street Brewing, 2123 First Avenue North. Outlaw country with blazing guitars and a rock-and-roll streak, inspired by Waylon, Willie, and Cash. |
Poetry Open Mic Night |
October 15th - 7–9 p.m., Kirks’ Grocery, 2920 Minnesota Avenue. Share something you’ve written or settle in and listen. Admission is $5 for performers and audience members. |
The Riggin Masters |
October 16 - 17, 7 p.m. both nights, First Interstate Arena at MetraPark. This new bareback bronc riding event brings top PRCA riders to Billings to compete for a $100,000 purse. Tickets and details. |
Booze Clues: Clue with a Twist |
October 16 - 17 5–9 p.m. both nights, Moss Mansion. Follow clues through the historic house while enjoying a mystery-themed cocktail experience. A fun option for a grown-up Halloween outing. Booking information. |
Billings Cattle Punchers vs. Idaho Falls Spud Kings |
Friday, October 16, 7:05 p.m., Signal Peak Energy Arena. Catch the hometown hockey team in action against Idaho Falls |
Boo at the Zoo |
October 17th - 10 a.m.–4 p.m., ZooMontana, 2100 Shiloh Road. Trick-or-treating, Halloween activities, and seasonal animal enrichment. Included with regular zoo admission; members can enter at 9:30 a.m. Costumes are encouraged, but adults are asked to leave masks at home. Details. |
Great Masked Pumpkin Run |
October 17th - Starting at 11:30 a.m., Riverfront Park. Choose a one-, two-, or three-mile run or walk, wear a costume, and carry a pumpkin through the final stretch. You get to keep the pumpkin. Start times are 11:30, 11:40, and 11:45 a.m., respectively. Registration is limited to 350 participants. Register. |
Herb Alpert & The Tijuana Brass & Other Delights |
October 17th - 7:30 p.m., Alberta Bair Theater. An evening with the legendary trumpeter and that unmistakable Tijuana Brass sound. Tickets. |
13th Annual Holiday Kickoff | Garden Avenue Greenhouse |
October 17th - 219 Garden Avenue. Browse more than 100 local vendors, plus food trucks, pumpkins, mums, and holiday décor. Saturday runs 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; Sunday opens at 10 a.m. Christmas shopping before Halloween? Apparently, Billings likes a head start. Details. |
And Then There Were None |
October 18th - 2–4 p.m., NOVA Center for the Performing Arts, 2317 Montana Avenue. Agatha Christie’s island murder mystery makes an appropriately suspenseful October outing. Listed tickets are $12–$24. |
Billy Wayne Davis and Kyle Kulseth: Stand-Up Comedy |
October 18th - 6–8:30 p.m., Kirks’ Grocery. Doors open at 5 p.m. Tickets are $25 in advance, purchased by 4 p.m. that day, or $30 at the door. |
The Listening Lounge at Frae Collective |
October 18th - 6–10 p.m., 116 North 29th Street. Three local songwriters share original music and the stories behind it, with host Katy Kemmick. Admission is pay what you can. |
Moss Mansion daytime tours |
October 19th - A quieter option for readers who prefer history to Halloween scares. Admission is $15 for adults, $13 for seniors and veterans, and $10 for students ages 6–18. Children 5 and under are free |
A Billings, Montana first-grade teacher is earning well-deserved recognition for her outstanding work inside the classroom.
Paige Heflin, a six-year educator at Highland Elementary School, was recently spotlighted by the One Class at a Time teacher recognition program.
The program — a collaboration between a local television station, the Education Foundation for Billings Public Schools, a regional bank, and a local coffee brand — awards one standout teacher each week with a five-hundred-dollar classroom grant and a one-hundred-fifty-dollar coffee card.
Heflin's approach keeps students moving, talking, and collaborating — a philosophy rooted in a volunteer experience during her high school years that ultimately shaped her entire career path.
Beyond academics, her mission is to build confidence and resilience in her students — qualities that last far longer than any lesson plan.
Community members can nominate a deserving teacher through the One Class at a Time program at any time. Read More... |
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Thanks for spending a little of your day with The Trailhead Buzz. We really appreciate you reading, sharing, and keeping up with what’s happening around town with us.
If something in this week’s issue made you smile or helped you make plans, pass it along to a friend. There’s always room for one more around here.
Have a good week, Billings. Get out, enjoy a little fall fun, and we’ll see you next time! |
💡 Answer to Trivia Question: The Harvest Moon |