The Great Falls Public Library will soon host its annual "Friends of the Library" book sale All of the money raised goes to support the Great Falls Public Library During the "sack sale," people can buy as many items as they want for $5 in a sack you bring yourself For more information, contact Jake Sorich at jsorich@greatfallslibrary.org or call 406-453-0349 (extension 220), or click here to visit the website Report a typo to Theron Wilford and Jennie (Delassandro) Wilford He graduated from Orrville High School in 1953 and went on to serve his country in the United States Marine Corps for three years and celebrated 69 wonderful years together Tom and Mary made their home in Simi Valley where Tom would spend the next 37 years of his life he cherished spending time with his children He had a deep love for the outdoors and especially enjoyed fishing and tending to his garden Tom will be remembered for his strong work ethic OH; six grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren Rocky Mountain region gas prices essentially unchanged from last week: See how much hereUSA TODAY NetworkRegional gas prices are essentially unchanged for the second consecutive week at an average of $3.13 per gallon of regular fuel on Monday approximately the same as last week's price The average fuel price in the Rocky Mountain region slightly rose about 2 cents since last month gas prices across the region in the last year have been as low as $2.79 on Dec the average gas price in the Rocky Mountain region was 7% higher at $3.36 per gallon >> INTERACTIVE: See how your area's gas prices have changed over the years at data.greatfallstribune.com The average gas price in the United States last week was $3.13 making prices in the Rocky Mountain region about 0.0% higher than the nation's average The average national gas price is essentially unchanged from last week's average of $3.14 per gallon Energy Information Administration's tally of prices in the Rocky Mountain states includes Colorado The Wenatchee Bighorns had their six-game winning streak snapped Friday in TBL Basketball action… Despite 30-points from Chris Cromartie and 26 from Nick Fleming, the Bighorns fell to Great Falls 131-113. Wenatchee wraps up its 7-game home stand this Friday against the Vancouver Volcanoes. Tip time at Wenatchee Valley College will be 7 o’clock. You can go to www.wenatcheebighorns.com for tickets Email notifications are only sent once a day North Central Washington racers topped the podium in four classes of racing at Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval Saturday night… Read moreNCW racers perform well on home track The Wenatchee Bighorns had their six-game winning streak snapped Friday in TBL Basketball action… Read moreBighorn winning streak haulted Friday vs. Great Falls The Seahawks held a rookie mini-camp over the weekend at the V-MAC in Renton… Read moreMacdonald impressed with Seahawks rookie minicamp The Mariners lost the battle yesterday in Texas but won the weekend war… Read moreMariners fall Sunday but take 8th straight series in Texas Mike Macdonald reflects on the Seahawks rookie minicamp that took place over the weekend at the VMAC in Renton. Read moreMike Macdonald reflects on rookie minicamp 2025-05-05 Quincy and Chelan picked up doubleheader sweeps in prep baseball yesterday… Read morePrep scoreboard and schedule 05-02-25 Eric Granstrom has the latest NCWLIFE Channel sports for Friday, May 2, 2025. Read moreNCWLIFE Sports Update with Eric Granstrom 05-02 The grand weekend of Apple Blossom Festival is also a big weekend at Wenatchee Valley’s Super Oval… Read moreWVSO celebrates Apple Blossom with Speed Night The Wenatchee Bighorns won their 6th-straight TBL game last night against Great Falls 135-to-129… Read moreCummings goes off for 44 in Bighorn victory over Electric The Seahawks introduced their first-round draft pick yesterday at the V-MAC in Renton… Read moreSeahawks introduce Zabel officially The Mariners are in Texas to face the Rangers in the first of a weekend series tonight… Read moreMariners head for Texas in 1st place Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: The Montana Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big Winning Lucky For Life numbers from May 4 drawing12-26-31-35-43 Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here. Check Big Sky Bonus payouts and previous drawings here. Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results Missed a draw? Peek at the past week’s winning numbers. Winning lottery numbers are sponsored by Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network Where can you buy lottery tickets?Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Great Falls Tribune editor. You can send feedback using this form. Our News Automation and AI team would love to hear from you. Take this survey and share your thoughts with us. The 25th annual Cruisin’ the Drag Car Show brought thousands of car enthusiasts to Great falls for the largest car show in the state Cruisin’ the Drag President Darrin Schreder says “It's a celebration of all those Friday nights that we all spent cruising the drag Hundreds of car enthusiasts flocked to downtown Great Falls on Saturday as nearly 800 cars of all kinds lined nine blocks of Central Avenue and trailers brought together a community of car enthusiasts to show off the product of hundreds of hours of work spent on their vehicles And it doesn't matter if you have a brand new car or you have something that you built from scratch I love the fact that we can get people together to enjoy cars Proceeds from this year’s show will benefit the Great Falls Public Schools Pantry Program which supports students experiencing food insecurity at home One thing that is new this year is a Cruise the Drag Night Kegger at the Newberry an event designated for those who registered a car in the show to network with each other “It's just a kind of nice way for everybody to kind of relax once the show is over and have a good time.” Special guests at the event this year were co-hosts of the TV show “All Girls Garage” Cristy Lee and Faye Hadley Cruisin’ the Drag will also be awarding one vehicle entry to the Hot August Nights Event Series the largest classic car show in the country Owen Skornik-Hayes reports on the "Butterfly & Grasshopper Ball," the biggest fundraiser of the year for Toby's House Crisis Nursery: Toby’s House was created in honor of October "Toby" Perez a two-year-old girl who died at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend in Great Falls in 2011 The crisis nursery provides short-term care for children voluntarily brought there by a parent or legal guardian Toby’s House’s mission is to prevent child abuse and neglect by providing accessible emergency child care for a number of reasons - for example if the caregiver is resolving personal issues and cannot care for the child as they would like Toby’s House relies on community donations and grants and is always accepting donations of goods to provide for families in need or volunteers To learn more, volunteer, or donate, click here to visit the website, or click here to visit the Facebook page You can also call 406-770-3191‬ or email admin@tobyshousemt.org GREAT FALLS — Rogue Brownies (link) is a brownie business that creates its tasty treats in a community kitchen in Great Falls - but there's a lot more to the story than just chocolate Jenny Watson has been making brownies for years It’s a slight twist on an old family recipe helps it stay a little bit more moist and fudgy because that's the best kind” The business has now grown out of her personal kitchen and she uses the community kitchen in town to supply brownies across the country Watson wanted to find a more direct way to care for her kids, one of who has severe disabilities. so that's when I went back to school to get my master's degree Watson’s sister and co-owner of Rogue Brownies a business that would allow her to be able to be there for all of his needs.” Vassilaros manages the website and other technological aspects “I don't know how she keeps going with all of the pressures and all of the demands and everything She still finds these ways to connect with community.” It is a relationship neither sister takes for granted “Running a business with my sister with Jenny is just amazing.” The sisters’ fortitude is what inspired the Rogue Brownies name “We want to get a community of people that are willing to start questioning their own narrative and have a different experience And it allows Watson to continue to offer more of herself to others “It pretty much mainly provides me a better way to give more to him instead of just the bare necessities The brownies also have 24 karat gold on them “I wanted to provide something fun and something where people can feel special - something that people can afford Watson hopes that her brownies not only taste good but inspire people who are thinking about doing more in life to take that next step Rogue Brownies does not have a bricks-and-mortar store - they operate solely from their website for deliveries Click here to visit the Rogue Brownies website we're seeing a relatively stable job market According to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics But what does the labor market look like in Great Falls Earl Welos has been out of a job for a month as long as I get out there and get started Welos is confident in the team at Express Employment Professionals “I'm pretty sure