We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at newsroom@abcfoxmontana.com or call us at 406-542-8900 by Phil Howard There are over 2,000 NorthWestern Energy customers are without power according to the outage map — UPDATE: All power has been restored to NorthWestern Energy customers On Saturday over 2,000 NorthWestern Energy customers without power according to the outage map The cause of the outage is unknown at this time and lots of eager traders come together as collectors gathered for the state's largest expo in Missoula it's been about 3 years," 406 Draft Cards and Collectibles owner Scott Jablonski said Collecting cards takes a lot of money and energy Jablonski is showing his son valuable skills for the business world “Teach him how to sell and purchase and whatnot the duo was showing their collection at the Montana Sports Cards and Collectibles Show “Anybody here that wants to sell everything that they've got that's kind of what we do," Jablonski said With buyers and sellers of all ages taking part in the show Passing on the love of the trade to the next generation is what Jablonski says collecting cards is all about obviously the young kids to come in and see all the cards and stay with the card business for the most part Read through the obituaries published today in Missoulian Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Photos from the University of Montana Spring Rodeo at the Missoula County Fairgrounds on May 2-3 Chrissy Houlahan and CNN Political Commentators Ashley Allison and Kristen Soltis Anderson discuss Trump saying he doesn’t know if he has to uphold the Constitution as well as growing concerns over his handling of the economy — President Donald Trump is circumspect about his duties to uphold due process rights laid out in the Constitution saying in a new interview that he does not know whether U.S citizens and noncitizens alike deserve that guarantee President Donald Trump holds a document with notes about Kilmar Abrego Garcia as he speaks with reporters in the Oval Office of the White House on April 18 in Washington He also said he does not think military force will be needed to make Canada the “51st state” and played down the possibility he would look to run for a third term in the White House interview with NBC’s “Meet the Press" came as the Republican president's efforts to quickly enact his agenda face sharper headwinds with Americans just as his second administration crossed the 100-day mark according to a recent poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research made clear that he is not backing away from a to-do list that he insists the American electorate broadly supported when they elected him in November Here are some of the highlights from the interview with NBC's Kristen Welker that was taped Friday at his Mar-a-Lago property in Florida and aired Sunday Critics on the left have tried to make the case that Trump is chipping away at due process in the United States they cite the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia a Salvadoran man who was living in Maryland when he was mistakenly deported to El Salvador and imprisoned without communication Trump says Abrego Garcia is part of a violent transnational gang The Republican president has sought to turn deportation into a test case for his campaign against illegal immigration despite a Supreme Court order saying the administration must work to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S citizens and noncitizens both deserve due process as laid out in the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution I don’t know,” Trump said when pressed by Welker The Fifth Amendment provides “due process of law,” meaning a person has certain rights when it comes to being prosecuted for a crime the 14th Amendment says no state can “deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.” and they are going to obviously follow what the Supreme Court said.” He said he was pushing to deport “some of the worst most dangerous people on Earth,” but that courts are getting in his way “I was elected to get them the hell out of here and the courts are holding me from doing it,” Trump said The president has repeatedly threatened that he intends to make Canada the “51st state.” Fareed assesses the first 100 days of President Donald Trump’s second term with Jon Meacham Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential biographer Before his White House meeting on Tuesday with newly elected Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney Trump is not backing away from the rhetoric that has angered Canadians told NBC that it was “highly unlikely” that the U.S would need to use military force to make Canada the 51st state He offered less certainty about whether his repeated calls for the U.S to take over Greenland from NATO-ally Denmark can be achieved without military action “Something could happen with Greenland,” Trump said we need that for national and international security economy is in a “transition period” but he expects it to do “fantastically” despite the economic turmoil sparked by his tariffs He offered sharp pushback when Welker noted that some Wall Street analysts now say the chances of a recession are increasing some people on Wall Street say,” Trump said Some people on Wall Street say that we’re going to have the greatest economy in history.” He also deflected blame for the 0.3% decline in the U.S “I think the good parts are the Trump economy and the bad parts are the Biden economy because he’s done a terrible job,” referring to his Democratic predecessor Trump doubled down on his recent comments at a Cabinet meeting that children might have to have two dolls instead of 30 denying that is an acknowledgment his tariffs will lead to supply shortages “I’m just saying they don’t need to have 30 dolls The president has repeatedly suggested he could seek a third term in the White House even though the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution says that “No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice.” Trump told NBC there is considerable support for him to run for a third term “But this is not something I’m looking to do,” Trump said “I’m looking to have four great years and turn it over to somebody Trump's previous comments about a third term sometimes seem more about provoking outrage on the political left The Trump Organization is even selling red caps with the words “Trump 2028.” he has suggested he was seriously looking into a third term Vice President JD Vance waves waves as he departs Charleston after touring Nucor Steel Berkeley in Huger Trump said in the interview that Vice President JD Vance is doing a “fantastic job” and is “brilliant.” Secretary of State Marco Rubio whom Trump last week tasked to simultaneously serve as acting national security adviser But Trump said it is “far too early” to begin talking about his potential successor He is confident that his "Make America Great Again" movement will flourish beyond his time in the White House The limited-edition nutcrackers titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," is seen at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman works on nutcrackers of a cowboy at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman uses hairspray to fixe the hair on a nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg manager and owner of the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory Fabrics for nutcracker costumes are stored on the shelf at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg Nutcrackers are displayed at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg The desk of the limited-edition nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," is seen at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A nutcracker commemorating the coronation of Britain's King Charles III stands alongside other nutcrackers at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A man walks on the road near the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A man works on a lathe in the carpentry of the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg Two limited-edition nutcrackers titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," are seen on a table at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman fixes a coat on a nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg An Uncle Sam nutcracker with an American flag stands between other nutcrackers at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg nutcrackers showing Britain's King Charles III Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam are displayed at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg A woman combs the hair on a nutcracker titled "Resolute Desk of the President," featuring a seated figure signing a "presidential proclamation," at the Steinbach-Volkskunst nutcracker factory in Marienberg Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly Guacamole has been spared from tariffs for now and Kristen Soltis Anderson discuss Tru… to phase out single-use expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam food containers across Montana has passed both the House and Senate with strong bipartisan support and backing from a diverse coalition of stakeholders and supporting agricultural and timber business opportunities Growing awareness of microplastics and their impacts on human health and the environment—along with attention from the U.S Secretary of Health and Human Services—united legislators and citizens from across Montana in support of HB 477 Environmental and public health advocates highlighted the urgent need to curb the damage EPS causes to waterways emphasized the urgency: “We have chemicals touching our food… this is an easy way to say if the feds aren’t gonna do it acknowledged EPS’s hormone-disrupting effects and noted “Part of our role is to protect consumers…I appreciate the care the good sponsor put into this bill making it a well-thought-out The business community also rallied behind the bill Restaurant owners seeking responsible packaging Montana-based manufacturers developing compostable alternatives the state’s growing composting industry and others see HB 477 as a chance to build consumer trust and spur market growth sees the bill as a way to move forward in a “more positive direction.” Gist remarked that the bill could stimulate more growth of businesses utilizing Montana agricultural byproducts to create compostable products and then utilizing those materials to produce soil amendment Senator Bruce “Butch” Gillespie hailed the bill as a promising opportunity “Let this be the beginnings of a whole new industry for Montana,” citing hemp—of which Montana is one of the nation’s leading producers—as a potential example HB 477 will protect Montanans from the harms of a known toxic product—EPS foam food containers—and its measured phase-in will protect Montana businesses from unexpected disruptions businesses able to demonstrate that the bill will cause “undue hardship” can seek an exemption from the phase-out EPS products already exempt from the phase-out are meat trays HB 477’s success shows that even in politically divided times citizens and lawmakers can find common ground if they work together to find solutions The bill is now before Governor Gianforte to decide if this commonsense policy can become a model for a healthier America Jeremy Drake writes, \"HB 477’s success shows that even in politically divided times, citizens and lawmakers can find common ground if they work together to find solutions.