Hello Billings! Stay connected with the latest updates from around town. Let's dive in! ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: Travels To Northern Ireland & London and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: When geese fly, one side is longer than the other. do you know why that is ? 🤔 (Answer below!)
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1. Billings Public Schools reports rising test scores, but achievement gaps persist (ktvq.com) — Billings Public Schools is reporting strong gains in K-8 reading and math, with kindergarten proficiency jumping and new interventions helping struggling students, especially on the South Side. District leaders still see deep achievement gaps tied to poverty, high mobility, and absenteeism, but are expanding attendance programs, career certifications, and AP success so more Billings students leave school ready for work or college.
2. Q2 AOW: Dinosaurs, football lure Billings Central's Logan Strecker to Montana State (ktvq.com) — Billings Central lineman Logan Strecker is headed to Montana State in Bozeman, where he'll combine his love of dinosaurs with college football next door to the Museum of the Rockies. The standout two-way player nearly quit the sport in sixth grade, but now anchors the top-ranked Rams, who take their 3-0 record on the road against rival Laurel Friday night.
3. Montana lawmaker looks to strengthen privacy laws surrounding license plate recognition, camera use • Daily Montanan (dailymontanan.com) — Billings is one of the Montana cities already using license plate readers for parking enforcement, and those cameras could soon face tighter rules. A Billings Republican senator plans new bills to require public hearings, limit data retention, and regulate how both governments and private companies share license plate data, potentially changing how surveillance technology is used in town.
4. ExxonMobil sues Department of Transportation over cleanup (bozemandailychronicle.com) — An ExxonMobil lawsuit claims Montana's Department of Transportation should help pay for long-running cleanup at a contaminated former refinery site in east Billings near MetraPark, Coulson Park, and the Yellowstone River. Exxon says it has spent over $10 million addressing petroleum pollution while MDT operations and missed deadlines worsened conditions, and now wants Yellowstone County District Court to force the state agency to share costs and responsibilities.
5. September 16, 2026. Edition #200. HAPPY HOLIDAYS (aar.org) — Billings firefighters and Montana Regional Hazmat Teams are highlighted for using specialized rail tank car training that strengthens statewide hazardous materials preparedness and coordination. While the newsletter mainly covers national freight rail technology and safety initiatives, it spotlights how this Pueblo, Colorado training directly benefits emergency response capabilities for Billings and other Montana communities.
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Ok Billings! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: because there are more geese on that side (Thank you jo L. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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