these guys will help me out...and find me a correct owner of the Great Falls Express Employment Professionals many jobs that are full time that we're trying to fill right now.” unemployment in Great Falls is under three percent the question is not if they will get a job: It’s when an employment specialist with Express Employment Professionals “I wish I had a glass ball that had the exact date because a lot of people when they come to us are really on a time crunch.” saying the labor market in our community is currently strong I think our job market…Feels pretty safe and secure.” Express explained that the job market is cyclical they expect more people to be coming in for more seasonal jobs GREAT FALLS — On Thursday, May 1, 2025, the Newberry in downtown Great Falls hosted 63 non-profit agencies in the concert hall to share their missions with the public and one another as part of Give Great Falls week This is one of the only times that we're going to see all of the nonprofits in one space,” says Sarah Cawley Chair of the Great Falls Area Community Foundation From the Great Falls Theater Club to Spouses of Malmstrom The event one of the largest fundraisers for the non-profits of the year it’s an even more crucial time to collect funds given recent events RDI Financial Wellness fell victim to the Americorps cuts from DOGE at the federal level which RDI was one of were slashed on Friday it was a nationwide decision,” says Executive Director That grant allowed RDI to utilize Americorps volunteers to provide free tax prep to Great Falls residents Americorps is a federal agency utilizing volunteers to tackle the nation’s challenges those millions of dollars back into the economy without them providing that free tax prep where they get a return,” says Rogers The Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art was also met with a roadblock within the State Legislature The museum had hoped to receive a Historical Preservation Grant that would fund the construction of a climate controlled storage vault for permanent artworks as well as improve accessibility for one of their classrooms “Due to some different policy changes in the legislature this year we were not awarded that grant,” says Sara Johnson But like others affected by grant roadblocks stemming from the federal and/or state levels “We’re just going to really focus on how we can recruit volunteers locally,” says Rogers For more information, click here to visit the website for more details GREAT FALLS — Where Central Avenue meets 46th Street South Upslope Group co-founder Keith Miller sees opportunity: Meadowview Village and local residents become homeowners by offering thoughtfully designed homes built with quality and dignity at prices below the Great Falls market for new homes.” a 27.03 acre housing development with 163 single-family lots to purchase The proposed development would be served with a single loop roadway with private alleys and the main roadway a standard city local roadway width with a sidewalk and parking on one side “This is not a lot-rent type of community where you're paying lot rent every month We want to offer true land and home ownership.” The project offers more than just modular homes as it is looking to promote community connection as well “Meadowview Village is going to have two indoor pickleball courts as well as a dog park to create opportunities for connection and play.” as it was supported unanimously by both Neighborhood Council Four and the Great Falls Planning Advisory Board and Zoning Commission on the Planning Advisory Board/Zoning Commission “I think this is a great addition for an unused lot And we definitely have a need in Great Falls for these types of housing developments.” Great Falls Public Schools’ Director of Business Operations Brian Patrick also commented on the development: “Given our current enrollment projections we believe that the District will be able to accommodate any additional students from the development.” Patrick noted: "The elementary students in the proposed subdivision will easily be able to walk to Chief Joseph Elementary School The subdivision is approximately two blocks from East Middle School Great Falls High School will be the attendance center for any high school students." City planning documents provide the following information about traffic: Click here to see all of the planning documents (PDF) The project’s next step will be being put before the City Commission on May 6 To stay updated on the project, click here to visit the Upslope website GREAT FALLS — While all educators are shaping the future one student at a time Randi Rains at North Middle School is being recognized for going above and beyond in her classroom Rains received the ‘Special Education Teacher of the Year’ award on Wednesday after being nominated by her peers and the principal of North Middle School (NMS) “To find out I have won this is incredible and it's so amazing because I truly care about the work that I do with my kids and I care about each and every one of them as my own,” said Rains said he nominated Rains after seeing how she works to make sure every student feels included and important regardless of any learning disabilities they may have “This award highlights those individuals who just do the exceptional things that we all would love for somebody to do for our kids and they do it on a consistent basis,” Miller said TheMontana Council of Administrators of Special Education selects teachers who are going above and beyond in their classroom and make an impact in the special education career field “I’m completely astonished because I’m surrounded by a group of amazing professionals and our community of special education teachers in this district are all amazing,” Rains said Rains will be formally recognized for her achievement at the School Administrators of Montana's "Evening of Excellence" ceremony in Helena coming up in June GREAT FALLS — The Great Falls Public School Board election is on Tuesday so now is the time to get your vote in and make sure your voice is heard before it's too late Four people are on the ballot to fill three positions: Craig Duff “I think people are kind of burned out of elections…with the legislature going on Thompson hopes to see response numbers increase by election night You should select your school board trustees I think they would like to see over 50% of those that are eligible to vote you can call the Elections Office to learn why If you changed your address since the November election or updated your voter registration with the Motor Vehicle Division after April 16 you need to come in person to register with the Elections Office before Tuesday the statute doesn't allow us to process our online their address or a new voter registration.” Vice Chair of the Great Falls Public School Board of Trustees Kim Skornogoski hopes the people of Great Falls understand the importance of voting for school board members “Education decisions aren’t made by the federal government or the state government or the state legislature…Those decisions are made by The board decides everything from the length of Christmas break to the school budget and a stronger board creates a stronger school district as a whole “We want to have more parent participation And this is the… loudest voice that you can have.” but it makes all the difference for the Great Falls Public Schools You can drop off ballots at the Courthouse Annex or the Expo Park until 8pm on Tuesday voter registration will take place at the Election Office from 8 a.m.-12 p.m. and ballot replacement will be available all day voter registration will take place at the Expo Park from 7 a.m.-8 p.m. The Election Office phone number is (406) 454-6803 GREAT FALLS — Ceramic artist Janina Myronova was born in Donetsk in eastern Ukraine She moved to Poland in 2012 before becoming a resident artist in the United States That was followed by almost two years Big Sky Country “I came to the Archie Bray (Foundation) in Montana “I spent one year and eight months there.” Her ‘Folktales and Fanfare’ exhibit of sculptures and drawings has been on display at the Paris Gibson Square Musuem of Art in Great Falls since February It’s been described as an array of iconic figures playfully situated in a garden of amusement the exhibit features colorful bright cheeked faces and bold bodies made up of undulating shapes with exaggerated expressions and comical compositions Myronova says her works are inspired by Ukrainian folk culture She hopes they bring positive emotions to people and says for some “I like this comment because they're soft shapes,” said Myronova I like bringing happiness with my work to the people who come to see them.” The piece that stands out is entitled ‘Meet Me in Montana’ It greets exhibit visitors now at the exhibit entrance 500-pound sculpture will take up residence on a concrete foundation on the museum grounds The sculpture was a purchase gift to the museum collection from the Hiltner family “I love being in public spaces,” said Myronova it gives me opportunity to show my work to more people I have some pieces in sculpture gardens all over the world.” Janina hasn’t lived in Ukraine for more than a decade but still has friends in the war-torn country but still close enough to cause concern for her daughter “When my mother calls me in an unusual time I'm always worried because every second something can happen.” Janina takes pride in knowing that her art has an impact she