\"\nRead More The business community also rallied behind the bill by Jacob Owens — CASA of Missoula provides roughly 170 children in the area with a court appointed special advocate The nonprofit faces a $12,000 budget cut after the federal government ended grant-funding to its national organization “We were already in a bad spot when it comes to people in our area not becoming advocates and we were using that funding to go out and meet more people and get advocacy for children,” Kate Morris “Right now we don’t have enough children served in our area and these funds were used to that purpose.” Advocates in the Missoula-area often help with cases of child neglect due to poverty and substance abuse CASA volunteers meet with children monthly and give reports directly to judges helping them make the best decision for a child CASA in Missoula planned to apply for $55,000 in grants for next year but without federal grant funding to the national organization that money is “no longer accessible” If funding from National CASA/GAL is not available next year CASA of Missoula will have to make cuts and use reserve funds Morris believes the loss of funds on a national scale can be successfully appealed Joseph School raised $925 for the carousel in Missoula What started as a fundraiser in the classroom spread throughout the whole school Students started bringing in and collecting money to donate with the hope of giving back to one of their favorite spots in town The class's teacher told NBC Montana giving is part of the school's culture "Our students are so big on helping others helping the community within our building and really within the city of Missoula They've done a couple other service projects this year," said Jessica Heirigs "The biggest one being for the Poverello Center because that's one of the most asked for items." Heirig said they donated the earnings during a field trip Friday She told us it just happened to coincide with Missoula Gives -- a large nonprofit fundraising event currently underway MISSOULA — The University of Montana was recently ranked the number one school for community and public service for the third time Griz students lived up to that title by hosting a day of service on Saturday giving up some weekend free time to give back "We really want to cultivate a great environment here and this just does that," sophomore student and UM Advocates member Isabel Beasley told MTN The Big Event is getting college students to volunteer for a day "We have about 10-ish different groups right now all around the community helping out," freshman student and UM Advocates member Camille Wagner said Students gathered at Mount Sentinel's M Trailhead "Making it look nicer and better for everyone when they come and hike," Wagner shared Wagner notes that the M Trail is constantly used and needs a little love from helping hands "I think it's just really nice to be able to have a space where people can be for free and all have a great time," Wagner said Beasley and a group of other volunteers spruced up the area for the native plants "I learned so much just doing this today," Beasley said and it's really cool that I was actually able to have a helping hand in cultivating it and keeping for future students to come." "I want to be able to be a part of a university that actually values community service and values having their students engage in that early on," Beasley told MTN A goal for the students is to give back to the school they love as often as possible "I've gotten to see all these amazing opportunities to meet all these amazing people and so I just I want to be able to like do for them what they've done for me," Wagner explained "I think this should be even bigger and better next year If we can have more of the community and even more campus involvement the Weary Travelers Music Festival gave everyone a chance to relax and enjoy campus one more time before the semester ends " A big volunteer shindig music and everything so that's kind of a way to celebrate everything we've done today and I'm excited that we get have a great event that is both volunteering and fun," Wagner said — Former Montana State women's basketball player Lexi Deden announced via social media Saturday that she is tranferring to Colorado State who announced her intention to transfer on April 14 spent the past five years at Montana State She suffered a season-ending knee injury early in the 2023-24 campaign The 6-foot-1 Missoula Sentinel graduate averaged 9.9 minutes in 23 games this past season during which the Bobcats won 30 games and captureed the Big Sky Conference tournament championship Deden averaged 6.3 points and 3.9 rebounds per game Deden was a standout player at Sentinel High four steals and three blocked shots per game She joins a Colorado State program that went 22-10 last season The Rams lost to Fresno State in the first round of the Mountain West tournament who will be entering his 14th season as head coach in 2025-26 2025) – Montana State capped its dominant 2024-25 college rodeo season in fitting fashion on Saturday taking the men's and women's team titles at the University of Montana Rodeo while clinching Big Sky Region Championships in both "I'm really proud of both teams for winning the regional championship," said Bobcat head coach Kyle Whitaker "It takes toughness and grit to win as many rodeos as we did this year and they finished strong and took care of business in Missoula." Montana State's men won nine of the Big Sky Region's 10 rodeos in 2024-25 finishing second at the first of Miles City's two rodeos The Cats won six of the 10 women's regional rodeos winning two of the four fall rodeos and four of the six this spring The Bobcats compete in the 2025 College National Finals Rodeo in