Livingston Out Loud: who says dissension, discussion, and dysfunction can't be fun?

Volume 1: Issue 6
August 18, 2005

News shorts or briefs
(which do you prefer?)

Conclave visitors live large in Livingston
The figures are coming in and it appears that the attendees of the recent Fly Conclave have outspent the typical Livingston tourist by a factor of 2 to 1. Retailers estimate that the Fly Conclave guests spent an average of $11.49 in downtown Livingston shops, beating the average expenditure of most tourists by $5.89 per person, excluding lunch.

Sharp retailers will be eager to know what the Livingston visitor wants, and the preliminary numbers reveal that those catering to the fly industry, such as two local hardware stores and the Livingston Utility Department refuse heap, were the biggest beneficiaries of the conclave.

Conclave visitors spent an average of:

$3.85 on fly related purchases such as flypaper, Victor Fly Scoops (right), and carnivorous plants (below).
$6.54 on Chinese souvenirs with Montana themes. $1.50 on single shot decaf lattes.

In spite of protests by fly catch and release advocates, the conclave attendees seemed to enjoy their time in Livingston. They toured the landfill and the Utility Department refuse heap between classes.

Empire theater breaks previous record
As Scooby Doo 2 entered it's 65th week at Livingston's Empire Twin Theater, it surpassed previous record runs. The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996-1997, 54 weeks) and Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001-2002, 43 weeks) were the previous record holders at a theater committed to the cinematic tastes of people under 12.

Livingston in top 100 best towns for sleep

Survey lists of best towns have long overlooked Livingston's greatest assets. But a recent list of the nation's top 100 towns for sleep has local boosters smiling.

Livingston ranked 37, just behind LaCross, Kansas, "Barbed Wire Capital of the World" (population 1,319). According to the survey, conducted by epodunk.com, "Livingston is that rare combination of cultural hub, outdoor destination, and a downtown that closes up promptly at 5 PM. If you're active outdoors, that tends to tire you out, and with streets that are dead quiet at 5, sleep just comes naturally."

Reed Point, a competitor for attractions, appeared to be in the top 100, too, until the Yellowstone Country tourism organization clarified the confusion and pointed out that the town was listed among the Best Places for Sheep.

Non-natives face stern measures
With the declaration of war against Maine, the newly formed Department of Homestate Security (DHS) has promised to crack down on "cells of non-residents and other Nontanans," according to The Helena Independent Record.

As part of an overall plan to keep Montana safe from outsiders while fighting what Denny Rehberg, the Montana Secretary of Defense, calls "Maine tourism fundamentalists," DHS will soon be issuing a guide for telling natives from non-natives. Not unlike the flyers issued to hunters to tell the differences between black bears and grizzlies, the guide will enable alert citizens to report suspicious characters based on distinguishing characteristics.

Are you ready to help defend Montana against outsiders? Take the quiz: pick the native and then click here for the answers.