heard a heartwarming comment from a mother and her ten-year-old daughter “She was never so inspired by something like this exhibition,” said Myronova I'm happy that it's bringing not only people my age or older The museum held a reception for Myronova on Friday Myronova was also scheduled to host workshop at the museum on Saturday ‘Folktales and Fanfare: Sculptures and Drawings by Janina Myronova’ will be on display through June 14 Brianna Juneau reports on a a new restaurant called Asian Mix which opened several days ago in Holiday Village Mall in Great Falls The menu features Chinese and notes that all items are available on a "spicy level" of 1 to 5 Owned by an Asian immigrant family Mi Keh and her husband the pair share a heart for the Montana community and a passion for introducing and sharing culture through food I’m thinking he can cook Chinese food and sushi and I can do Thai food that’s why I give the name “Asian Mix” because we have to mix together,” explained Mi Keh The pair built the restaurant from the ground up and eventually finding support in the Great Falls community to open up a second location People have already started lining up to get a taste of the new spot “I see the costumers love my food and the comments have touched my heart,” Mi Keh said “I want to share my food to the community because they are very That love and hard work is shown in every detail of Asian Mix and Mi Keh didn’t waste a second thanking the community for their support Her thankfulness moved her to tears as she explained her move to the United States and I never think I will have my own car to drive and I never dreamed I would have my own restaurant I don’t read and speak English very well so the support You can find Asian Mix near the mall food court across from Little Athens. The hours are Monday through Saturday from 11 -7 and 12-6 on Sunday For more information, click here to visit the Facebook page Soda Station - 1000 10th Avenue South (Unit 1) The new Soda Station hosted a drive-through only grand opening on Saturday The website for the beverage-based business states: "The fizz never stops flowing and the flavors are always delicious We cater to both soda enthusiasts and casual drinkers with our massive selection of classic and unique soda flavors." Soda Station is open M-Th 7:30a-8p; Fri 7:30a-9p; Sat 9a-9p; closed Sundays From Memorial Day to Labor Day they stay open one hour later It is located inside the former Starbucks location across the parking lot from Cafe Rio Soda Station also has several locations in Billings and Laurel Old Chicago Pizza & Taproom - 1101 Seventh Street South in the former Boston’s Restaurant location on Seventh Street South Old Chicago is at 1101 Seventh Street South in Great Falls GREAT FALLS — The Great Falls International Airport terminal building is more than 50 years old the airport is expanding the area of Terminal Gates One and Two Heather Hoyer has seen first-hand the space struggles in the Great Falls International Airport; she said “I’ve been here for a while today as I prepare for my flight “Everyone wants to use the restroom when they deplane or as they're getting ready to get on the plane so there's always those prime times to use those Adding more room for Gates One and Two is an issue that Airport Director John Faulkner is excited to be addressing “We're basically going to push the hallway out to the width of those hold rooms and add some restrooms down at the end and just create more space for waiting.” The project is expected to cost $5.8 million paid for in majority by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law the Airport Authority Board approved the first package of $1.8 million At the current rate of the airline industry Faulkner expects this expansion will be satisfactory for the next two decades and he does not expect travel to be greatly affected during construction “There may be a time in there where it gets really small…while we're doing that construction But I'm hopeful we can kind of keep everything The airport is planning to start the project this summer and have it completed by December of 2026 winner of the Big Sky Award at the Big Sky Documentary Film Festival played at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center Wednesday night The film tells the story of a small group of Blackfeet people trying to restore the first wild herd of bison since their near-extinction more than 50 years ago The tribe has been working to bring wild bison back in some form for probably the last 60 years,” said Co-Director of the film and Blackfeet “There's this really great resilience within this story.” Aiding Ivan in co-direction was sibling Ivy MacDonald and Daniel Glick Glick is also credited as the film’s writer The piece is narrated by Academy Award nominee and Blackfeet actor Lily Gladstone “She's so amazing and talented and so disciplined in her craft And I think to be able to work with her in the way that we did it's such an incredible honor,” says Ivy MacDonald Partners in the screening included the Great Falls Public Library and Wild Montana “It's not just a retelling of me talking about something going on It's from the people who are making it happen,” says Sarah Cawley the library's community engagement coordinator it can be very contentious between cattle ranchers and bison The cattle industry in Montana is largely opposed to wild bison,” says Glick the fourth generation Blackfeet cattle ranchers who have struggled with trying to bring bison back.” The film also won the 2024 Best Musical Score at the Nevada City Film Festival and was the official selection at the Seattle International Film Festival and the International Wildlife Film Festival If you would like to have the documentary screened in your community contact producer Rachel Pauli at wildcatcreekconsulting@gmail.com For more information, click here to visit the website GREAT FALLS — As Congress moves forward with a budget package that would task the Energy and Commerce Committee to cut at least $880 billion over ten years some Montana caregivers have been left anxious about their future Caregivers and community members gathered outside the federal courthouse in Great Falls on Tuesday to express their concerns over potential Medicaid cuts who is a full-time caregiver for her special needs son and said she relies on Medicaid for his specialized care “His seizure medicines and muscle relaxers and the things that he has to have to live every day would pretty soon be unaffordable These cuts in personnel and in the budget aren't necessary “Most of my clients depend on Social Security and Medicaid An analysis by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office last month showed that the current budget goals could not be reached without reducing some spending on Medicaid have remained adamant that no one lawfully on the program is in danger of losing their benefits During a telephone town hall last month Downing spoke to concerns about cuts to programs like Medicaid “I think that you can have a program that's just got huge amounts of misspent money where you can clean all that up without actually taking a benefit from anybody who is lawfully due that benefit.” Congress has said they plan to achieve the budget goals by eliminating “fraud which includes looking into improper payments and tightening work requirements for recipients Owen Skornik-Hayes reports on a hiring fair coming up on Wednesday Representatives from the Great Falls Chamber of Commerce will be available throughout the day to assist attendees with resumes and mock interviews GREAT FALLS — The first Montanan to play in the annual All-American Bowl — Broden Molen — committed to continue playing college football at the University of Arizona on Monday afternoon at Great Falls High Molen is one of the top college prospects in Montana for the class of 2025 and it was a special afternoon for the Bison senior long snapper "I had a feeling that it was the right choice," Molen who played in the All-American Bowl in San Antonio "Me and my parents didn't really want to tell anyone else because I wanted to do a cool announcement thing and we came to a decision that it was the best choice for me and that it was just an amazing opportunity." Molen received offers from a handful of major Division I programs was best for him while on his visit with the Wildcats learn what some of their programs are like and I just fell in love instantly," Molen said "Everything they had to offer was just absolutely incredible." He said he knew for about half a week that he was going to pick Arizona but keeping it a surprise for all those at his signing made the moment more memorable "The hardest thing ever was keeping it a secret from everybody because I just wanted to tell everybody and enjoy it with them," Molen said I kept it a secret and then I announced it "It feels good to be able to say that yhe University of Arizona is my new home." "It makes me feel like I'm at a game or at something," Molen said "I'm in front of all these people and they're celebrating with me and it just makes me feel nice and warm and fuzzy inside to be able to celebrate it with other people." Great Falls High football's Broden Molen is headed to the Big 12 Conference One of the nation’s top high school long snappers Molen officially signed his letter of intent with the University of Arizona Monday at the Great Falls High Old Gym the annual Montana all-star football contest that will take place