Casper Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Missoula's Sean Ramsbacher won the amateur division in the 35th annual Lake City Open Sunday in Polson 8 hole during the Montana State Mid-Am at The Ranch Club Garrett Woodin of Billings won the Lake City Open pro division Sunday in Polson Woodin tees up as he poses for a photo at Hilands Golf Club in Billings Garrett Woodin (left) of Billings won the pro division and Sean Ramsbacher (right) of Missoula won the amateur division in the Lake City Open this weekend at Polson Bay MISSOULA — Missoula's Sean Ramsbacher and Billings' Garrett Woodin were the big winners in the two-day Lake City Open this weekend at Polson Bay Golf Course a former standout player for Montana Tech and Missoula Sentinel rallied Sunday to win the amateur division in the 35th annual tournament with a 9-under score of 67-68-135 Former University of Providence (Great Falls) golfer Ben Kaul finished second with an 8-under score of 68-68-136 Nate Gage of Polson held a lead for part of the day Sunday but settled for third at 64-74-138 A total of 126 amateurs signed up for the tourney Woodin rallied past fellow Billings player Joey Moore to win the pro division and earn a check for $3,500 Woodin carded a 13-under score of 65-66-131 and Moore Woodin played his college golf at Montana State Billings and was the first men's player from that school to reach the NCAAs in 2021 Moore broke a tournament record by shooting 62 on Saturday A total of 30 golfers competed in the pro division Ryan Malby of Kalispell won the senior pro division by eight strokes with an 8-under score of 65-71-136 Bill Speltz is Missoulian sports editor. Contact him at bill.speltz@406mtsports.com or on Twitter @billspeltz The five boys and five girls selected as Roundtable finalists acknowledged Sovereignty crosses the finish line first in the Kentucky Derby Nickisch is affectionately called "Pucks" by her Skyview Falcons teammates The Finalists gathered together on Monday night (Missoula Current) After years of exploring the future of a historic Missoula Valley ranch the county is now close to adopting an interpretive plan for the site which could include trails and public upgrades The finalized plan for the LaLonde Ranch could also help the county chase certain grants to help fund the work said the document covers a number of goals including protecting the site's heritage and welcoming travelers who stop off Interstate 90 to explore the property “It really helps paint a vision for the site,” Zanatos said of the plan “This is a great spot to stop and learn something you wouldn't think about.” The LeLonde Ranch remains one of the few historic agricultural properties left standing in the Missoula Valley It consists of several buildings that include a log cabin dating back to 1877 when Adam LeLonde was “proving up” his land The precise date of the main ranch house is unknown though historians believe it was built around 1888 using materials from the Hollenbeck Brickyard The ranch and its remaining 7 acres are now bounded on all sides by the county’s Development Park and Interstate 90 While most of the land that once supported the ranch has been developed and it took the county several years to find a proper use for the property Zanatos said it's time to implement and follow the new interpretive plan “That's one of the next big steps getting public infrastructure and public signage up,” Zanatos said we start going after the appropriate funds.” the property contains a small orchard with apple and pear trees The county plans to work with Farm Connect to help maintain the orchard and the site's other agricultural needs The main house is now connected to city water and initially But the county has reestablished the well and could use it to irrigate the property “They're going to get the orchard back up and we're going to take on the boulevard maintenance for them,” Zanatos said “It took a lot of trial and error to get the well back up The next step is getting some form of irrigation.” While the interpretive plan hasn't been officially adopted it does set a vision for the property including plaques with historic details “It's one of the oldest buildings in the county,” Zanatos said “We'd like to set that up in a way people could explore it more.” The plan marks a step forward for the county which for years debated the appropriate use of the site the county considered granting Freedom Gardens use of the property The organization proposed planting as many as 150 fruit trees and harvesting more than 14,000 pounds of food But that agreement didn't pan out and in 2018 the county approved a temporary rental agreement for a caretaker to tend to the property it approved a special permit allowing use of the ranch for a cyclocross race “It sets a good high-level vision for the site,” said Commissioner Dave Strohmaier After years of exploring the future of a historic Missoula Valley ranch, the county is now close to adopting an interpretive plan for the site, which could include trails and public upgrades.