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01/19/2026
County could again hop fence for waste site
Less than a year ago, James Bumgarner offered to sell the Belt-Armington solid waste dump site to Cascade County amid a lease dispute. Bumgarner owns the land, but the county had been leasing it for more than a decade.
Cascade County officials declined the offer and instead abandoned lease negotiations with Bumgarner. Early in 2025, the county entered into a lease with another property owner just over the fence to build a new regional trash dump site. The county sought a $300,000 loan to develop the new site, which is currently in use but operating with temporary equipment.
Now it appears the county is considering the purchase of Bumgarner’s site after all. Last week, county commissioners approved an appraisal on the former solid waste site, which still has the fencing, concrete pad and other infrastructure for that use.
The site is along Tiger Butte Road, which is just off of Highway 89, opposite the Belt turnoff.
The calculation is economic, county officials said last week. It might be cheaper to purchase the old site with the infrastructure in place rather than building on the new site, which is just several hundred yards away.
“I personally had a real problem if it truly costs us $200,000 to build new infrastructure on the site that we’re leasing,” Cascade County Commissioner Eric Hinebauch told Montana Free Press. “This doesn’t make sense to me. Can we at least maybe throw a hook out there and see if there’s any way possible if we can work something out with Bumgarner?”
Bumgarner is open to working something out with the county. He told MTFP last week that he supports the appraisal.
“We’re trying to work toward an agreement to benefit the community,” he said.
Bumgarner said that potential sale conversations were advanced in part by the county’s purchase of the Stockett solid waste site, a move approved by commissioners in October. That resulted in a comparable sale and avoided a potential market-price dispute.
The sale price of the Stockett site was based on the Montana Department of Revenue’s property appraisal, which was $63,475.
The appraisal on Bumgarner’s Belt-Armington site is an exploratory measure, commissioners said last week. The county can end its lease for the newer solid waste site with 60 days’ notice.
British man’s deportation case heads to appeals court
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit will hear the case of a British man who came to Great Falls as a teen through a temporary program, remained in the country for more than a decade and is now fighting his deportation.
After hearing arguments in December, U.S. District Judge Brian Morris issued an order Jan. 9 prohibiting federal immigration authorities from moving the man, Dakota Wheeler, out of Montana while the case continues. In the order, Morris concluded that federal rules require U.S. appeals courts — not the lower federal district court — to handle challenges to this kind of removal order.
“Wheeler’s situation proves unfortunate, and the court has empathy for him and his family, yet the court can offer no relief,” Morris wrote in the order.
In late 2014, Wheeler and his mother entered the United States through the visa waiver program, which allows tourists or business visitors to stay for 90 days without requiring a visa. Wheeler’s mother married an American and eventually received lawful permanent status. Wheeler never received that status. He worked at The Rainbow senior living home for years and is expecting a child with his fiancée.
In November, federal agents arrested Wheeler in front of The Rainbow. Wheeler challenged his deportation in court, arguing that because he came to the country as a minor, he wasn’t able to fully understand the consequences of the visa waiver program.
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) argued that because Wheeler came to the country under the visa waiver program, those rules should dictate his potential removal. Participants of the program waive their ability to contest deportation.
ICE asked the federal court to dismiss Wheeler’s court challenge but also argued that the federal appeals court was the proper venue. Judge Morris’ order granted only the latter request.
Wheeler’s attorney didn’t respond to a call from MTFP by Friday. The case is on the Ninth Circuit court docket with opening briefs due March 30. Wheeler has been in the Cascade County Detention Center since his November arrest.
Photo Op
Reader Doris Boyle shared this photo that shows Gibson Park in December. It’s a good representation of the mild, snowless winter that Great Falls residents have seen this season.
Calling all photographers: Submit a photo for Great Falls This Week to [email protected].
Speaking of the mild winter…
Few city departments are impacted by weather as much as public works. Given the snowless winter with temperatures regularly above freezing, MTFP reached out to the department to see how the weather impacts its work.
Through a city spokesperson, the public works engineering department said that contractors have been able to work longer through the fall and early winter. Likewise, civil engineering technicians who inspect city-led construction work have been able to conduct field work longer as well.
The city’s water plant was able to continue some work that involves the use of concrete thanks to the temperate weather. And throughout the city’s water system, the lack of snow and ice meant fewer clogs or obstructions at pump stations and water intakes.
The sanitation division reported not having to put chains on their trucks or request sand for hilly areas of town.
Finally, the street division was able to complete more street sweeping, gravel maintenance and pothole repairs absent the typical snow cover, according to the city representative.
5 Things to Know in Great Falls
Roger Duncan and Pam Nommensen donated $217,614 to update the playground at West Elementary School. The donated funds will go toward equipment like swings and accessibility enhancements. “We are deeply grateful for this investment in our school community and for the district’s support in moving this project forward,” wrote West Principal Lacee Lewis in a letter to school district administrators.
The Great Falls Symphony announced a Cascade Quartet candlelight concert for Feb. 6 at the Ozark Club within The History Museum. Amid a collection of flickering LED candles, the quartet will perform Beethoven’s String Quartet in D major, Op. 18, No. 3 and Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No. 2 in A minor, Op. 13. The show begins at 7 p.m. A second performance is scheduled for Feb. 8 at 2 p.m. at First United Church of Christ without candles.
The C.M. Russell Museum has released a catalog of selected preview works ahead of The Russell 2026 art auction. The preview catalog features many of Russell’s pieces that will be up for auction this year. The Russell kicks off March 19 with its annual preview party. The preview catalog is here.
The U.S. Air Force announced the first operational missile convoy for the MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopters of the 40th Helicopter Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base. The Grey Wolf helicopters are the successor to the UH-1N Huey and, in early January, escorted a column of missile maintenance and security vehicles on a 100-mile trip to area launch facilities. The Air Force press release on the milestone is here.
The Montana Department of Commerce released a map of public murals that shows Great Falls far ahead of other cities in the state, with 71 pieces listed. They are in the downtown area and were mostly produced through the annual Great Walls Montana mural festival. You can see all the Great Falls listings and locations, as well as murals in other Montana towns, at the state website here.