on June 21 at Memorial Stadium "I'm happy to be here and be able to celebrate with my friends and family and it's just it's another level of excitement," Molen said but this is almost like a happier (moment) knowing that I get to go and play (in college)." He was selected to compete in the prestigious All-American Bowl by NBC Sports in January which featured 100 of the top high school seniors from across the country Molen also attended camps across the country through the Rubio outfit and the Kohl’s Long Snapping camps Molen began practicing long snapping in middle school with his family as his older brother and former Bison player Landon was injured and wanted to find a way to still contribute to the team He continued to work at the position through the years outside of Great Falls High practice with his father Chad and his younger brother Roman And just to be able to say that all that work we put in together is what brought me to this point is just amazing because that's my family that I will always be with and being able to say that we worked together to help me get to a point that I'm at now going to play Division-I football just makes me super happy and I feel the love and compassion that they've shown me." Molen joins former Bison star Reed Harris — now a wide receiver at Boston College — as Great Falls High products representing Great Falls High at the highest level of college football "It makes me feel amazing because I know that I will always be from Great Falls and have gone to Great Falls High," Molen said "I'll carry that with me and spread it wherever I go and say 'Montana is somewhere that people are and they play football,' and (there's) just an amazing friendship and everything Just to be able to represent my whole state Note: This story has been updated to include quotes The Great Falls Hospital Heart Center is pleased to welcome Dr. Randolph Hutter He has provided exceptional care to patients across the globe for over 27 years and takes a special interest in caring for patients with heart disease After experiencing the brutality of coronary disease at a young age Hutter felt compelled to pursue a career helping others identify and treat heart failure He received his medical degree from Ludwig-Maximilians University in Munich Germany and completed his residency at Rheinische Fredrich-Wilhelms University Hospital in Bonn Hutter was offered a postdoctoral research fellowship at the Cardiovascular Institute within Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York After spending four years in the United States Hutter decided to stay permanently as he continued his education at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and completed an internal medicine residency and an interventional cardiology fellowship Hutter has treated patients in a variety of settings including large urban communities He has found that practicing medicine in smaller communities such as those in Montana have been the most rewarding to him “What I like about being here is that you still can practice real medicine and make it more personalized,” Dr “As a physician you are completely dependent on the environment of care; the philosophy of Great Falls I really enjoy this kind of relationship building with the patients and I get the opportunity to do that in this environment.” Hutter has played a critical role in several research projects including that of the Principal Investigator of Prospective Clinical Trial “Role of Podocan and Wnt-Pathway Regulatory Molecules in Coronary Artery Disease”; the findings of which will soon be published Dr. Hutter specializes in noninvasive treatment of conditions such hypertension, coronary artery disease and cardiomyopathy, among others. He is accepting new patients at the Great Falls Clinic Heart Center, located at 3000 15th Ave South, Great Falls, MT 59405. To book an appointment or learn more, please visit www.gfclinic.com or call 406-454-2171 Announcements Great Falls Clinic is proud to serve Montana and provide the highest quality medical care For directory assistance or information, please call (406) 454-2171 GREAT FALLS — It was still 30 minutes before the official opening but the sidewalks were already bustling with excitement as dozens of people gathered outside the new Old Chicago Pizza + Taproom in Great Falls the latest addition to the Johnson Restaurant Group officially opened its doors A Warm Welcome and a Natural Fit“We’re thrilled to be a part of the Great Falls community,” said Mike Malmberg Vice President of Operations for Johnson Restaurant Group and Missoula — and this was really a natural fit for us.” The Great Falls Chamber of Commerce helped kick off the celebration introducing franchise partner John Johnson who joined local leaders in welcoming the long-anticipated restaurant to town More Than Just PizzaWhile Old Chicago may be known for its deep-dish pies 40 of them on tap — and about 30 of those are local craft beers,” Malmberg explained The restaurant brands itself as a "yes-taurant with a service-forward philosophy: “Don’t ask what the question is — if the answer is yes PleaseThe first 100 people through the doors walked away with more than a meal — they each received coupons for free pizza for a year The giveaway drew a sizable crowd eager to become the restaurant's first official customers the energy was high as staff prepped for their first full day of service hungry and excited to see what the new Old Chicago had to offer Boosting the Local EconomyBeyond food and drink Old Chicago is making a local economic impact employing more than 70 people in Great Falls and of course the front of house staff earn great money in tips,” Malmberg said “We’re proud to create good jobs in this community.” Old Chicago has become a staple in the casual dining space with this newest location already feeling right at home in central Montana and a strong commitment to local flavor and service Old Chicago Great Falls is officially open for business — and if opening day is any indication The Great Falls location is open daily from 11 a.m There are three other Old Chicago locations in Montana - Billings Old Chicago is at 1101 Seventh Street South in Great Falls (former location of Boston's Restaurant & Sports Bar); the phone number is 406-760-2025. Click here to check out the menu The Shrine Circus will be at Montana ExpoPark on Friday Promotional material says: "See Camels The event will be inside the Pacific Steel & Recycling Arena and also at Kelly's Comics (1201 10th Avenue South); Public Drug (324 Central Office); and the circus office at 610 9th Street North Adults are $17; children ages 6-12 are $13 With growing concern of exploitation of animals in recent years some traveling circuses have been retiring their performing animals several states have restricted the use of performing animals: They assure the public their animals receive the best care and have veterinarians on stand by the Shrine Circus told KRTV: “Our elephants receive the best of everything: food Neatsfoot oil is applied regularly to lubricate their skin Vaseline is applied around the eyes and tail to further protect those areas." in Great Falls to Cecil and Barbara (Nelson) Durbin She earned her GED at Largent before attending Vo-Tech of Great Falls Her most enjoyable and important job was caring for her children and grandchildren Christine is survived by her companion of nearly 30 years Leather (Joe) Hersey and Crystal (Nathan Olson) Elletson; son Joe (Keely) and Mark (Melody) Durbin; and the many borrowed children and grandchildren of family and friends A celebration of life will be held at the Do Bar on Sunday To read the complete obituary and share condolences, click here to visit the O'Connor Funeral Home website The Great Falls Clinic is pleased to welcome Leslie Taylor Leslie is a skilled physical therapist with 12 years of experience under her belt Leslie looks forward to reconnecting with her hometown by providing personalized care to patients based on their individual strengths Leslie began her pursuit of higher education at Montana State University in Billings Montana where she received a Bachelor of Science in Health and Human Performance Missouri where she attended Rockhurst University and completed a Doctorate in Physical Therapy Leslie has provided exceptional care in Missouri and Montana; primarily treating patients who experience physical ailments resulting from injury or disease Leslie is passionate about helping patients reach their mobility goals through cardiovascular endurance training consider reaching out to Leslie as she is accepting new patients at the Great Falls Clinic Physical Therapy Department Proudly serving the Central Montana community since 1917 the Great Falls Clinic got its humble beginnings when four medical leaders came together to create the state’s first group medical practice with only five specialties Over one century later the Great Falls Clinic has multiplied in size ten times over with specialties ranging from primary and pediatric care to emergency medicine and a diverse surgery team Local and international medical staffers strive to provide the best health care to the community The Clinic is committed to delivering compassionate and personalized care to all who choose the Great Falls Clinic and Hospital as their preferred healthcare network The Great Falls Clinic and Hospital stays ahead of the curve by incorporating the latest technology and methodology into everyday