\nRead More Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - With the arrival of spring, the Missoula Rural Fire Department reminds residents that May is Wildfire Preparedness Month. I spoke to MRFD Rural Firefighter 2 and Firefighter Paramedic Meghan Bennell this week, who provided helpful tips on how to prepare your home and property for wildfire season “It’s a great time for people to prepare their homes for that dry season,” began Bennell and we just want to make sure that the home ignition zone is safe and can withstand wildfire and protect your home as best as possible.” Bennell began with the basic steps for any homeowner in the wildland urban interface “We have some tips for homeowners out there in Missoula County and renters to clear leaves and other debris from your gutters “This will prevent embers from igniting your home 90 percent of home ignitions caused by wildland fires are from embers.” and Bennell said there are successful strategies to keep them from becoming fire hazards so prune those trees within the bottom six to 10 feet from the ground,” she said “Keep your lawn hydrated and maintained Dry grass and shrubs are fuel for wildfire don't let debris and lawn cuttings linger Dispose of these items quickly to reduce fuel for fire replace or repair those that are loose or missing to prevent ember penetration.” READ MORE: Mystery Blaze Starts Fire Season In addition to all the tips, Bennell said trained personnel from Missoula Rural Fire can come to your home to conduct a wildfire risk assessment. a lot of the agencies here do home risk assessments through our website,” she said “Just look up Missoula Rural Fire District There's a link on there to put in a request for a home assessment.” evacuate your home as quickly as possible because promptly leaving clears will roads for firefighting personnel to access the area Gallery Credit: AJ Brewster May is Wildfire Preparedness Month.\nRead More Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - With the arrival of spring, the Missoula Rural Fire Department reminds residents that May is Wildfire Preparedness Month. I spoke to MRFD Rural Firefighter 2 and Firefighter Paramedic Meghan Bennell this week, who provided helpful tips on how to prepare your home and property for wildfire season READ MORE: Mystery Blaze Starts Fire Season In addition to all the tips, Bennell said trained personnel from Missoula Rural Fire can come to your home to conduct a wildfire risk assessment. MISSOULA — The Missoula Farmers' Market returns this Saturday for the 53rd season continuing a Missoula tradition that brings community members from across the area together to support small farmers and small businesses it's a good feeling to know that we're such a staple in Missoula that we've been able to bring fresh vegetables and fruit to the citizens of Missoula for so long We've got some vendors that have been here or their family has been with the market for the whole 53 years So to be able to support the farmers in that way is really special,” said Tami Hubbard market manager for Missoula’s Farmers' Market the farmer’s market is excited to welcome music back as well as a new addition for this season The farmers' market doesn't just take over Caras Park with everything from produce to jewelry to furniture Coming hot off the heels of the farmers market, the Garden City Brewfest also returns this Saturday at Caras Park “This is the 31st annual Garden City Brewfest We like to consider it the kickoff to the official event season in Carrows Park,” said Kristen Sackett with the Downtown Missoula Partnership She knows there's a reason why the Garden City Brewfest is Montana's largest “We'll have 63 beers and seltzers and ciders on tap Sackett told MTN that the festival will also have 500 stein mugs for purchase but people will want to arrive early if they want one Sackett also encourages people to make responsible decisions but we definitely encourage that,” said Sackett The farmers' market opens to the public at 8 a.m gave Missoula its special title-The Garden City spring is introducing it earliest blooms to Missoula NBC Montana was there when Rocky Mountain Gardens celebrated its first annual spring opening Located at the Missoula County Fairgrounds the public botanical gardens are new to Missoula The opening brought crowds to enjoy early spring flowers and budding trees "They include about 20 different planting areas," said Rocky Mountain Gardens Program Development Coordinator "all within a unique purpose or planting style." But come warmer weather and deep summer you'll find a mix of native and non-native plants here " Outside of those specific native plantings we have native plants sprinkled within some of the other garden spaces," said Alex "But all of the gardens include species that are hardy to the Missoula climate." The event showcased everything in the gardens But they called it 'The Phlox Fest-to bring attention to the phlox plant that's unique to Missoula County which means that it has this growth form that looks literally like a little pillow," said University of Montana Assistant Professor of Plant Ecology Being low to the ground allows wind to sweep over it so it can handle the windy ridges in which it's found." Phlox plants can be found all over the country "What makes Missoula phlox unique to Missoula is that it's only found in four sites in the North Hills," said Meredith and it's not found anywhere else in the world." A botanist named Thomas Wherry identified Missoula Phlox as a new species in the 1940's "He looked at the individual characters of our phlox specimens," said University of Montana Herbarium Curator Giovanna Bishop " and noted that we had at least 12 specimens that were specifically Missoula Phlox." Missoula Phlox is especially abundant on Waterworks Hill north of Missoula "Not every day do you find endemic species to only one county," said Giovanna "The fact that we have this plant here and that it's so local you can just take a hike up to Waterworks to see it Missoulians have always been prolific gardeners In March, volunteers from the Five Valleys Seed Library packaged huge volumes of seeds for the public "We get our seeds from local gardeners and farmers," said Five Valleys Seed Library volunteer Nicole Sullivan," and also from local businesses." Most of those seeds can be found at Five Valleys main home at Garden City Harvest But there are seed cabinets all over Missoula, including the Missoula Public Library The seed program has become hugely