practices; most importantly the Clinic prioritizes teamwork and looks to recruit outstanding staff members who embody this value to provide the treatment and care the community deserves you’ll likely see some new businesses that are open construction underway for other businesses It is located inside the former Starbucks location across the parking lot from Cafe Rio. A social media post states that they will open for business on Monday A new restaurant called Asian Mix is opening in Holiday Village Mall in Great Falls on Thursday Leslie's Hallmark in Holiday Village Mall is conducting a closing sale The store is located on the ground floor of the east side of mall and plan to shut down by mid-May at the latest The former Ryan's Cash & Carry closed about five years and has been empty since and construction has started to turn the site into a new car wash The Loading Zone and its two associated properties - the Playground and the Buffalo Saloon - shut down in September 2022; they were on the 2400 block of 10th Avenue South In recent days the buildings have been demolished making way for what is believed to be a new tire store but Ocean Star plans to offer buffet service in the future Station District Bar & Eatery - 119 River Drive North The Station District Bar & Eatery opened on Friday The facility is next to the Milwaukee Station Tower on River Drive A social media post states: "Customers will pay and enter their phone number to receive a text when the order is ready for pickup and shuffleboard are available to top off the meal TVs throughout the space show sports and local sporting events." Click here to check out the menus. German bar Kellergeist is expanding their building to triple the size going from around 1,000 square feet to 3,500 square feet The space will be utilized to better accommodate more visitors and live entertainment The former Joann location will become the Old West-themed buffet restaurant Pizza Ranch’s franchise development department told MTN they plan to begin construction on the building early next year It will also have an "arcade zone" of more than 5,000 square feet The City of Great Falls confirmed that Chick-fil-A has submitted a preliminary traffic impact study to the city which is an assessment of potential impacts a proposed development project might have on surrounding roads The study will be reviewed by the City and the Montana Department of Transportation for a potential restaurant location at 711 10th Avenue South The city provided the following statement on the situation: "Chick-fil-A hasn’t yet filed any paperwork with the City for demolition of the former paint building remaining on that block nor has it filed any paperwork for the construction of a new restaurant The traffic study submittal is a good sign the project is moving forward however." The popular fast-food restaurant specializes in chicken sandwiches and waffle fries and has more than 3,000 locations across the country Clearwater Credit Union will be taking over the former Hardee’s restaurant building at 101 First Avenue North in downtown Great Falls They plan to begin construction this summer Construction is expected to last around 18 months But what likely pleased head coach Don Meierhoff and the Great Falls High softball staff the most we’ve just been on the brink of playing a game like that and when you're playing CMR it goes back and forth and one swing of the bat changes things The Bison fought back from losing a mid-game lead to score three runs in the final two innings to defeat C.M Russell High 7-5 Thursday evening at the Multi-Sports Complex Trailing 5-4 heading into the sixth inning pinch-runner Elliana Frank knotted things up as she took home on a dropped third strike Junior third baseman Aletta Hagen drove in the eventual game-winning run in the seventh knocking in Morgan Davis with two outs before sophomore Gracie Kuszmaul plated Hagen on the following at-bat for insurance The Rustlers nearly tied it up again in the seventh as Myli Adams bombed one to centerfield that landed just at the foot of the fence and bounced over for a ground-rule double with two outs but Great Falls High reliever Harley Brown secured the final out on a pop-up Bison starter Kinslee Reeves had surrendered just two hits and one run heading into the fourth before CMR loaded the bases with two outs with junior Hailey Marr sending one over the left-field fence for the go-ahead grand slam at 5-4 Brown entered following the slam and held the Rustlers scoreless for the remainder allowing three hits with one walk with two strikeouts over three-plus innings of work in relief to get the win “I'm proud of both of them,” Meierhoff said of his pitchers “They've been struggling trying to hit spots In addition to the eventual game-winner at the plate Hagen stood out with her glove at third base The junior ended the first inning as she stabbed a hot line drive from CMR’s Marr and picked off the runner at first base to quell an early Rustler threat three-down sixth for Great Falls High with a fine snag on a hard-hit grounder from Ella Cron Meierhoff said he was highly impressed by Hagen’s night I don't I didn't even see her catch it,” Meierhoff said Senior Izzy Saunders knocked in a pair of runs for Great Falls High and had several athletic plays in centerfield Ella Kingsland added an RBI double in the opening frame while Reeves earned a sacrifice fly CMR starter Myli Adams was tagged with five earned runs while striking out eight batters in a complete game Cron chipped in an RBI single for the Rustlers while Adams and Kayleigh Schultz-Palagi each recorded doubles It was the first Eastern AA victory of the season for the Bison who moved to 3-8 overall and 1-6 in league play while CMR fell to 3-8 overall and 0-7 in the conference Great Falls High heads to Billings for a Saturday game with Skyview at noon before a Tuesday road doubleheader The Rustlers head to Belgrade for a noon contest Saturday before taking on Helena at 3 p.m Greg was extremely bright and won many academic awards during his school years which culminated in his recognition as a National Merit Scholar and a full ride scholarship to the University of Oklahoma He graduated from Great Falls High School in 1996 where he was a four-year letterman on the tennis team He spent his summers boating and was an avid water skier He hadn’t quite mastered surfing behind his sister’s boat yet but loved being out on the lake with family and friends He grew up skiing at Showdown and traveled to various ski resorts around the US when he moved to the flat lands of Oklahoma Oklahoma marked the start of a defining chapter in Greg’s life the nation’s oldest student organization of its kind for the University of Oklahoma and the 2nd oldest in the world The most notable job of the RUF/NEKS is driving the Sooner Schooner during football games and shooting the ceremonial shotguns Greg’s college years held many adventures with his RUF/NEK brothers He graduated with degrees in chemical engineering and pre-med in 2000 he decided he didn’t want to do any more schooling and chose to go the chemical engineering route OK and started his career with Conoco Phillips We are grateful for that decision and the success he was able to achieve and life he lived prior to his illness Greg was diagnosed with bipolar disorder during his late twenties and struggled for the latter half of his too short life He returned to Montana and attempted to find his footing We find comfort in knowing that his battle has ended he was fortunate enough to come within a few feet of the Pope before he gave his sermon in the Vatican courtyard Greg was also an ardent fan of Oklahoma Sooner sports and the Minnesota Vikings he found enjoyment playing pickleball and could often be seen on the courts at Jaycee Park and the Peak sister and brother in law; Kira and Lillian Nichols He was preceded in death by his grandparents Robert and Lorna Milch and Robert and Lucille Gonser; uncles Jerry Gonser and David Rohac A private family ceremony will be held at a later date we ask that you honor Greg’s memory by spending time with your loved ones and offering a kind word or gesture to those in need GREAT FALLS — Seven Romanian nationals accused of crossing illegally from Canada into Montana appeared in federal court in Great Falls for arraignment on Wednesday The government alleged in court documents that Ionut Gheorghe and Adi Marinescu Gheorghe were each driving a van on April 25 The other defendants were passengers in the vans Border Patrol detected illegally crossing into the United States at approximately 2:30 a.m Law enforcement officers located the vans traveling south on I-15 and took them to the Sweetgrass Border Patrol Station for further investigation and processing Attorney Kurt Alme said in a news release that Ionut Gheorghe pleaded not guilty to transporting illegal aliens they could face a maximum punishment of five years of imprisonment Adi Marinescu Gheorghe was also charged with illegal reentry of a removed alien which is punishable by two years in prison 51 — each pleaded not guilty to illegal entry of an alien they could be sentenced to up to six months in prison and placed on supervised release for one year All seven defendants remain in custody pending further proceedings The United States Attorney’s Office is prosecuting the case and the United States Border Patrol conducted the investigation near the corner of Fourth Avenue South and 11th Street A Great Falls resident who lives in the area said ‘Well didn't you hear the gunshots?' and I went 'Is that what that was What they thought was fireworks in their safe neighborhood was indeed gunshots we watch each other's homes when we're out of town,” the Great Falls resident said it does kind of make you want to move away from your home.” When officers arrived at the scene at around 8:45 p.m. they confirmed one person had been shot in the foot The victim was taken to Benefis Health System to receive care and has since been released and interviewing witnesses and those involved The investigation into the incident continued on Thursday Sergeant Joe Dusatko with the Great Falls Police Department noted “We also had two vehicles that had been struck with gunfire and that's kind of what our investigators are doing on scene now is they're processing that and collecting any additional evidence." “We were able to determine early on this is not a random act of violence This was a conflict between two known parties that do have a history everyone that's involved right now,” said Sgt the GFPD is not releasing names of the individuals The GFPD did not indicate whether anyone has been charged at this point APRIL 9) Police officers responded to reports of gunshots in Great Falls on Wednesday The reports began coming in shortly before 9 p.m with several people reporting that they heard gunshots Police officers are investigating in the vicinity of Fourth Avenue South and 11th Street An officer at the scene confirmed that multiple shots were fired and that one person was injured The officer said that there is no danger to the public In addition to the Great Falls Police Department the Cascade County Sheriff's Office has also responded to the area Police ask that people avoid the area if possible as they continue to investigate Anyone with information that might help is asked to contact the GFPD We will update you when we get more information Abby MacDonald had some nerve-racking moments ahead of this spring But the Great Falls High track star is breathing easier these days who suffered an ACL tear in her sophomore basketball season briefly feared the worst this winter as she reinjured the same knee — this time in an intramural hoops game and I was terrified that everything that I've worked for had gone out the door again,” MacDonald said who battled a year-and-a-half recovery the first time around received the news that the injury was far less severe this time: an MCL tear that would only require about three months of rehab Then came the question of her college athletic prospects After finishing third at the state meet in the 200 meters and anchoring a second-place and program-record-setting 4x100 relay MacDonald had garnered interest from schools that included Eastern Washington of the Big Sky Conference MacDonald and Bison track coach Dave Killian remained in contact with Eastern following the injury and the Eagles staff still wanted her to come aboard MacDonald made her commitment official last week “That speaks to me the quality of Eastern's program and their staff that they're willing to take a chance on a young lady who realistically her times aren't quite at the walk-on level but they recognize what we all recognize that she would have been there,” Killian said “I can't say enough nice things about both of those programs (including Montana Tech) for being able to see the quality that they had in (MacDonald) and honor it.” MacDonald is taking the season off from competition to allow her knee to fully heal and be ready for Eastern come the summer “The coach really believes in me and he’s really ready for me to show him what I've got It completely just takes the weight off of trying to sign somewhere and trying to run this year While she’s not able to contribute on the track in her senior season with Great Falls High MacDonald is still very active with the program MacDonald assists Killian and sprints coach Coda Tchida and works with the athletes but MacDonald has proved to remain an indispensable asset for Great Falls High “It is a bummer,” Killian said of MacDonald missing the season but more than an athlete — she’s one of the best human beings you're ever going to get She's the type of kid every coach will dream of having on the roster “And even if she can't do it with her legs her heart is still the beat of this team.” MacDonald said she’s greatly enjoyed staying active with the track and field team working with athletes such as standout sophomore Scarlet Harris (who has qualified for the state meet in six events) and sprinter Harper Dirk She also gets to stay close to her younger sister Bree MacDonald an All-State pole vaulter for Great Falls High who is currently tied for first in Class AA in the event “It means a lot to me to still be a part of the team,” MacDonald said a bunch of teammates that I'm really close with and especially the sprinters and jumpers and I look up to them for working hard and they look up to me so I definitely want to stick around and be there for them and be a part of the team Because they've been there for me when I was competing so I want to be there for them when they're competing.” Whether she was scoring points for the Bison or taking up the mantle of student-coach Killian said MacDonald has made a lasting impact on the track program “Track is a team sport made up of individual efforts and she's owning that whether she's been on the track with her legs or with her heart,” Killian said “And to me that that speaks more about the quality of a human being than anything that she will ever do time-wise and that to me is just special.” Ardelle Watkins died peacefully on December 30th.  She was born in 1940 to Mabel and Carl Iverson and grew up in Whitlash and Shelby Montana.  Bruce Watkins picked her up for their first date in a "borrowed" Army helicopter they fell in love and were married.  In 1965 they bought Gusto Distributing.  She was active in the business and running Gusto of Havre for 30 years before returning to leadership in Gusto of Great Falls.  and the Wine and Food Fest.  If she threw a party She will be missed by her brothers Dennis and Warren Iverson; her children Len and LeeAnne Watkins; grandson Shyam Dorn; granddaughter Madison Watkins (Andrew Johnson) and great granddaughter Remi; niece Molly Iverson and her son Maximo; and her whole Gusto family A Celebration of Life at Meadowlark Country Club January 24th 3-6pm with Toasts and Eulogy at 4pm.  memorials preferred to Boys and Girls Club of Cascade County of the Great Falls Clinic and Hospital recently achieved a remarkable 25 years of service provided as a valuable volunteer to the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery (ABOS) Greenwald and several other leading surgeons from across the country collaborated to evaluate candidates hoping to obtain ABOS Board Certification Greenwald wrote questions placed on the ABOS Web-Based Longitudinal Assessment “It has truly been an honor to serve as a member of ABOS for 25 years,” Dr “Being nominated as a board member is an academic triumph The work we do as a committee directly impacts the future of orthopedic surgery and it means a lot to be part of this process.” Greenwald taking time away from his practice to help the ABOS in this important endeavor,” said ABOS Executive Medical Director David F Greenwald to lend their expertise through knowledgeable evaluation.” To achieve Board Certification from the ABOS Greenwald first successfully completed a five-year residency program in orthopedic surgery which was accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) and then passed the rigorous ABOS Part I Examination a comprehensive computer-based examination encompassing all facets of the field of orthopedic surgery Greenwald’s clinical competence was evaluated through a credentialing process and the ABOS Part II Oral Examination After providing ABOS with a Case List of all surgeries performed over a six-month period experienced surgeons selected 12 of these cases to comprise Dr Specific skills that are evaluated during that examination include data gathering and interpretive skills and applied orthopedic and medical knowledge After passing both the written and oral examinations Greenwald achieved ABOS Board Certification in Orthopedic Surgery and is now considered a Diplomate of the ABOS In order to maintain ABOS Board Certification a Diplomate must pass a recertification examination receive positive reviews from peers in their practice area have a selected period of surgical cases evaluated and participate in continuing medical education independent organization to serve the best interests of the public and the medical profession These interests are achieved through the ABOS by establishing standards for the education of orthopedic surgeons These standards are evaluated by the ABOS through examinations and practice evaluations four visionary medical leaders opened a world-class comprehensive health care center with an integrated team of specialists and a personal approach to wellness — far from an urban center the Great Falls Clinic provides diverse specialty medical clinics The Great Falls Clinic and Hospital are committed to improving the health and wellness of our community by striving to provide the best healthcare possible the Clinic is committed to recruiting the exemplary medical staffmembers harnessing the power of the latest medical technologies working as a team to meet the health needs of the 