popular especially the last few years," said Nicole And with groceries being so high we definitely see more people wanting to try." The botanical gardens are like a candy store for gardeners to research new ways to plant "We have all sorts of different spaces here "This is one of my favorite times of year," said Alex " because you're seeing the first signs of life." Rocky Mountain Gardens is still in its infancy imagine what it will look like in 20 or 50 years MISSOULA — Hundreds of vendors across Western Montana are returning to their markets this weekend as the Missoula Farmers' Market and the Clark Fork River Market kick off downtown and much more for the first time this season which has moved back to its original location just east of the Beartracks Bridge will continue every Saturday through October Watch related coverage: Farmers markets return to downtown Missoula Saturday — Farmers market season has officially begun as three markets took place in Missoula on Saturday morning Dozens of vendors were available for residents to shop from and will be at markets every weekend through the summer selling a variety of goods including local produce live music and food trucks were also available for residents to enjoy The Missoula Farmers Market returns for its 53rd season and will run from 8 a.m every Saturday morning on Higgins Avenue near the XXX's in downtown the Clark Fork Market will take place near Cara's Park downtown from 8 a.m Residents looking to buy local art will also have a chance to enjoy the market season as the Missoula People's Market returns to the Garden City this year The People's Market showcases over 80 local artisans that sell products including jewelry It will also be available for residents to shop on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m For more information about the markets, click here — Many Missoulians celebrated spring by raising a glass at the Garden City's annual 31st annual Brewfest in downtown on Saturday Hundreds of residents gathered on Saturday to socialize and try over 50 local brews seltzers and more while they soaked up some sun those looking to try to the alcohol needed to purchase an official event glass for $20 or a 12oz The purchase of either cup each came with four drink tokens and additional tokens were available for attendees to buy separately Those interested in having the largest selection were encouraged to arrive to the event early Attendees were also able to enjoy food from local food trucks and listen to music from local artists Garden City Brewfest is reportedly Montana's original Brewfest but many other cities across the state host similar events The event is hosted by Downtown Missoula Partnership which aims to o make downtown Missoula a vibrant place for residents The Missoula Valley Corgis will hold the 2025 Western Montana Corgi Derby this weekend — The Missoula Valley Corgis will hold the 2025 Western Montana Corgi Derby this weekend Director Anna Adams stopped by NBC Montana Today on Friday along with last year's champion "We are not accepting any more registrations," Adams said and we are looking forward to having people come out and just watch Co-director Rachel Kamura said the event is special because the dogs are high energy "A lot of people don't realize how athletic corgis are," Kamura said "The ball is her baby," Kamura said "We have to hide it from her and at the finish line someone will pull it out and this girl is ready to race." Dogs will race in the following categories: Seniors Admission is $5 for adults or $10 for a family or group of three — Workplaces in Missoula are gearing up to get active for this year’s commuter challenge The annual competition pits Missoula workplaces against each other in a friendly battle over who commutes to work more sustainably carpool or take public transportation to work over the contest’s two-week period “Oftentimes we kind of just default to driving without really thinking that maybe we have other options or recognizing that there may be other ways to get to work,” Katherine Auge the program manager with the city-program Missoula in Motion Even one person leaving their vehicle at home makes a difference with reducing emissions and congestion and increasing parking availability Each day someone records a sustainable commute they will be entered to win gift cards to local businesses and team prizes include work place pizza parties NBC Montana will be taking part in the challenge when it begins Sunday — Nine schools traveled to western Montana to compete in a variety of events saddle bronc riding and several roping challenges The University of Montana rodeo event returns to Missoula after being relocated to Hamilton last year due to renovations at the Missoula County Fairgrounds Montana's head coach is anticipating a sellout now that the event is back in the Garden City It's the 10th rodeo of a 10-rodeo season We call it the Big Sky Regional Finals here in Missoula," said Kory Mytty "It's great to be able to host it and the weather should be great with the new bleachers for the fairgrounds will be cool All of the schools look forward to coming here." MISSOULA — The Montana men's basketball program has added transfer Brooklyn Hicks to its roster Hicks spent the past two seasons at UNLV where he appeared in 65 games with seven starts #GrizHoops has also picked up their fifth transfer this offseason in 6-3 guard Brooklyn Hicks. Originally from Seattle, Hicks spent 2 seasons at UNLV and appeared in 65 career games. Averaged 4.2 ppg and 3.0 rpg last year. pic.twitter.com/MP3AA5Cf2C 3.0 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game for the Runnin' Rebels he appeared in 32 games and averaged 2.6 points and 1.4 rebounds in 11.2 minutes per game Hicks shot .417 from the floor