250,000 residents living in Central Montana One lane of alternating traffic as part of Walker Road over Piney Run bridge project GREAT FALLS – Weather permitting, Walker Road (Route 681) between Park Royal Drive and Walker Mill Road will have one lane of alternating traffic via a flagging operation during daytime hours Friday, April 25 through Friday, May 2 for work related to the Walker Road over Piney Run bridge replacement project according to the Virginia Department of Transportation The flagging operation will be scheduled for the following days and times: Drivers should expect delays and are advised to use alternate routes The bridge project is scheduled for completion in late 2025 You can get traffic, work zone and incident information online at 511.vdot.virginia.gov, via the free mobile 511Virginia app or by calling 511 in Virginia anywhere anytime Follow VDOT Northern Virginia on Twitter: @vadotnova Please note that this file is not ADA compliant the “Hands Off” movement organized more than 1,000 protests across all 50 states opposing policies from the Trump administration Protesters gathered in numerous towns across Montana where hundreds of people lined the Central West bridge to voice their concerns The protests mainly targeted the Department of Government Efficiency criticizing significant cuts to federal programs and recent economic policies Protesters say the rallies aim to unite people across political ideologies in defense of democratic values and social protections 2025) A national protest is coming to several Montana towns on Saturday and organizers say it’s not about left or right; rather The rally is part of a national movement called Hands Off! Organizers say they’re responding to what they see as growing threats to healthcare Leading the Bozeman effort is a group called Indivisible Bozeman The protest will start at noon on Saturday Organizers say it will be peaceful and nonviolent Similar events will be held in several Montana towns For all locations and more information, visit the Hands Off website to his devoted mother Lila Mae Hancock (Paul) Jerry’s journey began in the rugged beauty of Montana He spent his beginning years in Augusta and Great Falls sharing countless adventures with his siblings—Rick Russel High School cutting his senior year short he joined the United States Army for 2 ½ years Jerry developed a profound appreciation for the cowboy way of life a passion that would shape his character and remain throughout his years Jerry was a true western soul and proud member of the Little Shell Tribe He found joy and inspiration in everything the western lifestyle had to offer—art Rarely seen without his signature cowboy hat and impeccable western attire Jerry felt most alive surrounded by nature’s bounty His flair for fashion and his meticulous sense of style also led him to a career that combined creativity and community—becoming a barber Jerry’s talent and charisma shone brightly as he built his barbershop "Jer’s Cut N Go." From its beginnings in Big Sandy to subsequent locations in Havre and later Choteau Jerry left his mark in every town he touched he continued his craft at Riverview Barber Shop he not only cut hair but also shared stories and friendship with everyone who walked through the door Jerry was known for his spirited and adventurous lifestyle—filled with women His greatest source of pride and happiness was his family His grandchildren were the brightest stars in his life and Jerry never missed an opportunity to support them Whether it was cheering at basketball and soccer games or revving up the excitement at motocross races always encouraging them with unwavering pride he has the best view of all to continue cheering them on Jerry had a unique gift for spreading joy and making connections and warm personality made him a friend to everyone he met Jerry truly never met a stranger—every encounter was a chance to share a story and the vast Montana skies stretching endlessly above him and the cowboy way will endure in the hearts of those who were fortunate enough to know him He will be deeply missed and forever remembered We would like to thank the nurses and staff at Benefis Peace Hospice for caring for Jerry through his final days Rick Hancock; sister Gail Hancock; daughters Paige Culver and Heather (Kevin) Richeson; son Justin (Melanie) Paul; granddaughters 2025 – The Great Falls Clinic is pleased to announce Kendra Puckett as the newly appointed Vice President of Medical Group Operations “We are thrilled to welcome Kendra Puckett as the new Vice President of Medical Group Operations at Great Falls Clinic and a deep commitment to advancing patient care and operational excellence I am confident that under Kendra’s leadership our medical group will continue to grow and provide exceptional care to the communities we serve,” Mark Robinson Kendra has held numerous leadership roles at Benefis Hospital and Great Falls Clinic Kendra joined the Great Falls Clinic as the Emergency Department Director when the Clinic had not yet opened its new hospital located at 3010 15th Ave South Kendra was tasked with setting up the Clinic’s very first emergency department and leading its staff and providers Kendra has continued to grow into other leadership roles including Director of Emergency Services and Outpatient Provider Practices and over the course of the last two years has served as the Senior Director of Clinical Operations at the Great Falls Clinic Kendra believes the key to leading an efficient team lies in partnership Kendra has built a strong clinical leader team and prioritized building provider relationships She shares her proudest career moment remains opening the new emergency room at the Great Falls Hospital Kendra’s team members would describe her as a great listener collaborative partner and an excellent cake-maker “Leadership has always been something I am passionate about Being able to lead others and support front line staff through my position is something I am proud of,” shares Kendra Kendra received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Montana State University in Bozeman fill their free time cheering on her three children at their sporting events To learn more about the Great Falls Clinic, visit www.gfclinic.com or call 406-454-2171 GREAT FALLS — The Civic Center in downtown Great Falls serves as the heartbeat of the city’s civic life — and now city leaders are calling on residents to get involved The City of Great Falls is currently soliciting volunteers to serve on several important boards “We have over 20 boards for the city," said Krista Artis Administrative Assistant for the City Manager and councils that all need engaged citizens." The city is specifically looking for applications for the Audit Committee Tourism Business Improvement District Board "Being involved in a board on a volunteer capacity is a great way to really immerse yourself in the community and find out what's going on at a different level," said Kellie Pierce Executive Director of the Business Improvement District Applications can be picked up at the City Manager's Office located in Room 201 of the Civic Center, or they can be found on the city website by clicking here "It's a great way to get active in the community and understand what city government does," Artis said "These boards help guide decisions that can lead to real change." Time commitments vary depending on the board Members are expected to review meeting packets ahead of time and come prepared to participate in decision-making discussions "I want somebody that's going to be involved," Pierce emphasized "They need to communicate well with other property owners and be available for meetings — even when special meetings are called." Pierce added that serving on a board can be a career- and community-changing experience "If I wouldn't have joined boards ten years ago I probably wouldn't be in the position I'm in now It just gives you that different level of like 'I can really make a change.' You can impact what's going on in our community and be a part of a bigger thing that's making Great Falls great." Applications will be accepted through May 20 If you are interested in serving on a City Board or Commission a Citizen Interest Form should be completed and mailed to the City Manager's Office Forms can also be dropped off in the Manager's office at the Civic Center located at 2 Park Drive South If you have questions regarding a Board or Commission or the appointment process call the Manager's office at 455-8450 Great Falls organizations and community members joined forces this week for the 2025 Housing Summit – a gathering focused on addressing the city’s growing needs and planning for the future Hosted at the Great Falls Association of Realtors the summit brought together voices from all corners of the community The collaborative effort included speakers from the City of Great Falls the Home Builders Association of Great Falls “We are in a housing crisis here in Great Falls,” said Zac Griffin the CEO of the Great Falls Association of Realtors rental rates are the lowest they’ve ever been in our community for vacancy rates and Great Falls needs to start producing more homes.” The Great Falls Development Authority (GFDA) has recently released a 2024 Housing Market Demand Assessment indicating a need for a mix of housing types to meet diverse income levels and preferences in the Great Falls Metropolitan Statistical Area and the broader 13-county region