and .243 from the 3-point line in two years at UNLV He also shot .531 (34 for 64) from the free throw line Hicks is the fifth offseason addition for Montana MISSOULA — The Missoula Children's Theatre is presenting Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella Performance will take place from May 8 through May 11 Tickets can be purchased online Counties with the highest unemployment rates in Montana using Bureau of Labor Statistics data Applications to secure a sliver of money from the state's opioid abatement trust continue to pour into Missoula County greatly outnumbering the available funding on hand The joint city-county Opioid Remediation Board shared in a Friday meeting that more than $2 million has been requested by nonprofits and local governments for fiscal year 2026 That figure doesn't include a handful of requests looking to secure money from both Missoula and other western Montana counties for larger regional projects Meanwhile, just $750,000 has been allocated for the first year of opioid funding, the Missoulian previously reported An additional $500,000 has been set aside for one-time requests over the next three years "We don't necessarily have to spend down all of the money through this application process but the need of course is great," Missoula Mayor and Chair of the joint board Andrea Davis said on Friday The money comes from several national opioid settlements with pharmaceutical companies and major prescription retailers, and is expected keep rolling in for the next 10 to 18 years, the Missoulian reported The joint city-county board is tasked with allocating the funds to the applicants The group approved a final scoring criteria for requests on Friday focusing on five key areas around existing program support alignment with state guidelines and local government planning documents metrics of success and proof of financial stability The final day a group can request money from the board for fiscal year 2026 is May 18 but the board will continue to evaluate applications on a rolling basis according to county Chief Administrative Officer Chris Lounsbury Some groups that have requested the opioid money include Mountain Home Montana Partnership Health Center and the Missoula City-County Health Department In total more than 20 groups have applied for the first round of funding Board members said it is likely that some groups will only get partially funded requests or not get funding at all A task force of city and county staffers will review and score the applications for the board County Commissioner Dave Strohmaier and other top city and county staff The joint board said it will schedule its next meeting date after reviewing all the eligible applications for the money which will likely be allocated this summer ahead of fiscal year 2026 Griffen Smith is the local government reporter for the Missoulian Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter Email notifications are only sent once a day Money from national opioid lawsuit settlements could start supplementing Missoula city Missoula County saw 22 drug overdose deaths in 2022 with all of the opioid-related deaths coming from fentanyl it seems you're no longer the prettiest girl at the dance Bozeman has been Montana's "it" city What was once a small cowtown with a University has blossomed into one of the most up-and-coming cities in the country lots of change has made its way to this Montana hot spot While there's still some "old Bozeman" lingering many of the shops and retail spaces aren't geared towards the people that live in Bozeman but more for the people that visit Bozeman it seems that things are changing here in Big Sky Country has lost a little of its luster and is no longer the leader in the clubhouse when it comes to must-move-to destinations let's take a look at the 5 best spots to live in Montana Gallery Credit: Derek Wolf The Travel came out with their Top 10 list of cities people want to move to the most the Montana city is ranked 4th on the list is the new hotspot for folks looking to move to Montana While that might come as a shock (I know it did to me) it's not too far from Yellowstone National Park and all of the outdoor adventure that Montana has to offer will we now see a major swing in housing prices in Billings does that mean that the rest of us will see some relief (Asking for a friend) Which Montana city is your favorite Montana is a desirable place to live and new reports suggest that one Montana town is among the most desirable in the country.\nRead More The Travel came out with their Top 10 list of cities people want to move to the most The 2025 Missoula Paddleheads season kicks off on the road in Billings on Tuesday the home opener is a week later on Tuesday VS the Glacier Range Riders at 7:05.  We're getting revved up for the Paddleheads and professional baseball's return this summer but I'm not nearly as excited as the video game user who created Ogren Park in the hit video game MLB The Show 25 Ogren park at Allegiance field, Missoula, MTbyu/Little_Respond_9915 inmlbtheshowstadiums Patrick's Hospital on the top left of that first image bridges that resemble the Orange Street Bridge They installed the grass area down the left field line near the bullpen it was accurately added in foul terrirotiry But my absolute favorite part of the designs above is that they installed the 'M' on Mount Sentinel Scroll to the 7th and 8th images to see the 'M' lit up in MLB The Show Shout out to the user who took the time to give The Show some Missoula flair Listen to the Daily Drive With Ace Sauerwein It's not the only time Missoula has been featured in a video game when the new College Football video game took the country by storm a TikTok user created the Montana Grizzlies READ MORE: Watch Montana