The study projects a demand and an under-supplied market for both rental and for-sale housing products over the next five and ten years found that Great Falls needs 2,721 new rental units and 3,668 new for-sale units over the next 10 years “The issues that we have concerning our housing are really extreme obstacles This summit allows us to educate each other on what we’re seeing and educate the public on what we’re doing so that we can have more productive conversations on how to move forward,” explained Brock Cherry the Planning & Community Development Director for the city By uniting citywide efforts under a common goal “I’m feeling really motivated and really supported by the community in this effort,” explained Jake Clark “Now folks understand that these things are happening and they want to be a part of the solution to get back to an equilibrium that’s a little more healthy for the community.” “Our plan is to continue to do this quarterly so we can continue to update the public on things that are needed that we have some big projects coming here very soon.” NeighborWorks Great Falls is partnering with the Hi-Line Climbing Center to host "‘Community Climbing Day." The event is in celebration of the Hi-Line Climbing Center’s eighth anniversary and will double as a fundraiser for Neighbor Works Great Falls All donations will go toward NeighborWorks Great Falls “We're hoping by partnering for this event we can get different visibility,” said Emma Nelson community engagement marketing coordinator with NeighborWorks Great Falls “Maybe people who come to support NeighborWorks end up taking a new hobby and they become rock climbers and maybe some people who are climbers decide that they are ready to buy a home and then they come through NeighborWorks’ services So with being such different organizations coming together for this we're hoping to tap each other's markets and create more visibility for both.” The ‘Community Climbing Day’ will be on Saturday, May 3, 2025, from noon to 2pm at the Hi-Line Climbing Center (608 First Avenue South). For more information, call 406-315-1613 or click here Whisper Rayne Hawkbear pleaded guilty last week to deliberate homicide in the beating death of her two-month old baby in April 2023 According to Cascade County Attorney Joshua Racki a charge of assault on a minor was dismissed in exchange for her guilty plea on the homicide charge Sentencing for Hawkbear has not yet been scheduled 2023) Whisper Rayne Hawkbear has been charged with killing her two-month old son and seriously injuring her toddler daughter According to court documents released on Monday on Friday "in a panic," but calmed down and canceled the call Hawkbear immediately handed a two-month old boy to an officer; the baby reportedly had blood on his face Police then found a two-year old child crying in a bedroom with blood on her face; the court documents state that her nose "was nearly cut off" and will have permanent scarring Responding medical personnel also noted a burn on one leg and a possible head injury Officers saw blood on the carpet and bed and a broken mirror and also what appeared to be drug paraphernalia The two-month old boy was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead at 5:17 a.m During an interview at the Great Falls Police Department court documents state that Hawkbear initially called at about 2:30 a.m and her children would not stop crying and she wanted to sleep Police say she told them that she threw the infant against a wall and stomped on his head and that she "slammed" the toddler into a mirror "many times." Hawkbear told police the children stopped crying and she was able to go to sleep they learned that the alleged birth father of the children had requested a welfare check of the children on April 19 claiming that Whisper was using drugs and he was concerned about her ability to care for the kids we do not know if a welfare check was conducted Hawkbear has been charged with deliberate homicide and assault on a minor Toby's House Crisis Nursery in Great Falls issued the following statement: Toby’s House was created in honor of October "Toby" Perez a two-year-old girl who died at the hands of her mother’s boyfriend in 2011 To learn more about Toby's House, or to volunteer or donate, click here to visit the website 2024) Whisper Rayne Hawkbear was arrested on Friday and booked into the Cascade County Detention Center at approximately 1:15 p.m are deliberate homicide and assault on a minor A spokesman for the Great Falls Police Department told MTN News that the fatality was a two-month old child; the assault charge against Hawkbear involved a toddler The alleged crimes happened at the Rockcress Commons apartment complex (2200 block of 23rd Street South) We expect to get details later on Monday when charges are likely to be filed by the County Attorney and will update you as we get more information Whether you encounter Scarlet Harris walking the halls of Great Falls High School or in the middle of a full sprint at Memorial Stadium “I hear that a lot,” Harris said with a laugh “People have me smiling in pictures in basketball I’m just happy to be doing what I’m doing.” Her start to the new season certainly has the Great Falls High track and field staff smiling as well In Great Falls High’s first action of the season on March 28 in a dual with Billings Skyview Harris won the 100-meter dash as well as the 100 and 300 hurdles earning three state meet-qualifying times along the way Her time in the short hurdles of 15.16 was only .02 off her career best and her finish in the 100 (12.83) has her ranked No Harris not only had the best AA time in the short hurdles What’s more impressive is that her state-leading mark of 46.98 came in her first career race in the long hurdles More: State meet tracker: See the qualifiers for Great Falls High, CMR track and field teams More: CMR softball returning experience, depth for new campaign Harris finished second to all-state hurdler Alivia Rinehart who now leads the state in the 100 hurdles at 14.74 Harris' 300 time from the season-opener still stood as tops in AA with Rinehart of Flathead clocking a 48.33 She also hit the state-meet requirement in the high jump for her fourth event Harris finished .05 seconds off the state-qualifying time in her first 200 dash of the year Friday but is ranked third in the state at 26.75 in the event Harris said the early results were a welcome surprise “I’m always surprised whenever I see my name up there,” Harris said before a practice this past week “It’s just a good feeling and reassuring that I’m doing something right.” Bison head coach Dave Killian couldn’t help himself when in earshot of his star sophomore’s answer “You’re doing a lot of things right,” Killian said with a laugh Harris returns to the track this spring following a groundbreaking season in 2024 in which she earned two all-state finishes and set or had a hand in two program records She ran the fastest time ever by a Bison freshman in the 100 hurdles (15.14) at the Eastern AA divisional meet and ran the second leg of a program-record 4x100 relay team along with graduated athletes Addisyn Rask and Isis Haslem as well as Abby MacDonald — another all-state sprinter who will likely miss this spring with a reaggravated knee injury Harris was fourth at state last season in both the 200 sprint and 100 hurdles as she was named the Tribune’s Girls’ Athlete of the Spring Season in 2024. While Harris may take a humble approach to her progress The third-year Bison head coach said Harris’ offseason preparation combined with her staying in top shape through volleyball in the fall and basketball in the winter set her up to hit the ground running “When you can start a season where you ended the previous season it’s really a testament to what you do in the offseason,” Killian said early season workouts are more intensive in order to bring the athletes into competitive form before tapering off through the year so as to ideally have fresh legs come the postseason Killian said he’s even more eager to see what Harris’ ceiling is come the state meet “This is her ‘tired,’ so it’s really exciting to see what happens when she’s even more ready,” Killian said Killian said he tasked his assistants with coming up with names from each group to participate in leadership exercises “I didn’t think I’d have to be (a leader as a sophomore) but it was our first meet and (sprints coach Coda) Tchida said ‘Get your relay together!’ And I’m like ‘Me Killian said Harris is a “natural-born leader” in addition to her athletic talents “There’s some leaders who want to break a kid down but there’s nothing negative that comes out of her mouth,” Killian said Harris’ goal beyond high school sports is to compete in college in multiple events she’s aiming to add events to her arsenal on top of the sprints hurdles and high jump — specifically the javelin and the long jump “My first (goal) was getting (pre-qualifying) out of the way so I can focus on trying out long jump or javelin,” Harris said “Maybe not (in competition) this year but getting it down this year and working on high jump for sure and staying on it on hurdles.” Whatever event she’s competing in through this year and the ones to follow just don’t be surprised if you see a smile from Harris even as she’s in full stride ‘Hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard,’ but she has talent File photo provided courtesy of Matt Ehnes of Arizona Detours.