Grizzlies Gameplay in EA's College Football 2025 You have an open invite to appear on The Daily Drive with Ace Sauerwein anytime Gallery Credit: Wood Discover The Creative Ogren Park Design In MLB The Show 25\nRead More The 2025 Missoula Paddleheads season kicks off on the road in Billings on Tuesday Ogren park at Allegiance field, Missoula, MTbyu/Little_Respond_9915 inmlbtheshowstadiums READ MORE: Watch Montana Grizzlies Gameplay in EA's College Football 2025 Personalized news alerts with our mobile app Please subscribe to continue reading… Montana State forward Lexi Deden catches a pass during a Big Sky Conference tournament semifinal game against Idaho State at Idaho Central Arena in Boise BOZEMAN — Former Montana State women's basketball player Lexi Deden has committed to Colorado State A post shared by Lexi Deden (@lexideden_) Natalie Picton (Sacramento State) and Hannah Robbins (Weber State) who has one season of college eligibility remaining joins a Division I team that went 22-10 overall and 13-5 in Mountain West Conference play last season It was the fifth straight winning season and the fourth straight with 20-plus wins for CSU which had former Northern Colorado guard Hannah Simental on its roster last season (UNC and MSU both play in the Big Sky Conference) Deden joined MSU in 2020 and developed into a starter averaging 13.8 points and 8.3 rebounds per game in 2023-24 before suffering a season-ending knee injury in the sixth game The Missoula Sentinel graduate played in 23 of 34 games last season for the Big Sky-champion Bobcats averaging 4.0 points and 2.2 rebounds per game Victor Flores is the Montana State Bobcats beat writer for 406 MT Sports. Email him at victor.flores@406mtsports.com and follow him on Twitter/X at @VictorFlores406 Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. “It's been good to talk to (MSU's coaches) and rekindle, and now I get to go play for them, so it's a blessing." - Jaden Steppe  “Whenever you see yourself get better, you just want to get even better, and that's how I feel right now.” Central Washington transfer Cavin Holden "Chris brings with him four years of experience at a highly successful program in Wisconsin and will bring Big Ten-caliber size and athleticis… “I just felt like I wouldn't be more confident in a spot than I was at Montana State.” Christian King Cass Bauer-Bilodeau, a star women’s basketball player at Montana State from 1990-94, will be part of the Big Sky Conference 2025 Hall of Fame class.  The 6-foot-1 twins from London, Ontario, Canada, redshirted as freshmen last season at Toledo, and join the Bobcat program with four years of… The reigning Big Sky coach of the year received a pay increase of $48,075 per year. Dykstra is headed to a Big Ten team that received a No. 7 seed in the latest NCAA Tournament. The Missoula Sentinel graduate is the fourth MSU women's basketball player to enter the portal since the 2024-25 season ended. "Waka is an exceptional young man who speaks five languages and will be a tremendous addition to our locker room and community." MSU head coac… Montana State forward Lexi Deden catches a pass during a Big Sky Conference tournament semifinal game against Idaho State at Idaho Central Arena in Boise, Idaho, on Tuesday, March 11. MISSOULA, Mont. — A handful of dogs and their owners gathered in Fort Missoula to participate in the fourth annual Big Sky Horse Park on Saturday morning. At the race, participants were able to compete in one of three timed races with their furry friends, including a 3k, a 6k and a 10k around the park's boundaries. Attendees were also able to participate in a raffle, receive prizes and enjoy local vendors. Meanwhile, their dogs each received a race bandana. Officials say the goal of the pet run is to bring residents and their pets together to enjoy the Big Sky Horse Park. The Big Sky Horse Park is a maintained park that is preserved by a board of equestrian focused volunteers. Equestrian activities are reportedly seasonal at the park , but it is open all year around to walkers, runners, dog owners and high school track teams. © 2025 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC. overcoming early struggles and leading them to the Big Sky Conference championship game After a mid-season coaching shakeup and a series of challenging losses culminating in a surprising run to the finals Though they fell short in a heart-wrenching last-second loss to Montana State Harris's journey from uncertainty to leadership reflects his deep connection to Montana and commitment to the program's legacy With Harris now officially named the head coach expectations are high for the upcoming season as he aims to build on the team's surprising run in the conference tournament There will be a focus on establishing a strong team identity and continuing to develop the players' confidence and skills Nate Harris's journey exemplifies the power of resilience and belief in the face of adversity his commitment to the Montana Lady Griz and the community will be pivotal in reviving the program's storied legacy in women's basketball The summary of the linked article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it OK Privacy policy MISSOULA — Missoula In Motion's commuter challenge is back and until May 17 you can log your sustainable trips to work and win prizes and taking the bus count towards the challenge The goal is to reduce emissions and lessen traffic congestion actively commuting can improve mental and physical health Visit Missoula In Motion's website for more information. Thanks for visiting A Missing Endangered Person Advisory has issued for 14-year-old Honey Stripped-Squirrel is canceled — A Missing Endangered Person Advisory has issued for 14-year-old Honey Stripped-Squirrel is canceled